Japanese word of the day › By topic

Japanese verb forms: te-form, past and "if"

11 Japanese words and phrases, each with its meaning and a real sentence that uses it. Each one has its own page with its reading and where to read it in a story.

1. 食べて tabete

   eat / eating (te-form)

   「お前を食べてしまうためだよ！」

   ‘omae o tabete shimau tame da yo!’

   "The better to eat you up!"

2. 飲んで nonde

   drink / drinking (te-form)

   薬を飲んでから寝てください。

   kusuri o nonde kara nete kudasai.

   Please take your medicine and then go to sleep.

3. 行って itte

   go / going (te-form)

   コンビニに行って牛乳を買ってくる。

   konbini ni itte gyuunyuu o katte kuru.

   I'll go to the convenience store and buy milk.

4. 来て kite

   come / coming (te-form)

   友達が遊びに来てくれた。

   tomodachi ga asobi ni kite kureta.

   My friend came over to hang out.

5. 食べる taberu

   to eat

   二人はとても貧しく、食べるものもなくなってきました。

   ninin wa totemo mazushiku, taberu mono mo nakunatte kimashita.

   The two were very poor, and things to eat also gradually ran out.

6. 食べます tabemasu

   will eat / eat (polite)

   アレルギーがあるので、普段はエビを食べません。あ、肉は食べますよ。

   arerugii ga aru node, fudan wa ebi o tabemasen. a, niku wa tabemasu yo.

   I have allergies, so I usually don't eat shrimp. Ah, I do eat meat, though.

7. 食べた tabeta

   ate / has eaten

   さっきラーメン食べたばかりだから、まだ全然お腹が減らないんだ。

   sakki raamen tabeta bakari da kara, mada zenzen onaka ga heranai n da.

   I just ate ramen a moment ago, so I'm not hungry at all yet.

8. 食べません tabemasen

   do not eat / will not eat (polite)

   すみません、実は辛いものが苦手なので、キムチは食べません。

   sumimasen, jitsuha tsurai mono ga nigate na node, kimuchi wa tabemasen.

   I'm sorry, I'm actually not good with spicy food, so I don't eat kimchi.

9. 行ったら ittara

   if/when (I) go (たら conditional)

   新宿に行ったら、あの新しいカフェに寄ってみよう。

   shinjuku ni ittara, ano atarashii kafe ni yotte miyou.

   If (when) I go to Shinjuku, I'll stop by that new cafe.

10. 行けば ikeba

    if (I) go (ば conditional)

    早く行けば、混雑する前に席を確保できるよ。

    hayaku ikeba, konzatsu suru mae ni seki o kakuho dekiru yo.

    If you go early, you can secure a seat before the crowd.

11. 行くと iku to

    if/when (I) go (と conditional)

    この道をまっすぐ行くと、左手に大きな公園が見える。

    kono michi o massugu iku to, hidarite ni ookina kouen ga mieru.

    If you go straight down this road, you'll see a big park on your left.