Lesson 3: Making a Date

The polite ます-form is your daily-driver verb conjugation — it signals politeness and is what you'll hear constantly.

Verb groups:

• Group 2 (iru/eru-verbs): drop る, add ます → たべる→たべます, みる→みます
• Group 1 (u-verbs): shift final kana to the 'i' row + ます → のむ→のみます, かう→かいます
• Irregulars: する→します, くる→きます (only two!)
• Watch out: a short list of u-verb exceptions LOOK iru/eru but aren't — かえる (to return) → かえります

ます-form conjugations:

• Present: たべます
• Negative: たべません
• Past: たべました
• Past negative: たべませんでした

Particle rules:

• を marks direct objects (pronounced 'o'): ごはんを たべます
• で marks location OF AN ACTION: カフェで たべます = eat AT the cafe
• に marks destination or specific time: 3じに = at 3 o'clock
• Time words like まいにち, あした, きょう, こんしゅう take NO particle — they stand alone

Invitations: 〜ませんか ('won't you ~?') is softer; 〜ましょう ('let's ~') assumes agreement; 〜ましょうか ('shall we ~?') asks first.