grammar - chapter 15
A. To Try Doing: ~てみる
This grammar point is used to indicate the intention to perform an action to see what it's like or what will happen. It is simply added to the て form of verbs. てみる itself can also be conjugated into the て form so it can be added to other endings.
Some examples:
This grammar point is used to indicate the intention to perform an action to see what it's like or what will happen. It is simply added to the て form of verbs. てみる itself can also be conjugated into the て form so it can be added to other endings.
Some examples:
- すしを食べてみる。 I will try sushi (and see how it is).
- 新しい映画を見てみる。 I will watch the new movie (and see how it is).
- よく水を飲んでみてください。 Please try to drink water often.
- 10kmで走してみました。 I tried running for 10 km.
B. Doing Something for a Future Purpose: ~ておく
ておく attached to the て form of a verb is used to indicate the following:
ておく attached to the て form of a verb is used to indicate the following:
- doing an action in preparation for the future
あしたテストがあるので、漢字を勉強しておく。 Because I have a test tomorrow, I am studying in advance. - leaving something in a particular state because you'll need it that way in the future
今日はとても暑いですが、まどを開けておいてください。 Because it's very hot today, leave the window open please.
C. A Resulting State: ~てある
This grammar point expresses the result of an action performed at an earlier date in time. You may notice that this is exactly what ている expresses; however, the difference between ている and てある is that てある indicates that there is a person responsible for the action's result.
This grammar point is also tied in with an understanding of transitive and intransitive verbs. Because the assumption with てある is that someone is responsible for the action, intransitive verbs are not used (because they implicitly indicate that a person is not responsible for the action). However, direct objects with the てある format take the particle が (which is why this grammar point can be tricky/misleading at first glance, since direct objects associated with intransitive verbs also take が).
Some examples:
In each of these examples, someone has performed the action, though it might be unknown to the speaker. The use of てある indicates that the events did not just spontaneously happen (as intransitive sentences might indicate).
You may notice a relationship between ておく and てある. ておく can express a future action, and a later observer can describe that action with てある. For example:
Person A, 7 A.M.: コーヒーを作っておく。 (I will) make coffee (in preparation for later today).
Person B, 10 A.M.: コーヒーが作ってある。 Coffee has been made (by someone).
This grammar point expresses the result of an action performed at an earlier date in time. You may notice that this is exactly what ている expresses; however, the difference between ている and てある is that てある indicates that there is a person responsible for the action's result.
This grammar point is also tied in with an understanding of transitive and intransitive verbs. Because the assumption with てある is that someone is responsible for the action, intransitive verbs are not used (because they implicitly indicate that a person is not responsible for the action). However, direct objects with the てある format take the particle が (which is why this grammar point can be tricky/misleading at first glance, since direct objects associated with intransitive verbs also take が).
Some examples:
- 部屋がそうじしてある。 The room has been cleaned.
- ばんごはんがつくってある。 Dinner has been made.
- きっぷが買ってある。 The tickets have been bought.
In each of these examples, someone has performed the action, though it might be unknown to the speaker. The use of てある indicates that the events did not just spontaneously happen (as intransitive sentences might indicate).
You may notice a relationship between ておく and てある. ておく can express a future action, and a later observer can describe that action with てある. For example:
Person A, 7 A.M.: コーヒーを作っておく。 (I will) make coffee (in preparation for later today).
Person B, 10 A.M.: コーヒーが作ってある。 Coffee has been made (by someone).
D. Doing Something & then Going/Coming: ~ていく / ~てくる
Firstly, we know that いく means "to go" and くる means "to come". Here are some new vocabulary words associated with this section associated with these two verbs (though this grammar point is certainly not limited to these words):
By adding いく or くる to the て form of verbs you can indicate the direction of an action.
Some examples:
Firstly, we know that いく means "to go" and くる means "to come". Here are some new vocabulary words associated with this section associated with these two verbs (though this grammar point is certainly not limited to these words):
- ていく to do something and then go away
- 持っていく to pick up something and then go away (to take something with you)
- 借りていく to borrow something and go away
- てくる to do something and come (back)
- 出してくる to go somewhere and then come back
By adding いく or くる to the て form of verbs you can indicate the direction of an action.
Some examples:
- 昼ごはんを買っていく。 I will buy lunch and then go.
- シャワーをあびてくた。 I took a shower and then came here.
E. Imperatives
Imperatives are commands, often delivered in a blunt manner. Often in Japan, they are used in advertising to catch the audience's attention. These are often used by Highers speaking to lowers, and more often by men than by women. Often, fathers who use this speech with their children will soften the bluntness by adding よ at the end of the sentence. These are known as negative commands.
In addition, there are positive commands (such as 勉強しなさい - Study!) which are orders to do things. They are created by adding なさい to the base of a verb (i.e.; without the ます on the end).
Verbs are conjugated into commands as follows:
Positive Command Negative Command
Group I (drop う and add え) (dictionary form + な)
いく いけ いくな
はなす はなせ はなすな
Group II (drop る and add ろ) (dictionary form + な)
おきる おきろ おきるな
みる みろ みるな
Group III (dictionary form + な)
する しろ するな
くる こい くるな
Imperatives Review
Imperatives are commands, often delivered in a blunt manner. Often in Japan, they are used in advertising to catch the audience's attention. These are often used by Highers speaking to lowers, and more often by men than by women. Often, fathers who use this speech with their children will soften the bluntness by adding よ at the end of the sentence. These are known as negative commands.
In addition, there are positive commands (such as 勉強しなさい - Study!) which are orders to do things. They are created by adding なさい to the base of a verb (i.e.; without the ます on the end).
Verbs are conjugated into commands as follows:
Positive Command Negative Command
Group I (drop う and add え) (dictionary form + な)
いく いけ いくな
はなす はなせ はなすな
Group II (drop る and add ろ) (dictionary form + な)
おきる おきろ おきるな
みる みろ みるな
Group III (dictionary form + な)
する しろ するな
くる こい くるな
Imperatives Review
F. Question Words + か / も
Question Word + か means "some" in positive sentences and "any" in question sentences. It is not used in negative statements.
Some examples:
Question Word + も is used in negative sentences.
Some examples:
In these examples, ない indicates the negative form of the verb at the end of the sentence.
In spoken Japanese, the following particles are often left out after the question words: が を に へ. All other particles are kept in the sentence.
Additionally, you can use question word + か to modify nouns. For example:
あした何かCDを買いましたか。 Did you buy any CD's yesterday?
Question Word + か means "some" in positive sentences and "any" in question sentences. It is not used in negative statements.
Some examples:
- 何か something, anything
- だれか someone, anyone
- どこか somewhere, anywhere
- いつか someday, anyday
- どれか one of them
- どちらか one of the two, somewhere/anywhere
Question Word + も is used in negative sentences.
Some examples:
- 何もーーない nothing
- だれもーーない nobody
- どこもーーない nowhere
- どれもーーない nothing
- どちらもーーない neither of the two
In these examples, ない indicates the negative form of the verb at the end of the sentence.
In spoken Japanese, the following particles are often left out after the question words: が を に へ. All other particles are kept in the sentence.
Additionally, you can use question word + か to modify nouns. For example:
あした何かCDを買いましたか。 Did you buy any CD's yesterday?
G. Adverbs of Frequency
The following are some adverbs to describe how frequently actions occur:
The following are some adverbs to describe how frequently actions occur:
- いつも always
- まいにち every day
- よく often
- ときどき sometimes
- たまに once in a while
- あまりーーない not very often
- めったにーーない rarely
- ほとんどーーない rarely
- ぜんぜんーーない never
H. Throughout, During: ~中
中 has the following uses:
中 has the following uses:
- Period of Time + じゅう
An event takes place or a situation continues throughout a period of time.
Ex.: いちにちじゅう (一日中) the whole day
いちねんじゅう (一年中) the whole year
こんしゅうじゅう (今週中) the whole week - Place + じゅう
Indicates the whole of a place.
Ex.: せかいじゅう throughout the world
にほんじゅう (日本中) throughout Japan - Activity + ちゅう
Indicates that an activity is in the middle of being performed.
Ex.: こうじちゅう under construction
かいぎちゅう meeting in session
かしだしちゅう on loan
しようちゅう