How to change a verb from “ます-form” to “ない-form”

Jane-san studies Japanese twice a week. Her teacher is Yamada-sensei.
She is planning to visit Tokyo next month with her Japanese classmates.
Jane-san and Yamada-sensei are discussing preparations for the trip.

The forms of “いかない” and “しない” in this conversation are the plain forms of “いきません” and “しません,” and are called the “Plain present negative form” or “ない-form.”

When studying sentence patterns such as “～と　おもいます（I think ~）” and “～ほうが　いいです（~ is better）,” you will also learn how to form the “ない-form,” but some people are not familiar with this.

Today, I will explain how to change the “ます-form ” to the “ない-form”.

Verbs are divided into three groups according to how they are conjugated.

Since each group has different rules, we will explain them separately. For reference, I will also write the dictionary form.

If you are not familiar with verb groupings or how to switch from the “ます-form” to the “dictionary form,” check articles below.

The verbs in Group Ⅰ

★The verbs in Group I are as follows.

	ます-form		ない-form		dictionary form		Meaning
Ⅰ	かいます	kaimasu	かわない	kawanai	かう	kau	buy
	まちます	machimasu	またない	matanai	まつ	matsu	wait
	つくります	tsukurimasu	つくらない	tsukuranai	つくる	tsukuru	make
	のみます	nomimasu	のまない	nomanai	のむ	nomu	drink
	よみます	yomimasu	よまない	yomanai	よむ	yomu	read
	あそびます	asobimasu	あそばない	asobanai	あそぶ	asobu	play
	いきます	ikimasu	いかない	ikanai	いく	iku	go
	かきます	kakimasu	かかない	kakanai	かく	kaku	write
	ききます	kikimasu	きかない	kikanai	きく	kiku	listen
	およぎます	oyogimasu	およがない	oyoganai	およぐ	oyogu	swim
	はなします	hanashimasu	はなさない	hanasanai	はなす	hanasu	speak

Let’s look at hiragana above.

In the “ない-form”, the “い-row ” sound in the Japanese syllabary in front of “ます” becomes the “あ-row ” sound, with “ない” behind it, as in “つくります” → “つくらない” and “のみます” → “のまない”.

Note that “かいます” becomes “かわない. “

Let’s look at the romaji above.

As in [tsukurimasu] → [tsukuranai] and [nomimasu] → [nomanai], the [i] before [masu] in the “ます-form” becomes [a] in the “ない-form”, with “ない” behind it.

Note that [kaimasu] becomes [kawanai], [machimasu] becomes [matanai] and [hanashimasu] becomes [hanasanai].

The verbs in Group Ⅱ

★The verbs in Group II are as follows.

	ます-form		ない-form		dictionary form		Meaning
Ⅱ	みます	mimasu	みない	minai	みる	miru	look
	おきます	okimasu	おきない	okinai	おきる	okiru	wait
	たべます	tabemasu	たべない	tabenai	たべる	taberu	eat
	ねます	nemasu	ねない	nenai	ねる	neru	go to bed

The “ます” [masu] in the “ます-form ” becomes “ない” [nai] in the “ます-form”. The preceding “み,” “おき,” “たべ,” and “ね” remain unchanged.

The verbs in Group Ⅲ

★There are only two verbs in Group III, and they are as follows.

	ます-form		ない-form		dictionary form		Meaning
Ⅲ	します	shimasu	しない	shinai	する	suru	do
	きます	kimasu	こない	konai	くる	kuru	come

Please remember these two as they are.

Let’s do some practice.

【れんしゅう】 What is “ない-form” of the following verbs?

• 　a. かきます
• 　b. たべます
• 　c. まちます
• 　d. はなします
• 　e. のみます
• 　f.  つくります
• 　g. もってきます
• 　h. みます
• 　i.  かいます
• 　j.  いそぎます
• 　k. はこびます

Let’s think about it!

Here are the answers.

a. かきます	かかない
b. たべます	たべない
c. まちます	またない
d. はなします	はなさない
e. のみます	のまない
f.  つくります	つくらない
g. もってきます	もってこない
h. みます	みない
i.  かいます	かわない
j.  いそぎます	いそがない
k. はこびます	はこばない

Did you get everything right?

Japanese verbs have many other conjugated forms.

I’ll explain it in my blog later, so please watch out!