Page 241 - Basic Japanese
P. 241
Plain Affirmative Plain Negative
Meaning (Imperfect) (Imperfect)
Vowel Verbs eats tabe-ru tabe-nai
sees mi-ru mi-nai
Consonant wins kats-u kat-anai
Verbs rides nor-u nor-anai
buys ka-u kaw-anai
speaks hanas-u hanas-anai
writes kak-u kak-anai
swims oyog-u oyog-anai
calls yob-u yob-anai
reads yom-u yom-anai
dies shin-u shin-anai
Irregular comes ku-ru ko-nai
Verbs does su-ru shi-nai
Notice how the ‘disappearing’ w disappears in forms like
kau but does not disappear in forms like kawanai. Also notice
the ‘appearing’ s appears in forms like katsu but not in forms
like katanai. Each of the negative verbs is conjugated like any
other adjective—for example the adjective nai ‘is non-
existent’ or akai ‘is red’:
