JLPT N5 grammar

Casual Non-pastmeaning and usage

Meaning

The casual non-past has affirmative and negative forms. Depending on context, it can describe a present state, a habit, or a future action, or deny the corresponding situation.

How to form it

  • verb (dictionary form)/verb (nai-form)
  • い-adjective/い-adjective (-く form)ない
  • な-adjective (stem)/nounだ/じゃない

How it is used

Used with friends and family and in writing; it covers present states, habits and the future. In speech, the 「だ」 after nouns and な-adjectives is often dropped. With superiors or strangers, use 「ます」 or 「です」.

Examples

  1. 彼はパンを食べる。

    He eats bread.

  2. あしたは学校に行かない。

    I'm not going to school tomorrow.

  3. 毎朝コーヒーを飲む。

    I drink coffee every morning.

About the example 「食べる」 is the affirmative casual non-past form. The sentence says that he eats bread; context would determine whether this is habitual or refers to a future action.