ますけいで つくる ぶん
Sentence patterns with the masu-form
The little particle before the verb marks the thing you act on.
みずを のみます = I drink water
Where you do it, where you’re heading, and when.
がっこうへ いきます
Same verb, different particle → different meaning. That’s the whole game.
たべます / いきます / おきます
みずを のみます。
“を” marks the thing you act on.
じょし と ますけい
Each card below is one particle slot. The particle is colored teal, the verb is in vermillion. Tap any sentence to hear it.
Two of these are read differently from the kana chart. へ pointing at a destination is e — がっこうへ = “gakkou e”. And を is just o — みずを = “mizu o”. It's the same trick as は = “wa” in Unit 1: these three letters change their sound when they work as particles.
を marks the thing the action happens to (the object).
で marks where the action takes place.
へ (or に) marks the destination of movement.
に marks a clock time or the person you act toward — a different job from the place 〜に you met in Unit 4.
こうてい・ひてい・かこ
A whole sentence becomes negative or past just by changing the verb ending — the rest of the sentence stays exactly the same. 🔊 Tap any example to hear it.
かたち Form | れいぶん Example | いみ Meaning |
|---|---|---|
Affirmative こうてい いま | I drink coffee. | |
Negative ひてい いま | I don't drink coffee. | |
Past かこ | I drank coffee. | |
Past negative ひてい かこ | I didn't drink coffee. |
かいわ
Hear the particles を / で / へ used in real questions and answers.
まいあさ コーヒーを のみますか。
Do you drink coffee every morning?
はい、うちで のみます。
Yes, I drink it at home.
あした がっこうへ いきますか。
Will you go to school tomorrow?
いいえ、うちで やすみます。
No, I'll rest at home.
じょし あてクイズ
Read each sentence, think about the role of the word before ◯, and choose the particle that fits.
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