Lesson 16:
The て Form - Currently Doing
Goal:
Learn how to make "the て form" of verbs, and use it to say that you are doing something currently.
Learn how to make "the て form" of verbs, and use it to say that you are doing something currently.
New Vocabulary |
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Verbs
もちます ... Hold あそびます ... Play あげます ... Give くれます ... Give (to you) かっています ... care for ひきます ... pluck (stringed instrument) いいます ... Say Adverbs まだ ... Still もう ... Already |
Nouns
たから ... Treasure はこ ... Box たからばこ ... Treasure Box いま ... Now ガード ... Guard みな ... Everyone ギター ... Guitar ビール ... Beer Adjectives だいじょうぶ（な） ... Alright; OK すくない ... Few; Lacking Other ええ ... Yes |
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New Grammar
The て Form
Group 1 Verbs
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Group 2 VerbsJust Add て
After the verb stem, just add て. たべます ＝＞ たべて みます ＝＞ みて かけます ＝＞ かけて でます ＝＞ でて ねます ＝＞ ねて |
Group 3 VerbsMEMORIZE!!!
します ＝＞ して きます ＝＞ きて です ＝＞ で or であって |
Something is Currently Happening: ~て います
- To say that an event is happening currently, add います directly after the て-form of the verb.
- Notice that a few verbs can't use this form: verbs that relate to "constantly doing", or "state of being" don't use this verb.
- います, あります and です don't use this format.
- (～ています emphasizes that the verb is continuous. Sometimes this pattern is used to communicate a habitual situation. We won't delve into this much now.)
- When answering a "have you done X yet?" kind of question, you'll answer with the normal past tense when answering "yes I have". When answering negatively - "No, I haven't", you'll use the ~ていません
Difference Between ました and ～て います
- There is an obvious difference between the past tense (ました) and the continuous/progressive (～ています). However, there is an unexpected difference between the two that needs to be emphasized. Using ました can only be accurately used when an action is completed; the action has to have happened (or not happened, if negative) to be "past tense". If the verb is still happening (or still not happening) then it uses the ~ています form.
- This sounds obvious, but it isn't. Notice the difference between these two patterns:
- いきません でした vs まだ いっていません
- In the first, the "not going" is complete; he did NOT go. However, in the second, he "did not go", but he very well might; the action of not going is still in the process; the condition of "did not go" might change to "is going" at some point.
あげます and くれます
- あげます and くれます are both loosely translated as "Give", however they are different. It is VITAL to get the difference correct.
- くれます is used when someone gives something TO YOU. It is ONLY used when someone is giving something to you, or your "In Group" (see below). Remember that the person giving the thing to you gets が (s/he's the subject of the sentence), and you/your in group gets に (you're the target).
- あげます is used when someone gives something to someone. The "target" of giving can NOT be you nor your "In Group" (see below).
- More will be said about くれます in the next lesson
The In Group and the Out Group - Are you "In"?
- Throughout Japanese history and culture identifying one's self as being in one group or another became important. Samurai would jump out onto the field of battle and announce who they were and recite their lineage. Japan's language has come to reflect this culture.
- An "In Group" is the group that you belong to. This can be merely you yourself, your family members, your family, your school club, your school, your co-workers, your company, your small city, your state/prefecture, or even your entire country. I would imagine that if aliens came to visit Earth and learned to speak Japanese, the "In Group" could even come to encompass all earthlings.
- Your "In Group" is defined by the conditions affecting your sentence at the exact time you state it. You belong to many in groups at the same time: currently I'm an American, I belong to the Rogers family, I am myself, my students and I can associate together, my wife and I are an in group together, and I'm an earthling; the list is endless. If you're talking about the general culture differences between Japan and America, the "In Group" would be your culture and the "Out Group" would consist of anyone not associated with that culture. If talking to a teacher about your family, the "In Group" would be your family.
Examples
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- うわ～！おおかみになっています！ Waa! I'm becoming a wolf!
- ビール を のんでいます。 I'm drinking a beer
- ゆみ で うっています。でも、や が すくなく なっています。I'm shooting with my bow. But, (my) arrows are running low.
- Q:いま、ゴブリンをこうげきしていますか。 Are you attacking a goblin right now?
- A:ええ、こうげきしています。 Yeah, I'm attacking (them).
- Q:もう、かいましたか。 Did you already buy it?
- A: いいえ、まだ かっていません。 Nope, I have not bought it yet. ("I still have not bought it")
Practice
(1) Practice making the て-form
Convert the following verbs into their て-forms.
Is it annoying?!?! YES!!! DEAL WITH IT!! You NEED to be good at this. You need to be able to do this faster than Japanese people.
Convert the following verbs into their て-forms.
Is it annoying?!?! YES!!! DEAL WITH IT!! You NEED to be good at this. You need to be able to do this faster than Japanese people.
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あいます
あります あるきます いきます いのります います うたいます うります およぎます かえります かきます かけます かみます ききます きます |
こうげきします
ころします しにます します たおします たたかいます たべます つかいます つきます つくります でます とります なきます なります ねます |
のみます
はいります はしります はなします ひきます ふります べんきょうします まちます もちます みます ミスします もどります もらいます やすみます よみます |
(2) Make Some Sentences!
Use the following words to make sentences. If you change an adjective into an adverb, make sure to do it properly!
Use the following words to make sentences. If you change an adjective into an adverb, make sure to do it properly!
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Subjects
私 あなた だんせい じょせい ローグ コボルド がいこつ クレリック おうさま うし ゾンビ いぬ しか ウィザード |
Objects / Places
ネズミ おの じゅもん てら や はやし かわ あさごはん だれ ソーサラー たから ぎんか たからばこ みず |
Adjective / Adverb
きれい（な） おいしい おもい かるい しずか（な） ふるい ねむい こわい とくべつ（な） きょだい（な） いっしょ に はやい じょうず（な） すくない |
Verb
かけます あげます やすみます たべます もらいます くれます いきます いのります みます とります まちます かっています もっています あるきます |
(3) Two characters are talking to one another, what are they doing?
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(A): Peter! 何を しています か？
(B): いま、おいしい ビール を のんでいます。 (A):あたらしい けん を かいました か。
(B):いいえ、まだ かっていません。 (A):まだ いぬ を かっています か。
(B):はい、かっています。 (A):どこ に いっていますか。 (B):まほう の がっこう に いっています。 |
(A):何を したい です か。
(B):ばんごはん を たべたい です。でも、いま ゾンビ を ころしています。 (A):だいじょうぶ です か。
(B):いいえ、ネズミ に なっています。 (A):まだ ゴブリン と たたかっています か。
(B):いいえ、もう ゴブリン を たおしました よ。 (A):いま、何と たたかっています か。 (B):ゾンビ と たたかっています。 |
