Present Tense Conjugation

In Japanese, the present tense can refer to present habits, general truths, and even the future. Unlike English, Japanese doesn’t have separate forms for “I eat” (present) and “I will eat” (future) – the same form is used for both.

Japanese has two main forms of present tense:

• Polite form (ます form) – formal
• Plain form (Dictionary form) – casual

⚖️ Polite vs Casual (plus Negative!)

✅ Use polite form in formal situations.
✅ Use casual form in relaxed settings or among peers.

🟦 Ru-verbs (る-verbs)

To conjugate:

• Polite: Drop る → add ます／ません
• Casual Negative: Drop る → add ない

🟥 U-verbs (う-verbs)

To conjugate:

• Polite: Change final sound to i-row → add ます／ません
• Casual Negative: Change u → a-row sound + ない
  (exception: う → わない)

🟨 Irregular Verbs

🧠 Real-life Tip:

• Try remembering verbs with their polite and negative forms as a set, not just dictionary form:
  • 行く → 行きます → 行かない
  • 食べる → 食べます → 食べない
• When speaking with Japanese people, the polite form (～ます/～ません) is the safer choice when you’re meeting someone for the first time or in formal situations.

🗂 Quick Summary Table