Japanese grammar learning

Japanese Grammar Plug and Play
Japanese Lesson #89– Verb (Base I) + ZU NI IRARENAI (Verb + ず に いられない)
(I can’t help but verb)

Today’s Japanese grammar lesson makes use of verbs in Base I. Verbs put into base I always end with the syllable, A (あ) (Pronounced aw as in awful, or awesome). We could think of verbs in Base I as links to negative states or conditions in verbs. Verbs in Base I are usually followed by the word NAI ( ない)- Nai is comparable to the English word not. For example, in English, we say that we can do something or we can not do something, or we say that we will do something, or, will not do something.

- As verbs in Base III tend toward affirmative, verb in Base I tend toward the negative -

The verb to be able to, or, DEKIRU (できる) in base III is positive affirmative, while DEKINAI, which is DEKIRU in Base I + nai is not positive nor affirmative, but negative. Base I forms are like linkage for putting words in their not positive, not affirmative conditions.

DEKINAI (できない) is to CAN’T as
DEKIRU (できる) is to CAN.

SHINAI (しない) is to WON’T DO as
SURU (する) is to WILL DO.

In order to put verbs into bases, it’s necessary to understand the difference between Ichidan 一段verbs ( vowel stemmed verbs) and Yo^dan ようだん or Godan verbs (consonant stemmed verbs). I was taught that there exists three types of verbs but these types are unrelated to the three types of English verbs. In English, the three types of verbs are passive, active and forms of the copula- to be. In Japanese you have kami ichidan katsuyo verbs, godan katsuyo verbs and irregular verbs.


Examples:

1. KANASHIKATTA NODE NAKAZU NI IRARENAI -
悲しかったので泣かずにいられない
I was so sad, I couldn’t help but cry.

NAKU ( 泣く)– v. to cry
in Base I – NAKA ( 泣か)
NAKA + ZU + NI IRARENAI 泣かずにいられない

2. GAMAN DEKINAKUNATTA NODE KAERAZU NI IRARENAI –
我慢できなくなったので帰らずにいられない
Things got so bad, I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t help but go back home.

KAERU ( 帰る)– v. to return home, to go back
in Base I, KAERA ( 帰ら)
KAERA + ZU NI IRARENAI 帰らずにいられない

3. TAIHEN BYO^KI NI NATTA NODE, HAKIDASAZU NI IRARENAI –
大変病気になったので吐き出さずにいられない
I got so sick I couldn’t help but throw-up.

HAKIDASU (吐き出す) – v. to throw up, vomit, spit out
in Base I, HAKIDASA (吐き出さ)
HAKIDASA+ ZU NI IRARENAI 吐き出さずにいられない

4. KIITE ITA ONGAKU WA SUGOKU OMOSHIROKATTA NODE, ODORAZU NI IRARENAI –
聞いていた音楽は凄く面白かったので躍らずにいられない
The music was we were listening to was so good, I couldn’t help but dance.

ODORU ( 躍る)– v. To dance
in Base I, ODORA (躍ら)
ODORA + ZU NI IRARENAI 躍らずにいられない


These examples are extreme to show that you can make up any type of sentence you want using the grammar practice constructions and it will benefit your Japanese language skills immensely useful. There you have it! Another plug and play grammar principle you can use to add to your arsenal of Japanese language weaponry, which, depending on you, can take you yet another step towards better Japanese.

As Always,
Ganbatte Ne! 頑張ってね!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki マクラスキー


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Japanese Grammar

Some Base III Japanese Grammar

Base III - koto ga arimasu - sometimes I do
Base III + koto ga yoku arimasu often verb
Base III + koto ga amari arimasen - don't often verb
Base III + tame ni - for verb's sake, in order to verb
Base III + yo^ ni - so that verb
Base III + koto ga dekiru - able to verb

P.F. + desho^ - Probably verb

How to make a wish in Japanese - Japanese Grammar ii noni

How to Make Wishes in Japanese
or How to say , "If I could only verb" in Japanese.

Base IV + ba ii no ni

or
A verb in its conditional state + ii no ni + ば いい の に
To wish (something), (I wish I could verb, despite it being cool)

Any form of the Japanese conditional will suffice. The use of nara is also acceptable. The Japanese conditional being either a verb in base IV as in iku -->? ik(e) (baseIV) + ba = ikeba or if (I) go or verb in base TA + RA, so that iku --> itta + ra or ittara

The verb iku 行く in base IV is 行け
- add the conditional extendor ば to the base so that 行け + ば = 行けば

ikeba ii no ni 行けば いい のに -
It would have been cool if I could have went, or I wish I could have gone.
literally this phrase means something more like Despite it being good, if I go.

In the same way you may say it this way, iku in base TA is itta
- add ra to form the conditional. So that
itta + ra = ittara
- than add ii no ni to complete the phrase that you wish would happen.
行った + ら = 行ったら

I have always Below are some examples to get you going. Make your own interesting sentences. Make questions out of them. Use them in Japan on real Japanese people to test them out and make sure they work. You never know what you might be able to say with your new grammar construction for making wishes in Japanese.

Examples

1. Yasukattara ii noni 安かったら いいのに
- I sure hope it is cheap, (lit. if it were cheap it would be good despite the fact that its probably not.)

2. Ittara ii noni or ikeba ii noni 行ったらいいのに or 行けば いい のに
- I wish I could go

3. Kirei dattara or kirei nara ii noni きれい だったら いいのに or きれいなら
- if she were cute that would be cool, or I hope she is pretty. lit. Despite it being good if (she) is pretty.

4. Shicchan ga ittara ii noni しっちゃん が いったら いい のに
- it would be cool if shi chan (a girl whose name starts with Shi)

5. Mite mireba ii noni. 見て 見れば
- I wish you would go check it out. or It would be cool if you could go look at it.

As always,
Ganbatte ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki