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Grammar Book

GrammarBook N5: Plain Negative Form in Japanese

  • 29 Jan, 2026
  • Com 0
N5-G-051

Plain Negative Form (Casual Negative)

Supporting / Casual Speech

👀 Layer A: Visual Guide (直感理解)

📝 Quick Summary (まとめ)

友達との会話で使う「否定形(~ない)」です。「ナイ形(Nai-form)」とも呼ばれます。「~ないでください」などの文法を作るときにも使います。
This is the casual negative form used with friends (“I don’t…”). It is also known as the “Nai-form”. It’s essential for casual speech and many grammar structures.

Polite: 食べません (Tabemasen)
Casual: 食べない (Tabenai)

🔗 Connected Grammar (関連文法):

  • N5-G-045: ~ないでください (Please don’t – Uses Nai-form)
  • N5-G-049: Plain Present Form (Casual Positive)

🔍 Layer B: Deepening (深掘り)

💡 Raya’s Hack (攻略法)

「う」段を「あ」段に変える!
グループ1の動詞は、最後の音が「u」から「a」に変わります。
* Kak**u** → Kak**a**-nai
* Yom**u** → Yom**a**-nai
* Isog**u** → Isog**a**-nai
例外:最後が「う (u)」のときは「わ (wa)」になります。
* Ka**u** → Ka**wa**-nai (× Ka-a-nai)

For Group 1, change the final “u” sound to an “a” sound. Note the exception: If it ends in a vowel “u” (like Kau), it becomes “wa” (Kawanai).

🚧 Joy’s Mistake (よくある間違い)

Scene: Joy says he has no money.

Joy: 「お金が あらない。」
(Okane ga aranai.)

❌ Wrong conjugation!

Why?

「あります (ある)」のナイ形は「あらない」ではなく、「ない」です。とても短いので注意!
正解は「お金が ない」です。

The negative of “Arimasu” (Aru) is just “Nai”. Not “Aranai”. It’s irregular and very important! Correct: “Okane ga nai”.

🔥 Layer C: Practice Loop

Now it’s time to test your learning through the next 10 practice drills!

Level 1: Masu -> Nai

Q1. Tabemasu (Eat)
答え: 食べない (Tabenai)

(Group 2: Drop Ru -> Nai)

Q2. Ikimasu (Go)
答え: 行かない (Ikanai)

(Group 1: Ku -> Ka + Nai)

Q3. Nomimasu (Drink)
答え: 飲まない (Nomanai)

(Group 1: Mu -> Ma + Nai)

Q4. Kaimasu (Buy)
答え: 買わない (Kawanai)

(Group 1 Exception: U -> Wa + Nai)

Q5. Shimasu (Do)
答え: しない (Shinai)

(Irregular)

Level 2: Casual Conversation (Q&A)

Q6. Convert to Casual: “Tabemasen.” (I don’t eat.)
答え: 食べない。 (Tabenai.)

(Plain Negative)

Q7. Convert to Casual: “Ikimasen ka?” (Won’t you go? / Don’t you go?)
答え: 行かない? (Ikanai? ⤴)

(Invitation/Question in Casual)

Q8. Convert to Casual: “Arimasen.” (There isn’t / I don’t have.)
答え: ない。 (Nai.)

(Arimasen -> Nai)

Q9. Convert to Casual: “Kimasen.” (Won’t come.)
答え: 来ない。 (Konai.)

(Kimasen -> Konai *Irregular*)

Q10. Convert to Casual: “Wakarimasen.” (I don’t understand.)
答え: 分からない。 (Wakaranai.)

(Ru -> Ra + Nai)


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Related posts:

GrammarBook N5 : AはBです (A is B) GrammarBook N5: The Particle も (also) GrammarBook N5: い-adjectives GrammarBook N5: ~たいです
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GrammarBook N5: Plain Past Form in Japanese
GrammarBook N5: Polite vs. Casual Switching in Japanese
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