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Godan verb conjugation

KanjiKat

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25 May 2003
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Hey, I was wondering about conjugating the godan verbs. I don't understand the second level, like hanashi. How is it used? It seems verbs like ikimasu are most common, but I'm confused as to how they are brought in. I know the masu form is polite...I guess if someone could clarify the conjugations that would be very helpful.

hanasa(nai) would just be doesn't speak
hanashi --> that's my main confusion
then when is hanasu used?
hanase(ba) if _ speak, or used as the rude command "speak"
hanasou let's talk
and now here hanashite...when would this be used over hanase?
and then of course hanashita I get

I just want to make sure these are correct, and would like to know when one would use this form and when one would use the masu form.
 
Well, that's rather easy to solve, I think. Hanashi is not a verb. It's a noun that means conversation or talk (noun). Does that help? Hanasu is used the same way (roughly) as hanashimasu; think about the hanasu form as the infinitive of the verb (although the use is not as the infinitive in English).

Well, hanashite is used two different ways:
Conjunctive
-te form verbs are often used to link two parts of one sentence. For example, "okaasan ni hanashite, hon wo kattemoratta." I talked to mother and she got me the book. With hanashite it's a little klunky, but I hope you get the idea.
Using different verbs YORU (stop by) KURU (come) and KAU (buy), "Kaeri ni yakkyoku ni yotte, kusuri wo katte kita." On the way home, I stopped by the pharmacy and bought medecine. See the -te forms of YORU (yotte) and KAU (katte)?

Imperative
-te form verbs are also used in the imperative. For example, "Hanashite!" Speak! Depending on the tone, this can also be used as a plea.

Hanase and hanaseba are not to be mistaken. Hanaseba is the conditional form of speak, wheras hanase is an imperative and not a very polite one at that. In my experience, the imperative hanase is used more often to mean "let go!" than "speak!".

Hope this helps.
 
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It did help, thanks. But now I'm confused about the "wo" as you used it twice. I know how to use "o" and "ga" and "wa" but "wo"? When is that used?
 
Originally posted by KanjiKat
It did help, thanks. But now I'm confused about the "wo" as you used it twice. I know how to use "o" and "ga" and "wa" but "wo"? When is that used?
It is the same as "o," just based on an older pronouncation. And of course still in the "w" column on most hiragana charts.
 
Thank you for the clarification, Elizabeth. I'm so used to reading kanji and kana now that I don't even realize writing it like that anymore...
 
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