Plain Form Introduction

Meet the basic plain form of verbs so you can recognize it in dictionaries, casual speech, and quoted content.

Recognize plain-form verbs in short sentences.Understand that the dictionary form is the plain affirmative form of many verbs.Read plain form when it appears in quotes, dictionaries, and casual-style lines.

Guided study

The plain form as a basic verb form

The plain form is a basic verb form you will see in dictionaries and casual Japanese. Even before you speak casually yourself, you need to recognize it quickly in reading.

毎日勉強する。

I study every day.

This is a plain-form statement about a habit.

明日図書館へ行く。

I will go to the library tomorrow.

The dictionary form 行く can still describe a future action when context gives the time.

日曜日はうちで休む。

I rest at home on Sundays.

休む is the plain form used in a simple everyday sentence.

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