Page 131 - Basic Japanese

3.9 Verbs, polite moods

You have heard forms like ikimasu ‘goes,’ ikimashita ‘went,’ and
ikimashō ‘let’s go.’ These are various moods of the same verb.

Each verb, adjective, and the copula as well, can be changed in
shape to correspond to different categories we call “moods.”

(Compare the English forms go, went, gone, going.) In Japanese,
each verb, like each adjective and the copula, has two sets of
forms: “polite” and “plain.” So far we have seen only the polite
forms of verbs and the copula. In the next lesson we have some

of the plain forms of these, and plain and polite forms of the
adjectives. In normal polite conversation, it is customary to end
a sentence with one of these polite forms. For a further

discussion on the use of polite and plain forms, see the next
lesson.

In this lesson, you’ll find forms like shite ‘doing,’ hanashite
‘talking,’ kaette ‘returned and,’ kite (kudasai) ‘(please) come,’
aruite (ikimasu) ‘(goes) on foot,’ tsurete (kimasu) ‘brings along,’