Well, finals at Ball State just ended last week, and after all the studying and hardwork needed to pass the class is over, a break is definitely due. I've been resting since Thursday afternoon. I've filled my hours with games, pleasure reading, housework, being a family man, and way too much internet (and not the educational type, either--mostly Facebook and YouTube). But now, it is time to get off my laurals, and get back into the joys of learning Japanese.
Most people will tell you, "if you don't use it, you lose it"--which is layman terms for entrophy. As a linguist who believes that language is intergrated into our physical neural system, entrophy is a problem. Without the consistent repair involved in practice and learning, our understanding begins to breakdown and degrade.
So, let's do some spucing up of our Japanese, and review some of what we (should) have learned. One thing I struggled with was differences in present and past short form verbs. So, let's look at the differences; then we can look at some applications of these verb forms.
Verbs
Affirmative
Present Short Form→ same as dictionary form
Past Short Form→ based on て-form; て=>た、で=>だ
Negative
Present Short Form→
[regular ru] remove る、add ない
[regular u] -u- syllable becomes -a- syllable*, add ない (*う becomes わ)
[irregular] する→ しない、くる→ こない、ある→ ない
Past Short Form→
base on Present Short Form Negative; remove い from ない；add かった
Dictionary Form
|
Present Short Affirmative
|
Present Short Negative
|
Past Short Affirmative
|
Past Short Negative
|
ねる
|
ねる
|
ねない
|
ねた
|
ねなかった
|
よむ
|
よむ
|
よまない
|
よんだ
|
よまなかった
|
うたう
|
うたう
|
うたわない
|
うたった
|
うたわなかった
|
くる
|
くる
|
こない
|
きた
|
こなかった
|
Applications
1) The Short Forms are used in informal speech, that is casual conversation with someone close to you.
A: きのう、ほんをよんだ？ (kinou, hon-o yonda?) [Did you read the book, yesterday?]
B: ううん、よまなかった。。。 (uun, yomanakatta...) [No, I didn't...]
2) quoted speech
トムさんは、便居するといっていませんでした。
(tomu-san-wa, benkyou-suru-itteimasen-deshita.)
[Thom said that he didn't study.]
3) Using the verb 思う (to think）.
私は何もないと思います。
(watashi-wa nanimo nai-to omoimasu)
[I think I don't have anything.]
4) Requesting others NOT to do something
今おさけをのまないください。
(ima osake-o nomanai-kudasai)
[Please don't drink alcohol right now.]
There are other functions of the short forms--for example, check out my recent post about Japanese relative clauses, if you need some practice. And, as always, I look forward to any imput that will help me correct examples that I have used here today. Please contact me via Facebook or Twitter.
じゃまた！
