The ない Form — How to Say 'Don't Eat' and 'Didn't Go'

You already know the polite negation: ます → ません. But in casual speech and many grammar patterns, Japanese uses a different negation system: the ない form.

How to Make the ない Form

Ichidan (る-verbs): Drop る, Add ない

Ichidan verbs are the easiest: drop the final る, add ない.

Godan (う-verbs): Shift to あ-Row, Add ない

The rule: shift the final kana from the う-row to the あ-row, then add ない.

This is the verb's first conjugation base (未然形), consistent with the conjugation system you've already learned.

Special Case: う-ending Verbs Use わ, Not あ

会あない is wrong! For godan verbs ending in う, the negative stem becomes わ, not あ.

Irregular Verbs

Just memorize these two.

ない Form vs ません Form

Both express negation, but for different situations:

At the N5 level, use ません for tests and formal situations. But ない is essential for grammar patterns you'll learn later (many constructions require the ない form as their base).

Past Negative: ない → なかった

ない conjugates like an い-adjective. For past negative, change ない to なかった:

Same as い-adjectives: ない → なかった (drop い, add かった).

Polite Equivalents

Complete Tense Table

Using 食べる as an example — all four tenses in plain and polite forms:

Using 行く:

Special: ある's Irregular Negative

ある (to exist, to have) doesn't follow the normal rule. Its negative is simply ない — the entire verb vanishes:

This is the only exception. "There is" is ある; "there isn't" is just ない — the whole verb disappears.

Wrap-Up

• Ichidan verbs: drop る + ない (食べない)
• Godan verbs: う-row → あ-row + ない (行かない)
• う-ending godans: う → わ + ない (会わない, not 会あない)
• Irregulars: しない, こない
• Past negative: ない → なかった (食べなかった)
• ある's negative is simply ない (not あらない)

Practice

Q1. Convert 飲む to its ない form.

Q2. What does 行かなかった mean?

Q3. What is the ない form of 会う? (Watch out for the special rule.)