May 18, 2008

3 ways of saying after verb in Japanese

Japanese Plug and Play Ghetto Grammar 109
JPPGG #109
Three Ways of Saying “After Verb’ing” in Japanese.

After, After, and After - 3 ways to say, “after verb’ing” in Japanese –
There are 3 easy ways to say to “after verb’ing” in Japanese

1. verb (base TE) + KARA
2. verb (base TA) + ATO DE
3. verb (base TA) + NOCHI NI

By themselves KARA, ATO DE, NOCHI NI all mean, after similar equivalent expressions for the English terms following or later.

To say that you will do something after doing something else in Japanese, use the following grammar constructions:

1. Verb (Base TE) + KARA – after verb’ing

Take verbs and put them into base TE.

Verbs ending in KU become ITE  ~ITE
Verbs ending in GU become IDE  ~IDE
Verbs ending in U, TSU, or RU  ~ TTE
Verbs ending in BU, MU or NU  ~NDE
The verb suru or verbs ending in SU become SHITE  ~SHITE

Then add + KARA (after)

HANASU (v. to speak)  HANASHITE

CHOTTO HANASHITE KARA IKIMASHO^ -
Let’s go after we talk a little.

YOMU (v. to speak) YONDE

HON O YONDE KARA NERU TO OMOIMASU.
I think I’ll sleep after reading a book.

TABERU (v. to eat)  TABETE

TABETE KARA SHUKUDAI O SURU. –
After I eat, I’m going to do homework.

UNDO WO SHITE KARA SHAWA O SURU KOTO GA SUKI DESU.
I like to take a shower after I do my exercise.

2. verb (base TA) + ATO DE - after verb’ing

Take verbs and put them into base TA

NOMU (v. to drink)  NONDA

NOMU (base TA) NONDA
Verb ending in either BU, MU or NU
ta  nda
NOMU in base TA is NONDA

SAKE O NONDA ATO DE NEMUKUNATTA –
I got sleepy after drinking some* sake.

*NOCHI NI = ATO DE, NOCHI DE

3. verb ( base TA) + NOCHI NI - after verb’ing

SAKE O NONDA NOCHI NI IE NI KAETTA –
I went home after drinking some sake.

SAKE O NONDA NOCHI NI INU O SAMPO SHI NI ITTA –
(After I drank some sake I took the dog for a walk.)

As you can see from these examples, there are two sides with two verbs comprising this construction. (Predicates and the like.)

Verb 1 in base TE +KARA and Verb 2

Verb 2 can be past, present, negative or positive, but Verb 1 must be in base TE.

As Always,
Ganbatte Ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki Sensei