Plain Negatives

Use plain negative forms with verbs, nouns, and adjectives so you can follow casual conversation and everyday writing.

Form plain negative and plain past negative verbs.Use plain negatives with nouns and adjectives.Read time words first so negative meaning becomes easier to catch.

Guided study

Verb negatives with ない and なかった

Verb plain negatives usually end in ない, and plain past negatives usually end in なかった. These forms appear constantly in casual conversation, texts, and short stories.

今日は学校へ行かない。

I am not going to school today.

The time word 今日 helps 行かない read as a present or near-future negative.

昨日コーヒーを飲まなかった。

I did not drink coffee yesterday.

Past negatives often sound natural with 昨日 or 先週.

今夜テレビを見ない。

I will not watch TV tonight.

This sentence shows a simple future negative in plain style.

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