Grammar Info

N5 Lesson 2: 8/12

う-Verb (Negative)Will/Does/Do (not)

Structure

Examples:
(すわ) + ない
(うた) + ない
(ある) + ない
(はな) + ない
() + ない
() + ない
() + ない
(やす) + ない
(およ) + ない

Exceptions:
ある → ない

Details

  • Part of Speech

    Verb

  • Word Type

    Auxiliary Verb

  • Register

    Standard

About う-Verb (Negative)

The negative form of う-Verbs are conjugated based on the same set of rules used for other forms of う-Verb conjugation (changing the last kana, followed by the addition of something else). In the case of negation, the additional component will be ない (casual), or ません (polite).

As can be seen here, the kana change differs depending on whether ない or ません is being used. If ない will be used, the last kana will always change from the kana ending with a う sound, to the kana ending with an あ sound within the same row. If ません will be used, the change will be from the う sound kana to the い sound kana. The only exception to this rule are verbs that end in the kana う. Instead of changing to あ (the あ sound kana in the same row), う will become わ, when used with ない.

While the common translation of ない and ません is simply 'not', they actually have several possible nuances. These nuances are 'don't' (usually not), 'won't' (intentionally not), or 'can't' (unintentionally not).

Both ない and ません are auxiliary verbs (ません is a conjugation of ます), meaning that they have their own set of conjugation rules.

Caution

The ない attached to make the negative form of adjectives is a different word, and therefore follows different conjugation rules. The ない attached to adjectives is an い-Adjective itself, and not an auxiliary verb.

Examples

--:--

    (かね)ない
    (かね)ないです
    (かね)ありません

    I don't have money.

    (くるま)()たない
    (くるま)()たないです
    (くるま)()ちません

    I won't have a car.

    ()(ある)かない
    ()(ある)かないです
    ()(ある)きません

    Trees do not walk.

    トミー(はな)さない
    トミー(はな)さないです
    トミー(はな)しません

    Tommy does not talk.

    ボール()たない
    ボール()ないです
    ボール()ません

    to not hit a ball

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う-Verb (Negative) – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (5 in total)

  • KanjiCollector

    KanjiCollector

    That video was super helpful!

  • SienaDream

    SienaDream

    Hi!

    Just to clarify so I don’t get it mixed up, Godan Verbs are five-step and Ichidan Verbs are one-step right?

  • Daru

    Daru

    That is exactly right!

    Godan and Ichidan both literally mean that, five-steps or one-step!

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