Learning Japanese tenses can be a significant challenge for English speakers, primarily due to the fundamental differences between the two languages. However, with the right approach, understanding and mastering Japanese tenses can become a manageable and even enjoyable task. This article aims to simplify Japanese tenses, providing clear explanations and practical examples to guide you through the process.
Understanding the Basics
Japanese verbs do not conjugate based on the subject, and there are only two tenses: past and non-past. The non-past tense can be used to express both present and future actions. This is a significant departure from English, which has multiple tenses and aspects to indicate time and continuity. Let’s delve into these tenses and see how they function in Japanese.
Non-past Tense
The non-past tense in Japanese is used for both present and future actions. The context of the sentence usually clarifies whether the action is happening now or will happen later.
For example:
– たべる (taberu) – to eat
– たべます (tabemasu) – polite form of “to eat”
Depending on the context, “たべます” can mean “I eat” or “I will eat.”
Examples:
– 毎日りんごをたべます。 (Mainichi ringo o tabemasu.) – I eat an apple every day.
– 明日りんごをたべます。 (Ashita ringo o tabemasu.) – I will eat an apple tomorrow.
Forming Non-past Tense:
For verbs, the non-past tense is essentially the dictionary form (for informal speech) or the -ます form (for formal speech).
– Dictionary form: たべる (taberu) – to eat
– Polite form: たべます (tabemasu) – to eat
Past Tense
The past tense in Japanese is more straightforward than in English. It is used to indicate that an action has been completed.
For example:
– たべた (tabeta) – ate
– たべました (tabemashita) – polite form of “ate”
Examples:
– 昨日りんごをたべた。 (Kinou ringo o tabeta.) – I ate an apple yesterday.
– 昨日りんごをたべました。 (Kinou ringo o tabemashita.) – I ate an apple yesterday. (polite)
Forming Past Tense:
For verbs, the past tense is formed by changing the verb ending. For informal speech, -る verbs change to -た, and -ます verbs change to -ました for formal speech.
– Informal: たべる (taberu) -> たべた (tabeta)
– Polite: たべます (tabemasu) -> たべました (tabemashita)
Verb Groups and Conjugations
Understanding Japanese verb groups is essential for proper conjugation. Japanese verbs are categorized into three groups:
Group 1: う-Verbs (Godan Verbs)
These verbs end in -う and change their endings depending on the tense and formality.
Examples:
– のむ (nomu) – to drink
– のみます (nomimasu) – polite form
Conjugation:
– Non-past: のむ (nomu) / のみます (nomimasu)
– Past: のんだ (nonda) / のみました (nomimashita)
Group 2: る-Verbs (Ichidan Verbs)
These verbs end in -る and are simpler to conjugate.
Examples:
– たべる (taberu) – to eat
– たべます (tabemasu) – polite form
Conjugation:
– Non-past: たべる (taberu) / たべます (tabemasu)
– Past: たべた (tabeta) / たべました (tabemashita)
Group 3: Irregular Verbs
There are only two irregular verbs in Japanese: する (suru) – to do, and くる (kuru) – to come.
Conjugation:
– する (suru)
– Non-past: する (suru) / します (shimasu)
– Past: した (shita) / しました (shimashita)
– くる (kuru)
– Non-past: くる (kuru) / きます (kimasu)
– Past: きた (kita) / きました (kimashita)
Negative Forms
In Japanese, forming the negative is straightforward. For non-past and past tenses, we add specific endings to the verb stem.
Non-past Negative
For う-verbs:
– Replace the final う with あない.
– のむ (nomu) -> のまない (nomanai)
For る-verbs:
– Drop the る and add ない.
– たべる (taberu) -> たべない (tabenai)
For irregular verbs:
– する (suru) -> しない (shinai)
– くる (kuru) -> こない (konai)
Examples:
– 水をのまない。 (Mizu o nomanai.) – I don’t drink water.
– りんごをたべない。 (Ringo o tabenai.) – I don’t eat apples.
Past Negative
For う-verbs:
– Replace the final う with あなかった.
– のむ (nomu) -> のまなかった (nomanakatta)
For る-verbs:
– Drop the る and add なかった.
– たべる (taberu) -> たべなかった (tabenakatta)
For irregular verbs:
– する (suru) -> しなかった (shinakatta)
– くる (kuru) -> こなかった (konakatta)
Examples:
– 昨日水をのまなかった。 (Kinou mizu o nomanakatta.) – I didn’t drink water yesterday.
– 昨日りんごをたべなかった。 (Kinou ringo o tabenakatta.) – I didn’t eat an apple yesterday.
Questions and Politeness
Forming questions and using polite speech are critical aspects of Japanese communication.
Forming Questions
To turn a statement into a question, add か (ka) at the end of the sentence.
Examples:
– あなたはりんごをたべますか。 (Anata wa ringo o tabemasu ka?) – Do you eat apples?
– 昨日りんごをたべましたか。 (Kinou ringo o tabemashita ka?) – Did you eat an apple yesterday?
Politeness Levels
Japanese has different levels of politeness, typically casual (informal) and polite (formal). The verbs conjugate accordingly to match the required level of politeness.
Examples:
– Informal: りんごをたべる。 (Ringo o taberu.) – I eat an apple.
– Polite: りんごをたべます。 (Ringo o tabemasu.) – I eat an apple.
Using polite forms (-ます/ます) is essential in formal situations, when speaking to someone of higher status, or when you are not familiar with the other person.
Practical Application
Understanding the theory behind Japanese tenses is one thing, but applying this knowledge in real-life situations is crucial for language mastery. Here are some tips to help you incorporate these tenses into your daily practice:
Daily Practice:
– Practice conjugating verbs every day. Choose a few verbs from each group and write sentences in both non-past and past tenses.
– Use flashcards to memorize verb conjugations and their meanings.
Engage with Native Speakers:
– Join language exchange programs or online communities where you can practice speaking with native Japanese speakers.
– Pay attention to how they use tenses in conversations and try to mimic their sentence structures.
Watch and Listen:
– Watch Japanese TV shows, movies, or anime, and listen to Japanese music or podcasts. Note how tenses are used in different contexts.
– Try to transcribe short dialogues and identify the verb tenses used.
Write Regularly:
– Keep a journal in Japanese. Write about your day, plans for the future, and past experiences, using the correct tenses.
– Get feedback from a teacher or a native speaker to correct any mistakes.
Conclusion
Navigating Japanese tenses might seem daunting at first, but with consistent practice and a clear understanding of the basic rules, it becomes much more manageable. Remember that Japanese only has two main tenses: past and non-past, with straightforward conjugation rules compared to English. By mastering these tenses and their conjugations, you’ll be well on your way to achieving fluency in Japanese. Happy learning!
