Understanding the Japanese Imperative Form
In Japanese, the imperative form is used to give commands or make requests. It's like when you tell someone to do something, like 'Eat your vegetables!' or 'Please sit down.' The imperative form changes depending on whether the verb is a godan (u-verb) or ichidan (ru-verb).
How to Form the Imperative for Godan Verbs
Important Points
- For godan verbs, change the u-ending sound to the e-ending sound. For example, '書く' (kaku) becomes '書け' (kake).
- This form is often used in strong commands, so be careful! It can sound rude if not used properly.
How to Form the Imperative for Ichidan Verbs
Important Points
- For ichidan verbs, simply drop the 'る' (ru) and add 'ろ' (ro). For example, '食べる' (taberu) becomes '食べろ' (tabero).
- This is a straightforward way to give commands with ichidan verbs.
Examples
- 食べる → 食べろ
- 見る → 見ろ
- 起きる → 起きろ
Using the Imperative Form Politely
In Japanese culture, being polite is very important. Instead of using the plain imperative form, you can use the '〜てください' (te kudasai) form to make requests politely. It's like saying 'Please do this.'
Special Cases and Irregular Verbs
Important Points
- Some verbs are irregular, like 'する' (suru) and '来る' (kuru). 'する' becomes 'しろ', and '来る' becomes '来い' (koi).
- These irregular verbs are important to memorize because they don't follow the usual rules.