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Grammar detail: verb negative form

verb negative form
248 words
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When ない is added to a verb, the verb becomes negative. This form is called the “negative plain form.” It expresses meanings like “do not…” or “will not…”.
For example:
べない
do not eat; will not eat
かない
do not go; will not go
まない
do not read; will not read
The pattern for negative plain form
Verbs in the negative plain form will always end with ない. However, the way you make this form is different for ichidan, godan, and irregular verbs.
Ichidan verbs
For ichidan verbs, simply replace る with ない.
ない
ない
ない
ない
Godan verbs
Change the final う sound to the あ-sound, then add ない.
verb endingchange toplain form to negative plain form
ない
ない
およ
およ
ない
はな
はな
ない
ない
ない
ない
あそ
あそ
ない
ない
NOTE: For verbs ending in う, change う to わ.
ない
ない
Irregular verbs
するしない
ない
あるない
NOTE: Watch out for irregular verbs!
Most verbs follow clear ichidan or godan patterns, but 来る and する do not. These two verbs behave differently from the standard rules. The beginning and ending sounds change. The verb ある (to exist, for inanimate things) is unusual because its negative form is simply ない, not あらない. Because these verbs do not follow normal patterns, their negative forms should be memorised separately.
このドア
けないで
くだ
さい

Don't open this door, please.
かれ
はや
きない

He does not get up early.
わたし
ほん
まない

I do not read books.
さいきん
最近
あまり
わない

We don't meet very often recently.
もう
ぜったい
絶対
しない
No way I'll do that again.
バスまだ
ない

The bus hasn't come yet.
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Words used in this grammar

2
Most common form: 食べる
ichidan verb, transitive verb
1. to eat
2. to live on (e.g. a salary); to live off; to subsist on
(click the word to view an additional 2 forms, examples and links)
1
Most common form: 読む
'mu' godan verb, transitive verb
1. to read
2. to count  (see also: さばを読む; now mostly used in idioms)
(click the word to view an additional 1 meaning and 1 form, examples and links)

Kanji used in this grammar

ショク   ジキ    food   たべる to eat   く to eat   
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コウ   ギョウ   アン   ゆ    い to go   おこな to take place   
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ドク   トク   トウ   よ to read   
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ケン   み to see   みえる to be seen; to appear   みせる to show   
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カイ   あ to (be) open   あける    ひら to open (something)   ひらける to open out (eg view)   
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キ   おきる to wake up, to get up   おこる to happen   おこす to rouse   
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カイ   エ   あ to meet   
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ショ   か to write   
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エイ   およ swim   
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ワ   はな to talk   はなし talking   
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タイ   ま to wait   
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シ   death   し die   
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ユ   ユウ   あそ play   
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シュ   と to take   
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バイ   か to buy   
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ライ   く to come   きた to be forthcoming   きた to induce   
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カ   ゲ   した below, under   しも bottom part   もと under (influence)   さげる to lower, to reduce   さがる to be lowered   くだ to descend   くだ to judge   くださる to give   おろす to drop off (passenger)   おりる to get off (train)   
ヒ   かれ he   
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ソウ   サッ   early; fast   はや early   はやまる be hasty   はやめる to expedite, to hasten   
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シ   わたくし    わたし I, myself   
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ホン   book   もと origin   
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サイ   もっと most   
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キン   ちか close   
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ゼツ   たえる to die out   たやす to eradicate   た to sever, to cut off   
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タイ   ツイ    vis-a-vis   
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