Verb Conjugations

[Tsuki no Kuchiduke]

I'd like some one on one explanations/lessons about verb conjugation. I'm using Free Japanese Lessons to do lessons on for now. but if possible I'd like some help and someone to challenge the knowledge i obtain about verb conjugation.

particularly- I learn by using my knowledge in context..

Like if i were to be tested over the use of

漢字 ひらがな Romaji Verb Base
話す はなす hanasu (to speak)
話さ はなさ hanasa Base 1
話し はなし hanashi Base 2
話す はなす hanasu Base 3
話せ はなせ hanase Base 4
話そう はなそう hanasou Base 5
話して はなして hanashite Base "te"
話した はなした hanashita Base "ta"

I would want to have a way to remember each base- and be able to use each form in a sentence.  

[Nana Shinu Ai]

sound very interesting cool.  

[Tsuki no Kuchiduke]

bump**  

[Kakigoori_Oujo]

Manda Monophobia

I'd like some one on one explanations/lessons about verb conjugation. I'm using Free Japanese Lessons to do lessons on for now. but if possible I'd like some help and someone to challenge the knowledge i obtain about verb conjugation.

particularly- I learn by using my knowledge in context..

Like if i were to be tested over the use of

漢字 ひらがな Romaji Verb Base
話す はなす hanasu (to speak)
話さ はなさ hanasa Base 1
話し はなし hanashi Base 2
話す はなす hanasu Base 3
話せ はなせ hanase Base 4
話そう はなそう hanasou Base 5
話して はなして hanashite Base "te"
話した はなした hanashita Base "ta"

I would want to have a way to remember each base- and be able to use each form in a sentence.

I wouldn't really suggest learning it by their different bases:
(1) There are many different grammar points for a lot of the bases.
Ex. Take 話した, then there's also 話したら, 話したい, 話したがる, 話したり, etc.
(2) Base 1 "話さ" has no meaning by itself.
So don't memorize by bases.

I think it would be good if you start learning individual grammar points. If you still want to learn by remembering each base, then I will list out the (most) common grammar point used for each base.

Base 1　話さない (doesn't speak)　 negative
Base 2 話します　(speaks/will speak) polite
Base 3 話す (speaks/will speak) dictionary/informal
Base 4 話せる (can speak) potential
Base 5 話そう (let's speak) volitional
て-form 話して　(speak) *one function is for linking sentences
た-form 話した　(spoke)　　　　　　　　　　past


Here are some example sentences:

日本語（にほんご）で話（はな）さないと勉強（べんきょう）にならないよ。
If you don't speak in Japanese, you won't learn it.

山田先生（やまだせんせい）と話（はな）しました。
I spoke with Yamada-sensei.

英語（えいご）で話（はな）せるようになりたいです。
I want to become able to speak English.

英語（えいご）で話（はな）そう！
Let's speak in English!

友達（ともだち）と話（はな）して、マックに行（い）こうと決（き）めた。
I talked with my friend and decided to go to McDonald's.


If you are looking for textbooks, I would recommend Genki I, publisher The Japan Times. My friends have all used this before and they all think it's a great textbook (first year university). The topics in the book are geared towards foreign students wanting to go on university exchange to Japan, so if you find that irrelevant to you (because you just plan on going there for travel, maybe work, or just something else), then I'm sure there are other good textbooks you might want to check out. I heard that Minna no Nihongo is another good textbook, but I've never used it before so I can't comment on it.  

[Tsuki no Kuchiduke]

oh wow o.o thank you for redirecting me! If there are easier approaches, i CERTAINLY want to try them first! lol. I don't plan on going (want to but realistically i doubt it. I'm pursuing a translation career)

but thank you for stopping me!

Kakigoori_Oujo

Here are some example sentences:

日本語（にほんご）で話（はな）さないと勉強（べんきょう）にならないよ。
If you don't speak in Japanese, you won't learn it.

山田先生（やまだせんせい）と話（はな）しました。
I spoke with Yamada-sensei.

英語（えいご）で話（はな）せるようになりたいです。
I want to become able to speak English.

英語（えいご）で話（はな）そう！
Let's speak in English!

友達（ともだち）と話（はな）して、マックに行（い）こうと決（き）めた。
I talked with my friend and decided to go to McDonald's.
.

 

[Nana Shinu Ai]

great link I like it.  

[Kakigoori_Oujo]

Manda Monophobia

oh wow o.o thank you for redirecting me! If there are easier approaches, i CERTAINLY want to try them first! lol. I don't plan on going (want to but realistically i doubt it. I'm pursuing a translation career)

but thank you for stopping me!

Kakigoori_Oujo

Here are some example sentences:

日本語（にほんご）で話（はな）さないと勉強（べんきょう）にならないよ。
If you don't speak in Japanese, you won't learn it.

山田先生（やまだせんせい）と話（はな）しました。
I spoke with Yamada-sensei.

英語（えいご）で話（はな）せるようになりたいです。
I want to become able to speak English.

英語（えいご）で話（はな）そう！
Let's speak in English!

友達（ともだち）と話（はな）して、マックに行（い）こうと決（き）めた。
I talked with my friend and decided to go to McDonald's.
.

No problem, just trying to help out.

I can post some links to websites I found helpful.

I know there must be a post somewhere in this guild that recommends this website, but I will put the link again because I really think this is a good guide for grammar: http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/grammar

Explanations are concise and easy to understand. It covers practically all the grammar you will learn in first year university Japanese courses (beginner), quite a bit from second year courses (intermediate), and some from third year courses (advanced).

Also, check out AJATT: http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/blog/all-japanese-all-the-time-ajatt-how-to-learn-japanese-on-your-own-having-fun-and-to-fluency

They give a lot of advice to learning Japanese on that site, and the posts are very motivating. There's more in AJATT, but I'm not going to spoil much here. If you have time, you should maybe read an article or more.  

[Nana Shinu Ai]

nice link thanks for post it up arigato gozaimasu.  

[Robotic Zamat]

Hi there, I'm teaching Hungarian to a Taiwanese friend who is teaching me Japanese in return and she had this really good way of helping me memorise which verb type is which.

You have the basic vowel endings in the Japanese alphabetic order:

a
i
_
u
_
e
o


Here you can see that the 1st and 2nd, as well as the 4th and 5th give us the "up" and "down" verbs, while the remain "5th" ending gives us the godan verbs. smile

I thought this was super great for helping me remember, as my memory is pretty crappy.... sweatdrop

Hope it helps others too.

HUGZ!  

[Tsuki no Kuchiduke]

Robotic Zamat

Hi there, I'm teaching Hungarian to a Taiwanese friend who is teaching me Japanese in return and she had this really good way of helping me memorise which verb type is which.

You have the basic vowel endings in the Japanese alphabetic order:

a
i
_
u
_
e
o


Here you can see that the 1st and 2nd, as well as the 4th and 5th give us the "up" and "down" verbs, while the remain "5th" ending gives us the godan verbs. smile

I thought this was super great for helping me remember, as my memory is pretty crappy.... sweatdrop

Hope it helps others too.

HUGZ!

lol i'm not really sure what you mean by "up" and "down" verbs ^.^' I'm a total noob when it comes to verbs lol. i can't even really place the word godan... although i remember the word itself
lol sorryz m(_ _)'m  

[Robotic Zamat]

Manda Monophobia

Robotic Zamat

Hi there, I'm teaching Hungarian to a Taiwanese friend who is teaching me Japanese in return and she had this really good way of helping me memorise which verb type is which.

You have the basic vowel endings in the Japanese alphabetic order:

a
i
_
u
_
e
o


Here you can see that the 1st and 2nd, as well as the 4th and 5th give us the "up" and "down" verbs, while the remain "5th" ending gives us the godan verbs. smile

I thought this was super great for helping me remember, as my memory is pretty crappy.... sweatdrop

Hope it helps others too.

HUGZ!

lol i'm not really sure what you mean by "up" and "down" verbs ^.^' I'm a total noob when it comes to verbs lol. i can't even really place the word godan... although i remember the word itself
lol sorryz m(_ _)'m

Nah, don't be silly!

I forget the correct names...*desperately tries to find on internet....* but the Japanese have three basic verb types, and according to which verb group the given verb is part of, that's how we conjugate them.

The three verbs groups:

Group 1: the godan doushi (or, I think...5th order verbs, something like that)

EXAMPLES:

hanasu （話す） - to speak
kaku （書く） - to write
kiku （聞く） - to listen
matsu （待つ） - to wait
nomu （飲む） - to drink

Group 2: these are what I refered to as 'up', and 'down' doushi (verbs), as the kanji used to describe these verbs are exacty ue (up) and shita (down)! Real useful to help you remember which is which! smile

EXAMPLES:
"ue" doushi, also known as ~ Iru ending verbs

kiru （着る） - to wear
miru （見る） - to see
okiru （起きる） - to get up
oriru （降りる） - to get off
shinjiru （信じる） - to believe

and "shita" doushi also known as ~ Eru ending verbs

hairu （入る） - to enter
hashiru （走る） - to run
iru （いる） - to need
kaeru （帰る） - to return
kagiru （限る） - to limit
kiru （切る） - to cut
shaberu （しゃべる） - to chatter
shiru （知る） - to know

Group 3: irregular verbs: Only two, unlike English, thank GOD!!! smile

Suru (to do), and kuru (to come)

!!!!NOTE:

The verb "suru" is probably the most often used verb in Japanese. It is used as "to do," "to make," or "to cost". It is also combined with many nouns (of Chinese or Western origin) to make them into verbs. Here are some examples.

benkyousuru （勉強する） - to study
ryokousuru （旅行する） - to travel
yushutsusuru （輸出する） - to export
dansusuru （ダンスする） - to dance
shanpuusuru （シャンプーする） - to shampoo

(Thanks to this internet site for putting this together...I hope I didn't write anything wrong.... sweatdrop oh, well if I did, then you guys'll correct me YAY!!!)  

[Nana Shinu Ai]

Oh it okay. I think it very nice of kanojo doing that for you.  

[Sailor Blue Rose]

Wow... I've been taking classes on and off for awhile, but I've never had VERBS so plainly explained. Much appreciated.  

[Nana Shinu Ai]

I have already loved way it is already break down.  

[Nana Shinu Ai]

That was very useful information you have. I have to say it was helpful.