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Study Resource: Polite vs. plain forms in Japanese

By: Mayumi Ito

The charts below compare the most basic polite and plain forms of verbs, adjectives, and nouns. Remember that only plain forms can be used in embedded clauses, like those that precede とき transcribed tokimeaning when.

Verbs


	Polite form	Plain form	Verb + とき
Non-past affirmative	食べます Transcription: tabemasu Translation: I eat	食べる Transcription: taberu Translation: I eat	食べるとき Transcription: taberu toki Translation: when I eat
Past affirmative	食べました Transcription: tabemashita Translation: I ate	食べた Transcription: tabeta Translation: I ate	食べたとき Transcription: tabeta toki Translation: when I have eaten
Non-past negative	食べません Transcription: tabemasen Translation: I don't eat	食べない Transcription: tabenai Translation: I don't eat	食べないとき Transcription: tabenai toki Translation: when I don't eat
Past negative	食べませんでした Transcription: tabemasendeshita Translation: I didn't eat	食べなかった Transcription: tabenakatta Translation: I didn't eat	食べなかったとき Transcription: tabenakatta toki Translation: when I had not eaten

i-Adjectives


	Polite form	Plain form	i-Adjective + とき
Non-past affirmative	寒いです Transcription: samui desu Translation: it's cold	寒い Transcription: samui Translation: it's cold	寒いとき Transcription: samui toki Translation: when it's cold
Past affirmative	寒かったです Transcription: samukatta desu Translation: it was cold	寒かった Transcription: samukatta Translation: it was cold	寒かったとき Transcription: samukatta toki Translation: when it was cold
Non-past negative	寒くないです Transcription: samukunai desu Translation: it's not cold	寒くない Transcription: samukunai Translation: it's not cold	寒くないとき Transcription: samuku nai toki Translation: when it's not cold
Past negative	寒くなかったです Transcription: samukunakatta desu Translation: it was not cold	寒くなかった Transcription: samukunakatta Translation: it was not cold	寒くなかったとき Transcription: samukunakatta toki Translation: when it was not cold

na-Adjectives


	Polite form	Plain form	na-Adjective + とき
Non-past affirmative	必要です Transcription: hitsuyō desu Translation: it's necessary	必要だ Transcription: hitsuyō da Translation: it’s necessary	必要なとき Transcription: hitsuyōna toki Translation: when it's necessary ❌ 必要だとき Transcription: hitsuyō da toki
Past affirmative	必要でした Transcription: hitsuyō deshita Translation: it was necessary	必要だった Transcription: hitsuyō datta Translation: it was necessary	必要だったとき Transcription: hitsuyō datta toki Translation: when it was necessary
Non-past negative	必要じゃありません Transcription: hitsuyō ja arimasen Translation: it's not necessary	必要じゃない Transcription: hitsuyō ja nai Translation: it's not necessary	必要じゃないとき Transcription: hitsuyō ja nai toki Translation: when it's not necessary
Past negative	必要じゃありませんでした Transcription: hitsuyō ja arimasendeshita Translation: it was not necessary	必要じゃなかった Transcription: hitsuyō ja nakatta Translation: it was not necessary	必要じゃなかったとき Transcription: hitsuyō ja nakatta toki Translation: when it was not necessary

Nouns


	Polite form	Plain form	Noun + とき
Non-past affirmative	学生です Transcription: gakusei desu Translation: I'm a student	学生だ Transcription: gakusei da Translation: I’m a student	学生のとき Transcription: gakusei no toki Translation: when I'm a student
Past affirmative	学生でした Transcription: gakusei deshita Translation: I was a student	学生だった Transcription: gakusei datta Translation: I was a student	学生だったとき Transcription: gakusei datta toki Translation: when I was a student
Non-past negative	学生じゃありません Transcription: gakusei ja arimasen Translation: I'm not a student	学生じゃない Transcription: gakusei ja nai Translation: I’m not a student	学生じゃないとき Transcription: gakusei ja nai toki Translation: when I'm not a student
Past negative	学生じゃありませんでした Transcription: gakusei ja arimasendeshita Translation: I was not a student	学生じゃなかった Transcription: gakusei ja nakatta Translation: I was not a student	学生じゃなかったとき Transcription: gakusei ja nakatta toki Translation: when I was not a student