Being Progressive With Your Verbs
You’ve already begun the practice of converting a regular old dictionary form verb to a progressive verb. Now let’s use them in sentences. You’ve seen some of this before, but let’s do it again, except with you at the helm.
Translate these sentences:
I will drink orange juice.
a オレンジジュースをのみます。
I am drinking orange juice.
a オレンジジュースをのんでいます。
I will go to America’s Oregon State.
a アメリカのオレゴン州に行きます。
I am going to America’s Oregon State.
a アメリカのオレゴン州に行っています。
I plan to rest
a 休むつもりです。
I am resting
a 休んでいます。
I will eat at McDonalds
a マクドナルドで食べます。
I am eating at McDonalds
a マクドナルドで食べています。
Make sure you can translate all of these sentences. Say them out loud, too, it will help you to learn progressive form better. What I really want you to focus on, though, is the difference between the progressive and non-progressive sentences. Studying that difference is what will help you the most.
What Are You Doing Right Now?
Walk around your home. It’s time to do different things. For example, you could walk up to your refrigerator, open it, and grab some food. Put it in your mouth and say “ベーグルを食べています.”
Of course, don’t stop there (and don’t just gorge yourself so you can say you’re eating something). I want you to go all around your house and do all kinds of different things. Make it interesting and do things you don’t normally do so that you can say things like “I am drinking a cat” (warning: DO NOT attempt to drink your cat, it ends badly). The most important thing here is that you throw in a lot of variety so you can try different things.
Also try to come across actions that you don’t know how to say. Take note of these actions, come back to your computer (after you’ve done as much practice as you can), and start looking up the words you need. Try to memorize a couple of those things and actions and go back out to do them. Don’t bring notes with you – if you forget, come back, study again, and go back out. This is an exercise in recalling the Japanese from your brain without cheating. This is how it is in the real world, so you should start getting used to it.
After you’ve said out loud 15-20 actions, you’re all done and I bet you’re a step better at Japanese than you were just a half hour or hour ago.
When you’re ready, move on to the next chapter. We’ll be using progressive form from now on, so be sure to look out for it and high five yourself when you notice it!