This page introduces Japanese simple sentences. Japanese sentences can be composed only with verbs. They do not need any nouns which perform a subject, an object and so on, although these nouns are very helpful to communicate information accurately. This page focuses on the primitive sentences.

Japanese has a very important feature related to polite levels. Japanese uses the different polite levels, plain forms and polite forms. You should use the polite forms in daily conversation. This page composes all the sentences with the polite forms. On the other hand, the plain forms are used in the following situation. They are introduced in the later chapters.

• Dependent clauses in complex sentences.
• Conversation among a family, between a married or unmarried couple, among intimate friends at the same age.
• Written documents

How to make polite forms

You make polite forms from present participle of verbs followed by polite auxiliary verb "-masu".

How To Make Polite Forms dictionary present participle polite verb polite form stem inflection ↓ Weak Verb E néru ne → nè + -màsu → né-màsu I mìru mi → mì + -màsu → mí-màsu Strong Verb K kíku kik + i → kíki + -màsu → kíki-màsu R nàru nar + i → nàri + -màsu → nári-màsu S dàsu das + i → dàshi + -màsu → dáshi-màsu T màtsu mat + i → màchi + -màsu → máchi-màsu W íu iw + i → íi + -màsu → íi-màsu B yóbu yob + i → yóbi + -màsu → yóbi-màsu G nùgu nug + i → nùgi + -màsu → núgi-màsu M nòmu nom + i → nòmi + -màsu → númi-màsu N shínu shin + i → shíni + -màsu → shíni-màsu Irregular Verb K kùru k + i → kì + -màsu → kí-màsu S súru s + i → shi + -màsu → shí-màsu

A Dictionary Japanese Kana English néru ねる to sleep mìru みる to see kíku きく to hear nàru なる to become dàsu だす to put out màtsu まつ to wait íu いう to say yóbu よぶ to call nùgu ぬぐ to take off nòmu のむ to drink shínu しぬ to die

How to use polite present forms

Case 1a

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチします。
• (J): Mària ga màh'ketto 'o rísàh'chi shi-masu.
• (E): Maria researches the marcket.

Case 1b

• (K): だれが マーケットを リサーチしますか。マリアが します。
• (J): Dàre ga màh'ketto 'o rísàh'chi shi masu ka? Mària ga shí-màsu.
• (E): Who researches the marcket? Maria does.

Case 1c

• (K): マリアが なにを リサーチしますか。マーケットを リサーチします。
• (J): Mària ga nàni 'o rísàh'chi shi-masu ka? Màh'ketto 'o rísàh'chi-shi-masu.
• (E): What does Maria research? She researches the marcket.

Case 2a

• (K): デイヴィッドが ジェニファーを よびます。
• (J): Dèividdo ga Jènifah' 'o yóbi-màsu.
• (E): David calls Jennifer.

Case 2b

• (K): だれが ジェニファーを よびますか。デイヴィッドが よびます。
• (J): Dàre ga Jènifah' 'o yóbi-màsu ka? Dèividdo ga yóbi-màsu.
• (E): Who calls Jennifer? David does.

Case 2c

• (K): デイヴィッドが だれを よびますか。ジェニファーを よびます。
• (J): Dèividdo ga dàre 'o yóbi-màsu ka? Jènifah' 'o yóbi-màsu.
• (E): Who does David call? He calls Jennifer.

To create negative polite forms is very easy. It is only to change the end of "-masu".

Negative

affirmative	inflection	negative
shí-màsu	shí-mas + en →	shí-masèn

How to use negative polite present forms

Case 1a

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチしません。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi-shi-masen.
• (E): Maria does not researches the marcket.

Case 1b

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチしますか。はい、します。いいえ、しません。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shi-masu ka? Hai, shi-masu. Iie, shi-masen.
• (E): Does Maria researches the marcket? Yes, she does. No, she doesn't.

Case 2a

• (K): ジョンが コートを ぬぎません。
• (J): Jon ga koh'to 'o nugi-masen.
• (E): John does not take off his coat.

Case 2b

• (K): ジョンが コートを ぬぎますか。はい、ぬぎます。いいえ、ぬぎません。
• (J): Jon ga koh'to 'o nugi-masu ka? Hai, nugi-masu. Iie, nugi-masen.
• (E): Does John take off his coat? Yes, he does. No, he doesn't.

Japanese has two types of basic tenses, the present and the past. As general usages, these type are almost correspond to the present and the past. However, the present contains the future and the past contains the perfect. Of course, Japanese has many expression to distinguish slight tenses by using auxiliary verbs and helping verbs. However, these two types are most essential to compose Japanese sentences.

Tenses

	present	inflection	past
affirmative	shí-màsu	shi-mas + i + ta	shí-màshita
negative	shí-masèn	shi-masen + deshita	shí-masèn deshita

How to use polite past forms

Case 1a

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチしました。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shi-mashita.
• (E): Maria researched the marcket.

Case 1b

• (K): だれが マーケットを リサーチしましたか。マリアが しました。
• (J): Dare ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shi-mashita ka? Maria ga shi-mashita.
• (E): Who researched the marcket? Maria did.

Case 1c

• (K): マリアが なにを リサーチしましたか。マーケットを リサーチしました。
• (J): Maria ga nani 'o risah'chi shi-mashita ka? Mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shi-mashita.
• (E): What did Maria research? She researched the marcket.

Case 1d

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチしませんでした。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shi-masen deshita.
• (E): Maria did not research the marcket.

Case 1e

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチしましたか。はい、しました。いいえ、しませんでした。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shi-mashita ka? Hai, shi-mashita. Iie, shi-masen deshita.
• (E): Did Maria research the marcket? Yes, she did. No, she didn't.

Case 2a

• (K): スーザンが ミューズィックを ききました。
• (J): Suh'zan ga myuh'zikku 'o kiki-mashita.
• (E): Susan listened to music.

Case 2b

• (K): だれが ミューズィックを ききましたか。スーザンが ききました。
• (J): Dare ga myuh'zikku 'o kiki-mashita ka? Suh'zan ga kiki-mashita.
• (E): Who listened to music? Susan did.

Case 2c

• (K): スーザンが なにを ききましたか。ミューズィックを ききました。
• (J): Suh'zan ga nani 'o kiki-mashita ka? Myuh'zikku 'o kiki-mashita.
• (E): What did Susan listen to? She listened to music.

Case 2d

• (K): スーザンが ミューズィックを ききませんでした。
• (J): Suh'zan ga myuh'zikku 'o kiki-masen deshita.
• (E): Susan did not listen to music.

Case 2e

• (K): スーザンが ミューズィックを ききましたか。はい、ききました。いいえ、ききませんでした。
• (J): Suh'zan ga myuh'zikku 'o kiki-mashita ka? Hai, kiki-mashita. Iie, kiki-masen deshita.
• (E): Did Susan listen to music? Yes, she did. No, she didn't.

This section introduces three moods of Japanese. The first is the indicative mood which has been already introduced above. The second is the imperative mood. The last is the subjunctive mood. However, the subjunctive mood is not same as English. It should be called "the intent mood" and "the probable mood". And it is divided into 2 parts, "the intent" and "the probable".

How to make the imperative mood with politeness

• affirmative: past participle + "kudasai"
• negative: past participle + "kudasai"

How to make the intent mood with politeness

• affirmative: present participle + "-mashou" which is the subjunctive form of the polite verb.
• negative: present participle + "-masu mai" which is the present form of the polite verb followed by " mai".

How to make the probable mood with politeness

• affirmative present: present form + " deshou" which is the subjunctive form of the polite copula.
• affirmative past: past form + " deshou" which is the subjunctive form of the polite copula.
• negative present: negative present + " deshou" which is the subjunctive form of the polite copula.
• negative past: negative past + " deshou" which is the subjunctive form of the polite copula.

In order to construct the sentences of these moods, you need to know the five forms first. They are the past form and the past participle form of the affirmative, the present form, the past form and the past participle of the negative.

How To Make Past Forms dictionary past stem inflection ↓ Weak Verb E néru ne + ta → néta I mìru mi + ta → mìta Strong Verb K kíku kik + ta → kíita R nàru nar + ta → nàtta S dàsu das + ta → dàshita T màtsu mat + ta → màtta W íu iw + ta → ítta B yóbu yob + ta → yónda G nùgu nug + ta → nùida M nòmu nom + ta → nònda N shínu shin + ta → shínda Irregular Verb K kùru k + i + ta → kìta S súru s + i + ta→ shíta past participle: change the ending of the past form -ta → -te -da → -de

How To Make Negative Forms dictionary negative stem derivative ↓ Weak Verb E néru ne + na-i → néna-i I mìru mi + na-i → mìna-i Strong Verb K kíku kik + a + na-i → kíkana-i R nàru nar + a + na-i → náràna-i S dàsu das + a + na-i → dásàna-i T màtsu mat + a + na-i → mátàna-i W íu iw + a + na-i → íwana-i B yóbu yob + a + na-i → yóbana-i G nùgu nug + a + na-i → núgàna-i M nòmu nom + a + na-i → nómàna-i N shínu shin + a + na-i → shínana-i Irregular Verb K kùru k + o + na-i → kòna-i S súru s + i + na-i → shína-i past: change the ending -na-i → -na-katta past participle: change the ending -na-i → -na-i de

The following table shows you how to make the imperative, subjunctive moods.

Moods [ Kana Table ]

imperative		affirmative		shite	(past participle)	+ kudasai →	shíte kudasài
		negative		shina-i de	(negative past participle)	+ kudasai →	shínà-i de kudasai
subjunctive	intent	affirmative		shi	(present participle)	+ -mashou →	shí-mashòu
		negative		shi	(present participle)	+ -masu + mai →	shí-masu mài
	probable	affirmative	present	suru	(present)	+ deshou →	súru deshòu
			past	shita	(past)	+ deshou →	shítà deshou
		negative	present	shina-i	(negative present)	+ deshou →	shínà-i deshou
			past	shina-katta	(negative past)	+ deshou →	shínà-katta deshou

How to use polite imperative forms

Case 1a

• (K): マリアさん、マーケットを リサーチして ください。
• (J): Maria-san, mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shite kudasai.
• (E): Ms. Maria, please research the marcket.

Case 1b

• (K): マリアさん、マーケットを リサーチしないで ください。
• (J): Maria-san, mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shina-i de kudasai.
• (E): Ms. Maria, please don't research the marcket.

Case 2a

• (K): ジェイムズさん、ワインを のんで ください。
• (J): Jeimuzu-san, wain 'o nonde kudasai.
• (E): Mr. James, please drink wine.

Case 2b

• (K): ジェイムズさん、ワインを のまないで ください。
• (J): Jeimuzu-san, wain 'o nomana-i de kudasai.
• (E): Mr. James, please don't drink wine.

How to use polite subjunctive ( intent ) forms

Case 1a

• (K): マリアさん、マーケットを リサーチしましょう。
• (J): Maria-san, mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shi-mashou.
• (E): Ms. Maria, let's research the marcket.

Case 1b

• (K): マリアさん、何を リサーチしましょうか。マーケットを リサーチしましょう。
• (J): Maria-san, nani 'o risah'chi shi-mashou ka? mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shi-mashou.
• (E): Ms. Maria, what shall we research. Let's research the marcket.

Case 1c

• (K): マリアさん、マーケットを リサーチしますまい。
• (J): Maria-san, mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shi-masu mai.
• (E): Ms. Maria, let's not research the marcket.

Case 1d

• (K): マリアさん、マーケットを リサーチしましょうか。はい、しましょう。いいえ、しますまい。
• (J): Maria-san, mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shi-mashou ka? Hai, shi-mashou. Iie, shi-masu mai.
• (E): Ms. Maria, shall we research the marcket? Yes, let's. No, let's not.

Case 2a

• (K): ドクターに なりましょう。
• (J): Dokutah' ni nari-mashou.
• (E): I will become a doctor.

Case 2b

• (K): なにに なりましょうか。ドクターになりましょう。
• (J): Nani ni nari-mashou ka? Dokutah' ni nari-mashou.
• (E): What shall we become. We will become doctors.

Case 2c

• (K): ドクターに なりますまい。
• (J): Dokutah' ni nari-masu mai.
• (E): I will not be a doctor.

Case 2d

• (K): ドクターに なりましょうか。はい、なりましょう。いいえ、なりますまい。
• (J): Dokutah' ni nari-mashou ka? Hai, nari-mashou. Iie, nari-masu mai.
• (E): Shall we become doctors? Yes, let's. No, let's not.

How to use polite subjunctive ( probable present ) forms

Case 1a

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチするでしょう。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi suru deshou.
• (E): Maria will probably research the marcket.

Case 1b

• (K): だれが マーケットを リサーチするでしょうか。マリアが するでしょう。
• (J): Dare ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi suru deshou ka? Maria ga suru deshou.
• (E): Who will research the marcket? Maria will probably.

Case 1c

• (K): マリアが なにを リサーチするでしょうか。マーケットを リサーチするでしょう。
• (J): Maria ga nani 'o risah'chi suru deshou ka? Mah'ketto 'o risah'chi suru deshou.
• (E): What will Maria research? She will probably research the marcket.

Case 1d

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチしないでしょう。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shina-i deshou.
• (E): Maria will not probably research the marcket.

Case 1e

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチするでしょうか。はい、するでしょう。いいえ、しないでしょう。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi suru deshou ka? Hai, suru deshou. Iie, shina-i deshou.
• (E): Will Maria research the marcket? Yes, she will probably. No, she 'on't probably.

Case 2a

• (K): カレンが ムーヴィーを みるでしょう。
• (J): Karen ga muh'vih' 'o miru deshou.
• (E): Karen will probably see a movie.

Case 2b

• (K): だれが ムーヴィーを みるでしょうか。カレンが みるでしょう。
• (J): Dare ga muh'vih' 'o miru deshou ka? Karen ga miru deshou.
• (E): Who will see a movie? Karen will probably.

Case 2c

• (K): カレンが なにを みるでしょうか。ムーヴィーを みるでしょう。
• (J): Karen ga nani 'o miru deshou ka? Muh'vih' 'o miru deshou.
• (E): What will Karen see? She will probably see a movie.

Case 2d

• (K): カレンが ムーヴィーを みないでしょう。
• (J): Karen ga muh'vih' 'o mina-i deshou.
• (E): Karen will not probably see a movie.

Case 2e

• (K): カレンが ムーヴィーを みるでしょうか。はい、みるでしょう。いいえ、みないでしょう。
• (J): Karen ga muh'vih' 'o miru deshou ka? Hai, miru deshou. Iie mina-i deshou.
• (E): Will Karen see a movie? Yes, she will probably. No, she 'on't probably.

How to use polite subjunctive ( probable past ) forms

Case 1a

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチしたでしょう。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shita deshou.
• (E): Maria would probably research the marcket.

Case 1b

• (K): だれが マーケットを リサーチしたでしょうか。マリアが したでしょう。
• (J): Dare ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shita deshou ka? Maria ga shita deshou.
• (E): Who would research the marcket? Maria would probably.

Case 1c

• (K): マリアが なにを リサーチしたでしょうか。マーケットを リサーチしたでしょう。
• (J): Maria ga nani 'o risah'chi shita deshou ka? Mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shita deshou.
• (E): What would Maria research? She would probably research the marcket.

Case 1d

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチしなかったでしょう。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shina-katta deshou.
• (E): Maria would not probably research the marcket.

Case 1e

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチしたでしょうか。はい、したでしょう。いいえ、しなかったでしょう。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shita deshou ka? Hai, shita deshou. Iie, shina-katta deshou.
• (E): Would Maria research the marcket? Yes, she would probably. No, she wouldn't probably.

Case 2a

• (K): ロバートが バスを まったでしょう。
• (J): Robah'to ga basu 'o matta deshou.
• (E): Robert would probably wait for the bus.

Case 2b

• (K): だれが バスを まったでしょうか。ロバートが まったでしょう。
• (J): Dare ga basu 'o matta deshou ka? Robah'to ga matta deshou.
• (E): Who would wait for the bus? Robert would probably.

Case 2c

• (K): ロバートが なにを まったでしょうか。バスを まったでしょう。
• (J): Robah'to ga nani 'o matta deshou ka? Basu 'o matta deshou.
• (E): What would Robert wait for? He would probably wait for the bus.

Case 2d

• (K): ロバートが バスを またなかったでしょう。
• (J): Robah'to ga basu 'o matana-katta deshou.
• (E): Robert would not probably wait for the bus.

Case 2e

• (K): ロバートが バスを まったでしょうか。はい、まったでしょう。いいえ、またなかったでしょう。
• (J): Robah'to ga basu 'o matta deshou ka? Hai, matta deshou. Iie, matana-katta deshou.
• (E): Would Robert wait for the bus? Yes, he would probably. No, he wouldn't probably.

Japanese does not have any special inflention to express future events. It uses the present form for a certain future event, the probable present form for an uncertain future event. Indeed, the real meaning of the present form is the present, the future and the habitual form which contains future events as well as present events.

How to express future tenses

Case 1a ( a certain event )

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチします。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi shi-masu.
• (E): Maria will research the marcket.

Case 1b ( an uncertain event )

• (K): マリアが マーケットを リサーチするでしょう。
• (J): Maria ga mah'ketto 'o risah'chi suru deshou.
• (E): Maria will probably research the marcket.

The following table shows you a chart of the tenses.

A chart of the tenses of "suru" [ Kana Table ]

	tenses	moods		English	Japanese Polite	Ref. Japanese Plain
A F F I R M A T I V E	present	indicative	certain	do	shí-màsu	súru
			uncertain	do probably	súru deshòu	súru daròu
		subjunctive		would do
		intent		let's do	shí-mashòu	shíyòu
		imperative		Do	shíte kudasài	shíro
	past	indicative	certain	did	shí-màshita shítà desu(*1)	shíta
			uncertain	did probably	shítà deshou	shítà darou
		subjunctive		would have done
	future	indicative	certain	will do	shí-màsu	súru
			uncertain	will do probably	súru deshòu	súru daròu
N E G A T I V E	present	indicative	certain	do not do	shí-masèn shínà-i desu(*1)	shínà-i
			uncertain	do not do probably	shína-i deshòu	shína-i daròu
		subjunctive		would not do
		intent		let's not do	shí-masu mài	súru mài
		imperative		Don't do	shínà-i de kudasai	súrù na
	past	indicative	certain	did not do	shí-masèn deshita shínà-katta desu(*1)	shínà-katta
			uncertain	did not do probably	shínà-katta deshou	shínà-katta darou
		subjunctive		would not have done
	future	indicative	certain	will not do	shí-masèn shínà-i desu(*1)	shínà-i
			uncertain	will not do probably	shína-i deshòu	shína-i daròu

• (*1) colloquial variants ( not used in formal conversations )