It’s nearly been two weeks since I last attended my Japanese class. The first instance was when I woke up, the rain was just pouring hard. That was when Typhoon Ondoy ravaged my country. Although the classes continued but my classmates told me they got stranded inside the campus. The second instance was I didn’t know that classes at all levels were suspended because of Typhoon Pepeng. I was surprised when I went to school and all I can see were security guards on their duty.
Last Saturday, it was a good thing that we had classes. But the funny thing was there were only four of us who attended. Where are the other seven? Prolly assumed that there were no class. Okay enough talking and let me share with you our lessons last saturday.
Sensei taught us how to write the days of the week in Kanji. After that, we moved on to Verb Conjugations. It was then that I finally understood how the verbs are being transformed.
Japanese verbs take various shapes. There were three (3) forms introduced: dictionary forms, present-tense affirmative forms, and present-tense negative forms. Sensei was kind enough to introduce a different outline for verb conjugations since the book that we’re using was quite confusing.
Verb 3 Form: These the irregular verbs suru (する, to do) and kuru (くる, to come). You just have to memorize these two.
Verb 2 Form: These are verbs that end in -ru. Known as -ru verbs.
eg.
たべる – taberu - to eat
みる – miru - to watch
Verb 1 Form: These are the erbs with all other endings. Known as the -u verbs.
eg.
1. ~ う
かう – kau – to buy
いう – iu – to say
いう – su’u – to smoke [たばこを]
2. ~ く
かく – kaku – to write
きく – kiku – to listen
3. ~ぐ
いそぐ – isogu – to hurry
およぐ – oyogu – to swim
4. ~す
はなす – hanasu – to speak
5. ~つ
まつ – matsu – to wait
もつ – motsu – to carry/bring
6. ~ぬ
しぬ – shinu – to die
7. ~ぶ
あそぶ – asobu – to play
8. ~む
よむ – yomu – to read
9. ~る [-aru, -oru, -uru]
とる – toru – to take
うる – uru – to sell
ある – aru – to exist
Verb 2 Exceptions:
1. かえる – kaeru – to go home
2. はいる – hairu – to enter
3. きる – kiru – to cut
4. はしる- hashiru – to run
5. しる – shiru – to know
6. ちる – chiru – to fall
7. ましる – mashiru – to mix
ます (-masu) Form:
1. For V3, memorize:
する(suru) ー》 します(shimasu)
くる(kuru) ー》 きます(kimasu)
2. For V2, change る (ru) ー》 ます (masu):
たべる (taberu) ー》 たべます (tabemasu)
みる (miru) ー》 みます (mimasu)
3. For V3, change the final syllable to i-ending, then add ます (masu):
asdfasdf
Exercsies:
のむ ー》 のみます
きく ー》 ききます
みる ー》 みます
する ー》 します
はなす ー》 はなします
いく ー》 いきます
くる ー》 きます
かえる ー》 かえります
ねる ー》 ねます
よむ ー》 よみます
おきる ー》 おきます
べんきょうする ー》 べんきょうします
Oh, here’s the Kanji for the days of the week:
Sunday: 日曜日 (nichiyoubi)
Monday: 月曜日 (getsuyoubi)
Tuesday: 火曜日 (kayoubi)
Wednesday: 水曜日(suiyoubi)
Thursday: 木曜日 (mokuyoubi)
Friday: 金曜日 (kinyoubi)
Saturday: 土曜日 (doyoubi)
Sorry I can’t illustrate the stroke steps but I guess that should suffice. Till next week! 
