Connecting with masu-stem

「よく遊びよく学べ 」だよ！

= “Yoku asobi yoku manabe” dayo!
= “Play hard and study hard”, OK?
  

Hi everyone! 

I am your guest teacher, Ren! 

Today I’m going to answer one of the most frequently asked questions:

“How do you connect verbs with the masu-stem?”

Many of you know how to connect verbs with te-form, right?

Just in case, let’s review.

to do A and do B

A: 書く ( = kaku)  to write

B: 消す ( = kesu ) to erase 

You change the first verb 書く ( = kaku) to the te-form →書いて ( = kaite) 

* 自分の名前を書いて消す。

= Jibun no namae wo kaite kesu.

= Write one’s name and erase it.

past tense: You make the second (the last) verb, 消す( = kesu = to erase) past tense.

* 自分の名前を書いて消した。

= Jibun no namae wo kaite keshita.

= I wrote my name and erased it.

You can also connect verbs using the masu-stem. 

Verbs:

How to form: 

書く = かく= kaku 

→ masu form: 書きます = かきます = kakimasu 

→ Make a masu stem: delete ます ( = masu) 書き = かき = kaki

* 自分の名前を書き、消す。

= jibun no namae wo kak,  kesu.

= to write one’s name and erase it.

Past tense: Just change the last verb to the past tense. 

* 自分の名前を書き、消した。

= Jibun no namae wo kaki, keshita.

= I wrote my name and erased it.

It is more common to use te-form or if the masu-stem is one mora such as, 

* 来る= kuru = to come→来ます= きます= kimasu 

→masu-stem 来 = き= ki     X

→you use (te-form) 来て = きて= kite

* 出る = deru= to leave, to come out →出ます= でます= demasu 

→masu-stem　出= で= de     X

 →you use (te-form) 出て = でて= dete

* 見る = miru = to see, watch, look→見ます=みます= mimasu

→masu-stem 見 = み = mi     X 

→you use (te-form) 見て = みて = mite

* 寝る = neru = to sleep X→寝ます= ねます= nemasu 

→masu-stem 寝 = ね= ne   X  

→you use (te-form) 寝て= ねて= nete

How to use:

(1)  sequence of events (to do A and then do B)

While connecting verbs with te-form is more general and conversational, connecting verbs with masu-stem is more literal and formal. 

So when you are talking to your friend or family about what you did or are going to do, you use the te-form. 

Ex. 今からお風呂に入って寝るよ。

= ima kara ofuro ni haitte neru yo.

= I am going to take a bath now and go to bed. 

But when you write to your boss or talk to them in a formal way, you use the masu-stem.

Ex.これから一度、会社に戻り資料を作ります。

= Kore kara ichido, kaisha ni modori shiryou wo tsukurimasu.

= I am going back to the office once and make documents. 

Ex. この本を読み、感想を教えてください。

= Kono hon wo yomi, kansou wo oshiete kudasai.

= Please read this book, and let me know what you think about it.

Ex. しっかり考え、結論を出した。

= Shikkari kangae, ketsuron wo dashita.

= I thought about it thoroughly and came to a conclusion. 

Ex. 弟は自分で運転し帰ってきた。

= Otouto wa jibun de unten shi kaette kita.

= My younger brother drove himself home. 

Ex. わからない言葉があれば辞書で調べリストを作ってください。

= Wakaranai koto ga areba jisho de shirabe risuto wo tsukutte kudasai.

= If there are words that you don’t know, please look them up in the dictionary and make a list of them.

Ex. 夏休みに日本に行きマギー先生に会う予定でした。

= Natsuyasumi ni nihon ni iki Maggie Sensei ni au yotei deshita.

= I was going to Japan to see Maggie Sensei over summer vacation.

Ex. 彼には三人の子供がおり、家ではいいお父さんらしい。

= Kare niwa sannin no kodomo ga ori, ie de wa ii otousan rashii.

= He has three children, and I heard that he is a good father at home. 

Note: the verb いる ( = iru) changes to おり ( = ori) 

*masu-stem of honorific form

Ex. こちらにお名前をご記入いただき、椅子にかけてお待ちください。

= Kochira ni onamae wo gokinyuu itadaki, isu ni kakete omachi kudasai.

= Please fill in your name here, take a seat and wait. 

(2) Listing multiple actions:

From the picture above:

Ex. よく遊びよく学べ (proverb)   

= Yoku asobi yoku manabe

= Play hard and study hard

= All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Let’s add one more verb: to do A, B, and C

Ex. マギーは、よく遊び、よく食べ、よく寝る。

= Maggie wa, yoku asobi, yoku tabe, yoku neru.

= Maggie plays a lot, eats a lot, and sleeps a lot. 

You can also use the potential form of masu-stem  

Ex. 英語を話せ日本語も話せる人を探しています。

= Eigo wo hanase nihongo mo hanaseru hito wo sagashite imasu.

= We are looking for someone who can speak English and (can speak) Japanese as well.

(3) cause/ reason: The first verb causes the following situation. 

Ex. 雨に降られ困っていたら知らない人が傘を貸してくれた。

= Ame ni furare komatte itara shiranai hito ga kasa wo kashite kureta.

= When I got caught in the rain (thus was in trouble) and was getting wet, some stranger offered me an umbrella.
(masu-stem of the passive form)

Ex. 昨夜は食べ過ぎお腹が痛くなった。

= Sakuya wa tabesugi onakaga itaku natta.

= I ate too much last night and got a stomachache. 

Ex. 昨日は、風邪をひき学校を休んだ。

= Kinou wa, kaze wo hiki gakkou wo yasunda.

= I got cold and (that’s why) I took the day off from school yesterday.

Ex. 夕食の後にコーヒーを二杯飲み、明け方まで眠れなかった。

= Yuushoku no ato ni koohii wo nihai nomi, akegata made nemurenakatta.

= I had two cups of coffee after dinner, and I couldn’t sleep until dawn.

***

Adjectives: 

How to form:

* i-adjective

い ( = i) →く ( = ku) 

大きい = おおきい = ookii = big

1) delete い ( = i)  →大き = おおき = ooki

2) add く ( = ku)  →大きく = おおきく = ookiku 

Negative form

ない = nai 

→なく = naku

大きくなく= ookiku naku 

How to use:

(1) Listing the characteristics.

Ex. 簡単に試験に受かると思ったが、現実は険しく厳しかった。

= Kantan ni shiken ni ukaru to omotta ga, genjitsu wa kewashiku kibishikatta.

= I thought I could pass the exam easily but in reality it was pretty tough. 

Note: the literal meaning 険しい (= kewashii) steep, 厳しい (= kibishii) strict, rugged

You often use these two to describe a mountain path. 

Ex. あそこは値段が高く美味しくない店として知られている。

= Asoko wa nedan ga takaku oishikunai mise to shite shirarete iru.

= That restaurant is infamous for being expensive and having bad food. 

Ex. この辺りは、狭く危ない道が多い。

= Kono atari wa, semaku abunai michi ga ooi.

= There are many narrow and dangerous streets in this area. 

Ex. 彼は背が高くがっしりした体格をしている。

= Kanojo wa se ga takaku gasshirishita taikaku wo shiteiru.

= He is tall and well-built. 

Ex. 彼女は頭がよく性格もいい。

= Kanojo wa atama ga yoku seikaku mo ii.

= She is smart and also has a good personality.

Ex. この料理は脂っこくなく美味しい。

= Kono ryouri wa aburakkokunaku oishii.

= This dish is not greasy and delicious. 

With adverbial particle: 

Ex. この作品は美しいだけではなく奥が深い。

= Kono sakuhin wa utsukushii dakedewa naku oku ga fukai.

= This work is not just beautiful but also profound.  

(2) reason/cause

Ex. この問題は難しく誰も解けないだろう。

= Kono mondai wa muzukashiku daremo dokenai darou.

= This question is so difficult that nobody could solve it.

Ex. 今年の夏は、暑くどこにも出かける気にならなかった。

= Kotoshi no natsu wa, atsuku doko nimo dekakeru ki ni naranakatta.

= This summer was so hot that I didn’t feel like going out at all.

Ex. 昨日は体調がよくなく１日ずっと家で寝ていた。

= Kinou wa taichou ga yoku naku ichinichi zutto ie de nete ita.

= I was under the weather and stayed home all day yesterday. 

***

As for na-adjective, you use で ( = de) form

Ex. この機能は便利で簡単だ。

= Kono kinou wa benri de kantan da.

= This function is convenient and easy (to use). 

na-adjective negative form: ～ではなく( = dewa naku) / ～じゃなく( = janaku)

Ex. 彼のことが嫌いではなくどちらかというと気になっている。

= Kare no koto ga kirai dewa naku dochiraka to iu to kini natte iru.

= I wouldn’t say I don’t like him. If anything, I am kind of attracted to him. 

**

マギー先生より = Maggie Sensei yori = From Maggie Sensei

レン先生、ありがとう！

= Ren Sensei, arigatou!

= Thank you, Ren-Sensei! 

みんなもよく遊んでよく勉強してね！

= Minna mo yoku asonde yoku benkyou shitene!

= You all play hard and study hard, OK?

 

***

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