Beginning Japanese for Professionals: Book 1

26 Table 2. Affirmative forms of verbs in both past and non-past Affirmative Negative Non-past -masu -masen Past -mashita -masen deshita 1-4-2 Compound Verbs /Noun + shimasu / combinations are compound verbs. Many nouns that mean actions such as renshuu ‘practice’ and benkyou ‘study’ appear in this pattern. When verbs in English are borrowed into Japanese, - shimasu is attached to them and they become Japanese verbs. Make sure you pronounce them in the Japanese way. Meeru-shimasu yo. I’ll email (or text) you. Getto-shimasu . I’ll get it/I’ll obtain it. Appuroodo-shimasu . I’ll upload it. Drills and Exercises A. Cue: Renshuu-shimasu ka. Will you practice? Response: Ee, chotto renshuu-shimasen ka. Yes, why don’t we practice a little? Cue: Kaimasu ka. Will you buy it? Response: Ee, chotto kaimasenka. Yes, why don’t we buy a little? B. Cue: Yasumimashita ne. You were absent, right? Response: Kinou wa yasumimashita kedo, ototoi wa yasumimasen deshita. I was absent yesterday, but I wasn’t the day before yesterday Cue: Ikimashita ne. You went, right? Response: Kinou wa ikimashita kedo, ototoi wa ikimasen deshita. I went yesterday, but I didn’t the day before yesterday. C. Say it in Japanese. You’ve been asked about your plan for this weekend. 1. I’ll study. 2. Why don’t we talk tomorrow? 3. I emailed you yesterday. Didn’t you read it? 4. I don’t know, but why don’t we go out? 5. I’ll just take a break, but how about you, Mr. Yamada?