Road block in language learning : VERBS

SEYZJP · 11 Mar 2009

I am really having trouble understanding everything about Japanese verbs. I understand a lot, but there is still so much more I do not understand.

For example: I am aware of the regular tenses of verbs like TABERU.

However, I am not sure how to conjugate it and when to use them. Like Tabete, tabeimasu, tabinai, tabitako, tabikatoarimasen, ect. I am really unsure but I feel if I can grasp this concept, I can really advance my Japanese ability.

Can anyone recommend a good resource for learning Japanese verbs? The two books that I have do not explain well or in ways that I cannot comprehend.

Thanks,

SeyzJP

aardwolf · 11 Mar 2009

First of all, i dont know if Tabinai, Tabitako, and Tabikatoarimasen even exist..
Maybe you mean Tabenai, and tabetaku~nai/arimasen?

What books do you have?

nice gaijin · 11 Mar 2009

sounds like someone doesn't have books...

Putrefaction · 11 Mar 2009

Hey man! I myself, like you, had many difficulties with verbs (and still do, no doubt).

I suggest you buy Genki, or at least look at Japanese verb conjugation - Wikipedia . You do have to take some things on faith unfortunately, but you do with all new languages.

Like Tabete, tabeimasu, tabinai, tabitako, tabikatoarimasen

Well...tabete is a widely used one, tabeteimasu indicates one is currently eating, tabenai is an informal way of saying i won't eat, and the rest I am not sure of because I myself haven't gone too far in verb conjugations. The Wikipedia page should be enough for you!

Kirakira1232 · 13 Mar 2009

SEYZJP said:
I am really having trouble understanding everything about Japanese verbs. I understand a lot, but there is still so much more I do not understand.
For example: I am aware of the regular tenses of verbs like TABERU.
However, I am not sure how to conjugate it and when to use them. Like Tabete, tabeimasu, tabinai, tabitako, tabikatoarimasen, ect. I am really unsure but I feel if I can grasp this concept, I can really advance my Japanese ability.
Can anyone recommend a good resource for learning Japanese verbs? The two books that I have do not explain well or in ways that I cannot comprehend.
Thanks,
SeyzJP

Conjugating verbs simply takes practice. The most difficult part is trying to discerning the difference between ichi dan/go dan/irregular verbs. What your asking is quite a broad subject that needs books to explain: Genki is a good start, as is Yookoso although Yookoso is dearer, it comes with a CD and workbook I think.

What part of verb conjugation do you not understand specifically? Can you describe what you are most troubled with?

nhk9 · 14 Mar 2009

While the conjugations are fairly straight forward (it's nothing compared to say, French verbs), there are some tricky points.

For example, people see "tabete imasu" and quickly think of "I am eating". Actually besides, that, one can also translate it as "I have eaten" and also "I have been eating". Similarly, "tabete iru darou" can be "I will be eating" or "I will have eaten" or "I will have been eating". You will need to use a common sense, instead of just directly translate things from Jap to Eng

kyubisharingan · 15 Mar 2009

nhk9 said:
one can also translate it as "I have eaten" and also "I have been eating".

haha thats how i learned how to understand meanings of verbs with -iru ending lol. Basically I think of it as you "did(past tense) the verb,and still doing(in the state of doing)..."

dead - shindeiru--"(someone) died and is still DEAD(in the state of death)"

nervous -kinchoushiteiru--"(someone) got nervous and still NERVOUS(in the state of being nervous)"

yea.....thats just how i figure it. Its a bit complicated but works for me.

Road block in language learning : VERBS

SEYZJP

先輩

aardwolf

キセツハズレ

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

Putrefaction

不幸中の幸い. . . がない.

Kirakira1232

素敵な冒険始まる！

nhk9

先輩

kyubisharingan

旨くなるつもりだよ

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