Japanese Verbs Seven, of the learn Japanese series, deals with how to say something like, "He went to bed without eating." Let's add this construction to your basic Japanese repertoire!
This is done by adding "zu ni" to the verb's stem.
For those verbs that end in "u," use the negative stem. Otherwise, use the regular stem.
Basically, take the verb stem and then just add the ending …zu ni.
For example, the verb yomu, which means to read:
Negative verb stem = yoma. Now add "zu ni," which becomes yomazu ni.
There are three types of verb:
The tense depends on the second verb used in the sentence.
Plain Form Verb Stem "+zu ni" form Kanji/Kana
Kuru kozu ni 来ずに
Suru sezu ni せずに
Verbs that end in "ru:"
Miru mi mizu ni 見ずに
Taberu tabe tabezu ni 食べずに
Verbs that end in "u:"
Katsu kachi katazu ni 勝たずに
Yomu yomi yomazu ni 読まずに
Modoru modori modorazu ni 戻らずに
Beware of the "u" form, they are not supposed to be irregular. However, the way they change is sometimes not what you would expect. Most verbs that end in "ru" behave like "taberu," but not all.
After the word list are a few examples:
自転車 = ji ten sha = bycycle. 使う = tsukau = to use.
買 = ka. Dictionary form = kau = to buy.
クレヂトカード = crejito ca-do = credit card
夕食をとる yuu shoku o toru = eat dinner たくさん = takusan = a lot of
ビール = beer 生徒さん = sei to san = student(s)
毎日 mai nichi = every day 許可なく = kyo ka naku= without permission
先生の = sen sei no = teacher's 新聞 = shin bun = newspaper
Jill bought a bicycle without using her credit card.
ジルはクレヂトカードを使わずに自転車を買いました。
Kana drinks a lot of beer without eating dinner.
カナは夕食をとらずにたくさんビールを飲みます。
The students read the teacher's paper every day without permission.
生徒さんは毎日許可なく先生の新聞を読みます。
Basic Japanese vocabulary for the below exercise.
It's written first in English, then kanji and finally hiragana:
A little (the mo is used for emphasis) 少し も すこしも
to fear 恐れる おそれう mountain 山 やま
to climb 登る のぼる wife 奥さん おくさん to accompany 連れる つれる
to come to a party パーテーやってくる she 彼女 かのじょto sleep 寝る ねる
today 今日 きょう lunch box 弁当 ベントう to have 持つ もつ
work, office 会社 かいしゃ beforehand 前もって まえもって
to telephone 電話する でんわする to pay 払う はらう car 車 くるま
to drive ドライブとする to wear glasses 眼鏡をかける めがねをかける
coat コート to wear clothes 着る きる to go out 出かける でかける
helmet ヘルメット to wear something on the head 被る かぶる
motorbike モーターバイク to ride 乗る のる
Try to translate English to Japanese for the below sentences, using the above list of words.
1. Bill climbed the mountain without any fear.
2. He came to the party without his wife.
3. She went to bed without eating dinner.
4. Today, he came to work without his lunchbox.
5. Jill went to Bill's office without telephoning first.
6. She took the car without paying for it.
7. He reads the paper without his glasses.
8. He went out without a coat.
9. He rides his bike without a helmet.
Once you have done it, click here to see how you did.
The only way to remember all this in Japanese Verbs Seven is to practice it on a regular basis.
The best way to do this is: