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In this lesson, you will learn how to use 普通体（ふつうたい）and 丁寧体（ていねいたい） in Japanese.
You have forgotten when your next Kanji test is.
Ask your friends in the same class.
What should you say in Japanese?
「漢字テストはいつ？（かんじテストは いつ？）」
⇒ 普通体（ふつうたい）, plain style
Your friends are not sure of the date.
Then, you should ask it to your teacher.
「漢字テストはいつですか？（かんじテストは いつですか？）」
⇒ 丁寧体（ていねいたい）, polite style
Japanese has two different sentence styles: 普通体（ふつうたい）, plain style and 丁寧体（ていねいたい）, polite style.
👉<Use>
Sentences without です or ます at the end are called 普通体（ふつうたい）, plain style.
普通体 is used with close people such as friends and family, and in written language like diaries, newspapers, and articles.
Sentences with です or ます at the end are called 丁寧体（ていねいたい）, polite style.
丁寧体 is used when speaking to teachers, superiors, people you are not close to, or people you meet for the first time.
👉<Form>
Sentences in the plain style end in the plain form, while sentences in the polite style end in the polite form.
おまつりに 行った。
行った：普通形
おまつりに 行きました。
行きました：丁寧形
・💁 Explanation of Plain form and Polite form ↓↓
👉<Examples>
1. スーパーで牛乳を買う。
I buy milk at the supermarket.
2. 公園で散歩した。
I took a walk in the park.
3. 昨日、図書館で本を借りなかった。
I didn’t borrow a book at the library yesterday.
4. ABCレストランのカレーはおいしい。
The curry at ABC Restaurant is delicious.
5. 今週はあまり忙しくない。
I’m not very busy this week.
6. 沖縄の海はとてもきれいだ。
The sea in Okinawa is very beautiful.
7. 鈴木さんは元気だった。
Mr. Suzuki was well.
8. 先週の日曜日は雨じゃなかった。
It wasn’t rainy last Sunday.
9. 黒沢さんは学生じゃない。
Mr. Kurosawa is not a student.
10. 夏休みは北海道へ行きたい。
I want to go to Hokkaido during summer vacation.
11. ワンさんは今電話をしている。
Ms. Wang is on the phone now.
12. このボールペンを使ってはいけない。
You must not use this ballpoint pen.
👉<Conversations>
・In casual conversation, “だ” disappears from nouns and な-adjectives in affirmative and interrogative sentences.
・The question particle “か” is not used. Rising intonation shows a question.
・In casual conversation, particles may be dropped.
・“うん” and “ううん” are used instead of “はい” and “いいえ”.
1.「ひさしぶり。元気？」
「うん、元気」
“Long time no see. How are you?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
2.「明日休み？」
「ううん、休みじゃない」
“Are you off tomorrow?”
“No, I’m not.”
3.「このボールペン使ってもいい？」
「うん、いいよ」
“Can I use this ballpoint pen?”
“Yeah, sure.”
4.「チョコレート食べる？」
「うん、食べる。ありがとう」
“Do you want some chocolate?”
“Yes, I do. Thank you.”
5.「夏休みどこ行った？」
「北海道へ行った」
“Where did you go for summer vacation?”
“I went to Hokkaido.”
6.「映画に行かない？」
「ごめん。今日ちょっと忙しい」
“Do you want to go to the movies?”
“Sorry. I’m a little busy today.”
7.（電話で）「今、何してる？」
「部屋のそうじしてる」
“What are you doing now?”
“I’m cleaning my room.”
Suggested Study Material
Minna no Nihongo I (Main Textbook)
This grammar point appears in Minna no Nihongo(Lesson20), one of the most widely used beginner textbooks for Japanese learners.
Check textbook detailsThe main textbook is written mostly in Japanese, so many learners also use the Translation & Grammar Notes together.
Minna no Nihongo I – Translation & Grammar Notes (English)
Check translation & grammar book※Minna no Nihongo is available worldwide on Amazon. If the link does not work in your country, you can search the title on your local Amazon store.
Speaking Practice
Practice Japanese on italki
If you want to practice this grammar in real conversation, learning with a tutor can help you improve faster. Many learners find that regular speaking practice is the fastest way to become confident in Japanese.
Find a Japanese Tutor on italki →
