Japanese Verbs Twenty

In this Japanese Verbs Twenty, of our Learning Japanese series, we will look at the plain past form when used to express something you have done or experienced.

For example, you want to say that you have eaten sushi at least once in your life:

    I have eaten sushi.

     sushi o tabeta koto ga arimasu.

Or to express the number of times you have eaten it:

     I have eaten sushi four times.

     Watashi wa yon kai sushi o tabeta koto ga arimau.

After the word list are a few examples:

Takasaki city = 高崎　= たかさき　twice = 二回 =　にかい　baseball = 野球　やきゅう　

to watch = 見る　= みる　

Have you ever been to Takasaki?　

    高崎に行ったことがありますか。

Yes, I have. I've been twice.　

    はい, あります。二回ありました。

Have you ever watched baseball?　

     野球を見たことがありますか。

You can use the "…ta" form plus "rashii" to express the idea that something seems to be the case or that you heard that something was the case

For example, you could say: 

     I heard that Mr Yamashita is quitting his job.

After the below word list are a few examples:

Mr Yamashita = 山下さん　= やましたさん　a lot of = 大分　= だいぶん　

to gain weight = 太る　= ふとる　a girl's name = みゆき　Okinawa city = 沖縄 = おきなわ　

I heard that Mr. Yamashita is quitting.

　山下さんはやめるらしい。

I hear that Jill has gained a lot of weight.　

    ジルは大分太ったらしい。

I hear that Miyuki went to Okinawa.　

    みゆきは沖縄へ行ったらしい。

There is a more formal way of saying this, using ...sou desu.

I heard that Mr. Yamashita is quitting.　

     山下さんはやめるらしい。

     山下さんはやめるそうです。

Rashii also tends to be based on more reliable information.

Also, use the "…ta" form plus "ri" plus "suru" to give someone a general idea of the various actions that you did

For example, you could say:

Last night I listened to music, watched TV and stuff.

After the word list are a few examples:

Yesterday = 昨日　= きのう　I = 私　= わたし　to watch TV = テレビを見る　

music = 音楽　= おんがく　to listen to = 聴く　= きく  

to do homework = 宿題をする　= しゅくだいをする　comic(s) = 漫画 　= まんが　

cake = ケーキ

Last night I watched TV, listened to some music and did some homework.

    昨日私はテレビを見たり音楽を聴いたり宿題をしたりしていました。

He read comics and stuff, then ate some cake.

　彼は漫画を読んだりしてケーキを食べました。

She watched TV, amongst other things.

    彼女はテレビを見たりしていました。

Practice

Basic Japanese vocabulary for the below exercise.

It's written first in English, then kanji and finally hiragana:

Famous person = 有名人　= ゆうめいじん　to meet = 会う　= あう　

Chinese = 中国語　ちゅうごくご  　to study = 勉強する　= べんきょうする　

sake = 日本酒　= にほんしゅ　to drink = 飲む　のむ he = 彼　=  かれ　again = もう

in good spirits =　元気　= げんき　she = 彼女　= かのじょ　to know = 知る　= しる　

sick = 病気　= びょうき　was = だった  during today = 今日中に　= きょうじゅうに　

to fall = 降る　= ふる　to stop = 止む　= やむ　rain = 雨　= あめ　

with = と to meet = 会う　= あう　

an expensive shopping district = 銀座　= ぎんざ　book = 本　= ほん　

friend = 友達　= ともだち　to speak = 話す　= はなす　

to go for a walk = 散歩をする　= さんぽをする　

Once you have done it, click here to see how you did.

Now, do it again and again until you are perfect and fast.

The only way to remember all this in Japanese Verbs Twenty is to practice it on a regular basis.

The best way to do this is:

1. Come back to this page regularly and check yourself on the above 9 Japanese phrases.
2. Write an example of each of the tenses in a small note book, so as to practice them when you have nothing to do, like waiting for a bus.
3. Learn Japanese kanji by also writing the above kanji in a separate notebook and practicing these on a regular basis too.
   

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