Handbook of Japanese Verbs

Question 0

Vconj + ましょう

Answer 0

“I will,” “let’s~”

Expresses the first person’s volition, invitation or suggestion

Question 1

Vconj + ます

Answer 1

“do/will do,” “there is/will be”

Expresses actions or states which regularly take place/exist or will take place/exist. Polite speech.

Question 2

Vconj + ましょうか・ませんか

Answer 2

“Shall I~?” “Wouldn’t you~?”

A first person invitation or suggestion in the form of a question. The negative question ませんか is more polite than ましょうか

Question 3

Vconj + なさい

Answer 3

“Do~”

Expresses a plain imperative, used, for example, by teachers or parents to their students or children.

Question 4

お+Vconj+下さい

Answer 4

“Would you please do~”

Expresses a polite imperative to superiors or customers.

Question 5

お+Vconj+します・いたします

Answer 5

“I’ll do~,” “I’d like to do~”

Expresses the speakers volition in the humble style. The verb いたす is the humble equivalent of する.

Question 6

Vconj, Vconj+ます

Answer 6

“Do~ and do~”

By linking two or more verbs the sentence pattern expresses actions in succession.

Question 7

Vconj

Answer 7

Used as a noun

Vconj of regular verbs is used as a noun by itself. です May be added to adjectives to make the speech polite.

Question 8

Vconj+に+motion verb

Answer 8

“Go/come/return/enter/leave to do something”

Can be used with 行く(go)来る(come)帰る(return)入る(enter)出る(leave) to express purpose when a person moves from one place to another

Question 9

Vconj+ながら

Answer 9

“While doing~”

Expresses simultaneous actions performed by one subject.

Question 10

Vconj+たい・たがる

Answer 10

“Want to do~”

たい・たがる expresses a first/third desire to do sth. です may be added to the auxiliary たい to make speech polite

Question 11

Vconj+そうだ

Answer 11

“Look like,” “feel like”

Expresses the speaker’s conjecture based on what she sees or feels. The copula だ may be replaced by です to make the speech polite.

Question 12

Vconj+物・方

Answer 12

“Thing”/”a way of,” “how to”

Creates compound nouns.

Question 13

Vconj+始める・終わる

Answer 13

“Begin to”/”finish doing~”

Compound verbs used as auxiliaries .

Question 14

Vconj+auxiliary verb

Answer 14

Other auxiliaries include つずける、忘れる、直す、すぎる

Question 15

Vdic

Answer 15

“Do/will do,” “there is/will be”

Expresses actions or states which regularly take place/exist or will take place/exist. This form is used for the plain style.

Question 16

Vdic+つもりだ

Answer 16

Expresses a person’s intention. つもり is a pseudo noun usually followed by a copula, だ/だった or です/でした.

Question 17

Vdic+はずだ

Answer 17

“I expect that~” “It is expected that”

Expresses the speakers expectation will take place/took place. はず is a pseudo noun usually followed by a copula.

Question 18

Vdic+だろう

Answer 18

“Probably”

Expresses the speaker’s conjecture.

Question 19

Vdic+かもしれない

Answer 19

“Might”

Expresses the speaker’s speculation or guess. かもしれません is the polite style.

Question 20

Vdic+にちがいない

Answer 20

“Must be” “there is no doubt that~”

Expresses the speaker’s guess with confidence. ちがいありません is the polite style.

Question 21

Vdic+の・こと

Answer 21

“~ing” “to~” “that~”

Nominalizers which make a verb into a gerund, or a clause into a noun phrase. の Indicates concrete actions/events, while ことindicates abstract actions/events. They are so mistimes interchangeable.

Question 22

Vdic+ことが出来る

Answer 22

“Can” “be able to”

Expresses potential and ability. Typically used in Aは~ことが出来る construction.

Question 23

Vdic+ことがある

Answer 23

“There are times when~”

Expresses actions or events that occur sometimes.

Question 24

Vdic+ことにする

Answer 24

“Decide to”

Expresses the speaker’s decision to do something

Question 25

Vdic+ことになる

Answer 25

“It will be decided that~”

Expresses a decision made by others, rather than the speaker.