Lesson 2
Yodan Verbs with Base 2 + masu
The first ending you'll want to master is the polite form masu. Since masu requires the Base 2 form, yodan verbs are changed so they end in i — their "Base 2" form — before the masu ending is added. Notice how the following yodan verbs, which were introduced in Lesson 1, change in order to add masu, the present polite ending. Especially notice how verbs ending in su and tsu change:
| Plain Verb |
Base 2 Form |
Polite Verb Form |
| kau (to buy) |
kai |
kaimasu |
| aruku (to walk) |
aruki |
arukimasu |
| isogu (to hurry) |
isogi |
isogimasu |
| kasu (to lend) |
kashi |
kashimasu |
| matsu (to wait) |
machi |
machimasu |
| shinu (to die) |
shini |
shinimasu |
| asobu (to play) |
asobi |
asobimasu |
| yomu (to read) |
yomi |
yomimasu |
| kaeru (to return) |
kaeri |
kaerimasu |
Now we are ready to speak polite, "adult" Japanese. Let's convert the plain yodan verb example sentences used in Lesson 1 to polite sentences by converting them to Base 2 and adding masu:
- Mama wa mise de banana o kaimasu. (Mom buys/will buy bananas at the store.)
- Jim wa manga o yomimasu. (Jim will read a comic book.)
- Ojii-san wa sugu kaerimasu. (Grandpa will return soon.)
|
