Lesson notes · ≈ JLPT N5 · Beginner 2
casual plain speech forms
Use 「普通形」 with friends or family; verbs, adjectives, and nouns each change endings for tense and negation.
When talking with friends, family, or others you are close to, you often use the plain form for a casual tone.
For affirmative verbs in the present, use the dictionary form: 「行きます」 becomes 「行く」, not 「行き」.
Verbs have four plain forms: non-past/past and affirmative/negative. Keep the tense and polarity when changing forms; the past negative changes ない to なかった.
For affirmative い-adjectives in the present, remove 「です」 and keep the final 「い」: いいです→いい.
Plain forms of い-adjectives use neither です nor だ. Ending changes express negation and the past; keep the original tense and polarity when changing forms.
For affirmative noun sentences in the present, replace 「です」 with 「だ」: バイトです→バイトだ.
The stem of a な-adjective stays unchanged; change the sentence ending to make the four plain forms. In conversation, じゃない and じゃなかった are common negative forms.
Nouns and な-adjectives use the same sentence endings. だ, だった, and the negative forms distinguish the four plain forms. The past negative cannot use just じゃない.
Questions in plain style often omit 「か」. Raise your pitch at the end so the listener hears that you are asking a question.
In the example, 「行く？」 and 「食べる？」 ask about today’s plans. The dictionary form can also refer to the future.
In 「これ何？」, the example omits 「だ」 in a noun question. This is a natural way to ask a friend.
Where are you going today? What are you going to eat?
What is this?
A: Hey, what are you doing tomorrow?
B: I have a part-time job tomorrow. How about the afternoon?
A: I have a part-time job too. I'm free in the evening.
B: Well then, why don't we have dinner together?
A: Sounds good! Where shall we go?
B: Why don't we try the new ramen shop?
A: Let's go! What time shall we meet?
Level 1 · Recognise
Which sentence is correct?
Level 1 · Recognise
Listen and choose the meaning
Level 2 · Build
Put the words in order
Where shall we meet tomorrow?
Level 3 · Use
What goes in the blank?
晩ごはん、何
What are you having for dinner?
