Grammar basics · 14 min
Basic verb, adjective, and question patterns
Make simple present, negative, past, and question sentences.
- Recognize the main idea in basic verb, adjective, and question patterns.
- Use one clear example before you begin the quiz.
- Build confidence with a small, repeatable step.
Beginner Japanese becomes flexible when you can state what happens, what does not, and what happened before.
Useful polite forms
たべます is eat, たべません is do not eat, and たべました is ate. たべますか asks do you eat?
Adjectives and questions
おもしろいです means interesting. Use か at the end of a polite question.
Study these forms
Read each short sentence as a whole. Notice the specific word or ending that changes its meaning before choosing or writing an answer. たべます (I eat (polite)) · たべません (I do not eat (polite)) · たべました (I ate (polite)) · たべませんでした (I did not eat (polite)) · たべますか (do you eat?) · のみます (I drink (polite)) · のみません (I do not drink (polite)) · のみました (I drank (polite)) · のみませんでした (I did not drink (polite)) · のみますか (do you drink?) · みます (I watch or see (polite)) · みません (I do not watch or see (polite)) · みました (I watched or saw (polite)) · みませんでした (I did not watch or see (polite)) · みますか (do you watch?) · いきます (I go (polite)) · いきません (I do not go (polite)) · いきました (I went (polite)) · いきませんでした (I did not go (polite)) · いきますか (do you go?) · おもしろいです (is interesting) · おもしろくないです (is not interesting) · おもしろかったです (was interesting) · おもしろくなかったです (was not interesting) · おもしろいですか (is it interesting?)
More reading practice
します (I do (polite)) · しません (I do not do (polite)) · しました (I did (polite)) · しませんでした (I did not do (polite)) · しますか (do you do (polite)?) · きます (I come (polite)) · きません (I do not come (polite)) · きました (I came (polite)) · きませんでした (I did not come (polite)) · きますか (do you come (polite)?) · かきます (I write (polite)) · かきません (I do not write (polite)) · かきました (I wrote (polite)) · かきませんでした (I did not write (polite)) · かきますか (do you write (polite)?) · よみます (I read (polite)) · よみません (I do not read (polite)) · よみました (I read (past, polite)) · よみませんでした (I did not read (polite)) · よみますか (do you read (polite)?) · はなします (I speak (polite)) · はなしません (I do not speak (polite)) · はなしました (I spoke (polite)) · はなしませんでした (I did not speak (polite)) · はなしますか (do you speak (polite)?)
Put it together
Look at the examples once more. Notice the small detail that makes this grammar basics lesson different from the one before it.
Guided examples
Use this example while studying basic verb, adjective, and question patterns.
Try to recognize it before you start the quiz.
Before the quiz, can you recognize the key form from basic verb, adjective, and question patterns?
I eat (polite)
Show the answer
I eat (polite) · This is one of the forms introduced in the lesson. Say it aloud and connect it to the explanation above.
Remember the main pattern from basic verb, adjective, and question patterns and use the examples as your first reference. A short review is useful learning, not a setback.