Transitive and Intransitive verbs

During the early process of learning Japanese, I had moments of confusion when there was a difference between what I learned and what seemed to be the correct way of using a verb.  

For instance "to continue": I learned suzukimasu, but it turned out to be suzukemasu.

Same for "to begin": I learned hajimemasu, while it was hajimarimasu.

Very confusing, untill I read a blog entry on Transitive and Intransitive verbs.

Than I realised that both conjugations are correct, they just mean something different.

I continue something:   suzukemasu

Something continues:   suzukimasu

I start something:         hajimemasu 

Something starts:         hajimarimasu 

Actually I left it to that, and didn't really study the pair of such verbs until I got the feeling that I could not improve my conversation skills anymore.  But I did collect them, and as I am getting ready to include them in my Anki decks, I might as well share them.

The more I study, the more I come across such pairs of verbs.  So I guess I will keep on updating the list in the future.

If I start with the more common or frequently used verbs, it's already a good basis.

You can get my list here.

Grow as you go

One of the reasons for this blog is to show how I get along with studying Japanese, and offer some shortcuts (Japanese: chikamichi 近道).  

If you are studying Japanese , and can save time and needless effort by following my path, that would be great.

When I started, I learned verbs by memorising them.  I practiced remembering the stem (like taberu　たべる) and the ~mas form (tabemasu　たべます).

As I gradually switched to Anki for other words (nouns, adjectives and kanji), I also created a deck for verbs.

In the beginning I added the dictionary form and the mas form, and made them available in 2 cards: one where the English meaning is presented (asking for the verb in hiragana), and one with the hiragana (asking for the meaning).

      

Later on, I expanded this with a field for kanji.  Eventhough I didn't learn to study those kanji, I would see them everytime a card is displayed, so some would stick in my memory.

        

As we advanced in class by learning the past tense, the negative, and the ~te form (tabete　たべて), I would also gradually include them in the deck.

So I think this is a good way to learn your verbs if you can use such system from the beginning.

Of course, when you begin learning Japanese, you have no clue what it's all about.  It's only afterwards that you realise how you should have done it.

         

I am now at a stage where we are learning other and also more complex constuctions (tabeta, tabetehaikemasen, tabenakerebanarimasen) and I happily continue to expand my anki deck with more verbs and more forms.

What I don't know is how far more this will continue :)

やった！(2)

 Again a small step forward and a small victory.  But for a beginner like me, all the small steps are important and the pat on the back is well deserved and appreciated.
As planned during the summer, I reached my 240 Kanji, allthough not as planned.
Because of my studies in evening class, I had to give priority to the kanji we learned there.
So even though I reached to 240 (the quantity they learn in Grade 2 of elementary school in Japan) , I didn't learn all those 240 from grade 2 (only 180) but about 40 from grade 3 and some others as well.

So now my plan is to catch up as soon as possible, and than move on to the next target.

That'll be a heavy one: catch up 40 kanji from grade 2 and 160 more from grade 3.

I'm not putting a deadline on it, but still I want to go fast. ファイト！

これは 何？ （７）

知りたくない

日本語の勉強のために 東京へ行った。 たくさん漢字を見た。 （７）

お寺のお手洗い

日本で何を食べましたか（６）

カリ

日本語の勉強のために 東京へ行った。 たくさん漢字を見た。 （８）

節電  せつでん    conservation of electricity

Everywhere!