Negating prefixes

March 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

PREFIX 未 (MI)

The prefix 未 (MI) expresses that something has not yet happen or that something will happen in the future.

Kanji Furigana Romaji Translation
未払い みはらい miharai unpaid
未来 みらい mirai future

PREFIX 不 (FU)

The prefix 不 (FU) expresses something negative. It is similar to the English prefixes un-, in- or im-.

Kanji Furigana Romaji Translation
不便 ふべん fuben unpractical
不可能 ふかのう fukanou impossible

PREFIX 無 (MU)

The prefix 無 expresses that something does not exist. It is similar to using non- in English.

Kanji Furigana Romaji Translation
無理 むり muri impossible
無料 むりょう muryou free of charge

PREFIX 非 (HI)

The prefix 非 (HI) also indicates a meaning corresponding to the English non-.

Kanji Furigana Romaji Translation
非常 ひじょう hijou unusual

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The masu-form for Japanese verbs

March 27, 2011 by 1 Comment

The masu-form is used for polite Japanese and expresses presence or future. The basic construction of the masu-form is made by adding “-masu” or “-imasu” to the stem of the verb.

verb-type example stem masu-form
u-verb 読む yomu　 読- / yo- 読みます yomimasu
iru-verb 見る 見- / mi- 見ます mimasu
eru-verb 食べる 食べ- / tabe- 食べます tabemasu
irregular 来る 来- / ki- 来ます kimasu
irregular する し- / shi- します shimasu
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Honorific prefix

March 27, 2011 by 1 Comment

One of the most common prefixes is 御. It has a few readings depending on which noun it is being combined with.

Reading GO

The reading ご (GO) applies when the prefix stands with a noun which is read using its Chinese reading (Onyomi).

Kanji Furigana Romaji Translation
御飯 ごはん gohan rice, meal

Reading O

The reading お (O) applies when the prefix stand in front of a noun which is read using its Japanese reading (Kunyomi).

Kanji Furigana Romaji Translation
お寿司 おすし osushi sushi
お湯 おゆ oyu hot water
お水 おみず omizu water
お金 おかね okane money
お箸 おはし ohashi chopsticks
お菓子 おかし okashi confectionary, sweet
お腹 おなか onaka belly

Reading MI

The reading み (MI) is rare and applies for words that are related to shinto or the emperor. It sometimes also is used to make words sound more poetic.

 

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