Japanese Grammar: Most Common Verb Tenses Explained

Written byIchika Yamamoto

DEFINITION: Tenses can indicate a relationship between the time the action in a verb occurs and the time the verb is uttered, In Japanese exist only two tenses, the present and the past tense.

PRESENT TENSE

In this tense exist two forms the affirmative and negative present.

Affirmative

In Japanese for the affirmative tense you can add the word ます (masu) in the final of the verb or not.

English	Japanese	Romanji
I'm eating	私は食べています	Watashi wa tabete imasu
You are dancing	あなたが踊っている	Anata ga odotte iru
He is playing	彼が演奏しているます	Kare ga ensō shite irumasu
She is cooking	彼女は料理です	Kanojo wa ryōridesu
We are writing	我々は書いている	Wareware wa kaite iru
They are painting	彼らは,塗装されています	Karera wa, tosō sa rete imasu

Negative

In Japanese for the affirmative tense you can add the word masen in the final of the verb or not.

English	Japanese	Romanji
I do not play	果たし再生されません	Watashi wa saisei sa remasen
you don't dance	あなたはダンスはありません	Anata wa dansu wa arimasen
He is not singing	彼は歌っていません	Kare wa utatte imasen
She is not writing	彼女が執筆されていません	Kanojo ga shippitsu sa rete imasen
We are not swimming	我々は,水泳されていません	Wareware wa, suiei sa rete imasen
They are not jumping	彼らはジャンプしていない	Karera wa janpu shite inai

PAST TENSE

In this tense exist two forms the affirmative and negative past.

Affirmative

In Japanese for the affirmative tense you can add the word mashita in the final of the verb or not.

English	Japanese	Romanji
I was singing	私が歌っていた	Watashi ga utatte ita
You were eating	あなたが食べていた	Anata ga tabete ita
He was jumping	彼がジャンプした	Kare ga janpu shita
She was running	彼女は走っていた	Kanojo wa hashitte ita
We were playing	私たちは遊んでいた	Watashi-tachi wa asonde ita
They were playing	彼らが遊んでいた	Karera ga asonde ita

Negative

In Japanese for the affirmative tense you can add the word masen deshita in the final of the verb or not.

English	Japanese	Romanji
I was not playing	私は再生されていない	Watashi wa saisei sa rete inai
You did not play	あなたは演奏されなかった	Anata wa ensō sa renakatta
He did not dance	彼は踊ることはなかった	Kare wa odoru koto wa nakatta
She did not read	彼女が読んでいない	Kanojo ga yonde inai
We did not work	我々は動作しませんでした	Wareware wa dōsa shimasendeshita
They did not sing	彼らが歌うしませんでした	Karera ga utaushimasendeshita

Beginner's Guide To Using The Most Common Japanese Verbs

Japanese Grammar: Subordinating Conjunctions

Learn Japanese

"新しい言語は、新たな人生の始まり。"

Make sure to subscribe.

Welcome!

This online learn Japanese resource guide is for anyone who wants to learn the Japanese language. My goal is to help you learn Japanese grammar and phrases, and share the best Japanese resources to help you learn.

Resources:

🇯🇵 Japanese Resources

Topics:

Japanese Vocabulary Japanese Grammar Japanese Pronunciation Japanese Verbs

Author: Ichika Yamamoto

新しい言語は、新たな人生の始まり。Learn Japanese here.Make sure to subscribe.