grammar - chapter 14
A. Potential Verbs
Potential verbs are used in sentences to describe
Potential verbs take the following structure: [person が / に] + [thing が] + potential verb
Verbs are conjugated into the potential form as follows:
Present Positive Present Negative Past Positive Past Negative
Group I Verbs
(drop the う and add える)
行く 行ける 行けない 行けた 行けなかった
話す 話せる 話せない 話せた 話せなかった
たつ たてる たてない たてた たてなかった
Group II Verbs
(drop る and add られる)
きめる きめられる きめられない きめられた きめられなかった
きる きられる きられない きられた きられなかった
Group III Verbs
する できる できない できた できなかった
くる こられる こられない こられた こられなかった
Note that the following changes are frequently made in spoken Japanese:
Potential verbs can only be formed with actions that the speaker/performer of the action can control. This means that intransitive verbs cannot be used with this form.
Some example sentences:
Potential Verbs Review
Potential verbs are used in sentences to describe
- What the subject can or cannot do (i.e., the subject's capabilities)
- What is possible
Potential verbs take the following structure: [person が / に] + [thing が] + potential verb
Verbs are conjugated into the potential form as follows:
Present Positive Present Negative Past Positive Past Negative
Group I Verbs
(drop the う and add える)
行く 行ける 行けない 行けた 行けなかった
話す 話せる 話せない 話せた 話せなかった
たつ たてる たてない たてた たてなかった
Group II Verbs
(drop る and add られる)
きめる きめられる きめられない きめられた きめられなかった
きる きられる きられない きられた きられなかった
Group III Verbs
する できる できない できた できなかった
くる こられる こられない こられた こられなかった
Note that the following changes are frequently made in spoken Japanese:
- Group I Verb: 行けるーー>行かれる
- Group II Verb: 見られるーー>見れる 食べられるーー>食べれる
- Group III Verb: こられるーー>これる
Potential verbs can only be formed with actions that the speaker/performer of the action can control. This means that intransitive verbs cannot be used with this form.
Some example sentences:
- たくさんすしが食べられる。I can/am capable of eating a lot of sushi.
- あしたモールで映画が見られる。 It is possible that you can see a movie at the mall tomorrow.
Potential Verbs Review
B. Giving and Receiving Revisited
In Japanese, giving and receiving is not limited to the words you learned in the last lesson. In fact, when giving and receiving verbs are attached to the て form of another verb, it implies that the action was done for someone else's benefit.
As with last chapter, the rules about relationships between giver and receiver (i.e.; higher/lower/equal status, in-group/out-group, family members, etc.) apply.To clarify, the "giver" in this instance is the person doing the favour, and the "receiver" is the person who benefits from the favour.
Some examples for each giving/receiving verb set:
Giving/Receiving Practice 1
Giving/Receiving Practice 2
In Japanese, giving and receiving is not limited to the words you learned in the last lesson. In fact, when giving and receiving verbs are attached to the て form of another verb, it implies that the action was done for someone else's benefit.
As with last chapter, the rules about relationships between giver and receiver (i.e.; higher/lower/equal status, in-group/out-group, family members, etc.) apply.To clarify, the "giver" in this instance is the person doing the favour, and the "receiver" is the person who benefits from the favour.
Some examples for each giving/receiving verb set:
- あげる give outgroup type
私はジョンさんに漢字を勉強してあげました。I did John the favour of helping him study kanji.
先生はリサさんに本を貸してさしあげました。Sensei did Lisa the favour of lending her the book. - もらう receive type
私は山田さんにノートを貸してもらいました。I got Yamada to lend me his notes. - くれる give ingroup type
父はCDを三つ買ってくれました。My father was kind enough to buy me 3 CD's.
先生は妹に漢字を勉強してくださいました。Sensei was kind enough to help my younger sister study kanji.
Giving/Receiving Practice 1
Giving/Receiving Practice 2
C. Coming/Going for a Purpose: にいく / にくる
The verbs for coming and going can be added to a sentence to indicate purpose for being in a particular location. The format for this is as follows: [person が] + [place へ / に] + [purpose に] + [行く / 来る / 変える]
Note that the [purpose が] can be either a noun directly attached to, or a verb base attached to に as in the example below:
田中さんはカナダへ英語を習いに行きました。Tanaka went to Canada to learn English.
In these sentences, に / へ is used with location rather than で because of the movement verbs 行く / 来る / 変える.
The verbs for coming and going can be added to a sentence to indicate purpose for being in a particular location. The format for this is as follows: [person が] + [place へ / に] + [purpose に] + [行く / 来る / 変える]
Note that the [purpose が] can be either a noun directly attached to, or a verb base attached to に as in the example below:
田中さんはカナダへ英語を習いに行きました。Tanaka went to Canada to learn English.
In these sentences, に / へ is used with location rather than で because of the movement verbs 行く / 来る / 変える.
D. "Until": Expanding this Time Word
[time] までに means that the action is completed no later than the time listed. In contrast, まで indicates that the action can continue until the time given is up.
For example:
五時までに店をとじます。 The store closes by 5 o'clock.
五時まで店をあけます。
[time] までに means that the action is completed no later than the time listed. In contrast, まで indicates that the action can continue until the time given is up.
For example:
五時までに店をとじます。 The store closes by 5 o'clock.
五時まで店をあけます。