Meaning
Forms the plain negative verb form.
Formation
- Group 1: the -i syllable shifts to the -a row plus ない: 書きます → 書かない; an -i stem gives わ: 買います → 買わない
- Group 2: ます → ない: 食べます → 食べない
- Group 3: しない, 来ない (konai); ある → ない
When to use it
- Core use
- Forms the plain negative verb form
Example
朝ご飯を食べない
I do not eat breakfast.
Important notes
- Word forms and particle choice depend on the pattern's role in the sentence.
Common mistakes
- Do not reorder or reshape the highlighted parts to match English word order.