Page 107 - JAPN1002

文法
1 Direct and polite forms of verbs
So far you have learned verbs in their polite forms. 食んび...食んふカ...食んぱべ... 食んふカめぱべ. They have corresponding direct forms 食んィ...食んやぞ...食んべ... 食んやづぽべ. We will learn the conjugation patterns of direct forms throughout Lesson 11.
The direct non-past positive form of a verb (i.e., the direct counterpart of V-び) is the form you see listed in a dictionary, and it is often called ‘dictionary form’. Thus, you need to memorize this form to be able to look up a dictionary. In addition, this form is needed because a number of grammatical contexts require it. That is, Many endings attach directly to it.
2 Verb inflection types
Conjugation of direct forms of verbs is not as simple as the case of polite forms. You need to
first learn that there are different inflection types, and which verbs belong to each type.
Japanese verbs can be classified into three inflection types; £允ぺカゃだぱ%‘One-step verbs’, £五ぺカゃだぱ%‘Five-step verbs’, and irregular verbs. There are only a few irregular verbs ≧来ィ ‘to come’, びィ ‘to do’, and ぜィ ‘to exist (inanimate)’). All other verbs are either One-step verbs or Five-step verbs. Here is a quick and easy way to discern the two.
<One-step or Five-step?>
In order to discern One-step and Five step verbs, you need to learn the dictionary form and the polite form.
First, remember that if the dictionary form of a verb ends in anything other than ィ, it is a Five-step verb.
書ど\行ど\読\院\ま\出び\話び\ほてだ... => Five-step
Second, if the dictionary form of a verb ends in ィ, you need to check whether it is a One-step or Five-step verb by comparing its dictionary form with its polite counterpart. Delete ィ from the dictionary form, and び from the polite counterpart. If you are left with the same exact thing, it is a One-step verb. If they are different, it is a Five-step verb.
べんィ vs. べんび same! => One-step づぢィ vs. づぢアび different! => Five-step
Lesson 11A Page 328