Page 138 - Basic Japanese

Doko e basu de ikimashita ka.
Where did you go by bus?

The tentative mood (sometimes called suggestive, future,

probable future, or presumptive) is used when an action isn’t
quite definite. You’re not sure about it—maybe it will be,
probably it will be, perhaps it has already been—or you’re

suggesting it for consideration.

田中さんは病気でしょう。
Tanaka-san wa byōki deshō.
Mr. Tanaka must be sick. (I’m not sure, it isn’t

definite, but what do you think?) どこへ行きましょう
か。

Doko e ikimashō ka.

Where shall we go? (It hasn’t been definitely

decided where we will go, but we will probably go
some place, so what shall we consider?)

This sometimes corresponds to English let us:

歩いて行きましょう。

Aruite ikimashō.

Let’s walk. (It isn’t definite that we will walk, but
I’m suggesting it.)

3.12. Negatives

The polite imperfect negative of a verb is made by changing -
masu to -masen. The polite negative of the copula desu is the

phrase ja arimasen. Or, often, ja nai desu; and arimasen is often nai