Base 1 + nakatta

The past tense of nai is a bit odd, but I think that this is a good place to introduce it: nakatta. (Nai with its i dropped and katta added. Remembering that na is the negative element and katta is for past tense will be a big help later on.) This is how you make plain past tense.

Let's make a few examples:

• Watashi wa terebi o minakatta. (I didn't watch TV.)
• Sachiko wa konakatta. (Sachiko didn't come.)
• Ojii-san wa shinbun o yomitakunakatta. (Grandpa didn't want to read the newspaper.)

Word Check

shinbun: newspaper
yomu: to read

(Verbs are shown in their plain form.)

Base 1 + nai deshou

Here's an easy one. Adding deshou after nai means that somebody is probably not going to do something, or that something is not likely to happen:

• John wa kasa o kawanai deshou. (John probably isn't going to buy an umbrella.)
• Jim wa manga o yomanai deshou. (Jim probably doesn't read comic books.)
• Yuki wa furanai deshou. (It probably won't snow.)

Actually, deshou is a handy add-on that also works with plain positive (Base 3) verbs, as in:

• Ojii-san wa sugu kaeru deshou. (Grandpa will probably return soon.)
• Sachiko wa kuru deshou. (Sachiko will probably come.)
• Bill wa ika o taberu deshou. (Bill will probably eat the squid.)

Word Check

kau: to buy
yuki: snow
furu: to fall from the sky ¹
ika: squid

(Verbs are shown in their plain form.)

Notes

1. Furu means "to fall down from the sky," like rain, snow, or hail. For falling objects, use ochiru.