Understanding AR and ER Imperfect Endings: A Detailed Guide

When it comes to the Japanese language, the use of verb endings can be quite complex. One such set of endings is the AR and ER imperfect endings. These endings are used to form the past tense of verbs and are essential for understanding the nuances of Japanese grammar. In this article, we will delve into the details of AR and ER imperfect endings, exploring their usage, forms, and examples.

What are AR and ER Imperfect Endings?

AR and ER imperfect endings are suffixes added to verbs to indicate the past tense. They are derived from the verb endings -aru and -eru, respectively. While -aru and -eru are used for present tense, AR and ER endings are used for past tense. These endings are commonly used in everyday Japanese conversation and are essential for forming sentences that convey past actions.

Forms of AR and ER Imperfect Endings

There are two main forms of AR and ER imperfect endings: the dictionary form and the polite form. The dictionary form is used when speaking to people of the same age or social status, while the polite form is used when speaking to someone older or of a higher social status.

As you can see from the table above, the dictionary form is simply the verb stem followed by the AR or ER ending, while the polite form is the verb stem followed by the AR or ER ending and the verb “銇俱仐銇焅” (mashita). It’s important to note that the verb “銇俱仐銇焅” is not always used with AR and ER endings, especially in casual conversation.

Usage of AR and ER Imperfect Endings

AR and ER imperfect endings are used to describe past actions, and they can be used in various contexts. Here are some common uses:

• Describing past events: “鏄ㄦ棩銆佸弸閬斻仺椋熶簨銇椼伨銇椼仧銆俓” (Kinou, tomodachi to shokushoku shimashita.) “Yesterday, I had dinner with my friend.”

• Expressing past habits: “浠ュ墠銆佹瘞鏃ャ偢銉с偖銉炽偘銇椼仸銇勩伨銇椼仧銆俓” (Izen, maihi ni shitsujin shite imashita.) “Before, I used to jog every day.”

• Reporting past experiences: “銇撱伄鏄犵敾銈掕銇俱仐銇熴€? (Kono eiga o mimashita.) “I’ve seen this movie.”

It’s important to note that AR and ER imperfect endings can also be used in negative sentences and questions. For example:

• Negative sentence: “鏄ㄦ棩銆佸弸閬斻仺椋熶簨銇椼仸銇勩伨銇涖倱銇с仐銇熴€? (Kinou, tomodachi to shokushoku shite imasen deshita.) “Yesterday, I didn’t have dinner with my friend.”

• Question: “銇撱伄鏄犵敾銈掕銇俱仐銇熴亱锛焅” (Kono eiga o mimashita ka?) “Have you seen this movie?”

Common AR and ER Verbs with Imperfect Endings

There are many verbs in Japanese that end with -aru and -eru, and thus, have AR and ER imperfect endings. Here are some common examples:

• 椋熴伖銈?(taberu) – to eat

• 琛屻亸 (iku) – to go

• 瑕嬨倠 (miru) – to see

• 瑭便仚 (hanasu) – to talk

• 鏇搞亸 (kaku) – to write

• 椋熴伖銈?(taberu) – to eat

• 琛屻亸 (iku) – to go