To Run

by Nao

hashi-ru, sō

The verb hashi-ru means run. Like English infinitives, we use hashi-ru in simple sentences such as, “watashi wa hashiru,” meaning, “I run.” Watashi wa means I.

I noticed that I haven’t raised the topic of “conjugations” extensively. Conjugations are a troublemaker for any foreign language learners. Like English grammar, the Japanese language has well-organized rules with moderate exceptions. This verb is a good example that explains basic conjugations.

• Mizenkei or “it does not happen” or “it has not happened yet” (“nai” follows in the former sense; “u” follows in the latter sense) – hashi-ra(nai) , hashi-ro(u)
• Renyōkei (“masu,” “ta,” other verbs, or auxiliary verbs follow) – hashi-ri(masu), hashi-t(ta)
• Shūshikei (with full stop) – hashi-ru
• Rentaikei (a noun follows) – hashi-ru(something)
• Kateikei or conditional (“ba” follows) – hashi-re(ba)
• Meireikei or imperative (with full stop) – hashi-re

We learned this type of conjugations as godan katsuyō (five-step conjugations). Godan implies that the variation covers all the five Japanese vowels, “a, i, u, e, o.” These vowels are the first five hiragana syllables.

Now, let’s see how to use these words.

• Watashi wa hashi-ranai = I don’t run.
• Hashirō = Let’s run.
• Watashi wa hashi-rimasu = I run. (a polite usage)
• Watashi wa hashi-tta = I ran.
• Watashi ga hashi-rutoki … = When I run, … (toki means time)
• Watashi ga hashi-reba … = If I run, …
• Hashi-re = Run.

1. Draw the upper horizontal line.
2. Draw the vertical line from the top to the center.
3. Draw the horizontal line.
4. Draw the vertical line from the center.
5. Draw the short horizontal line from the middle of the previous stroke.
6. Draw the shorter sweeping stroke.
7. Draw the longer sweeping stroke.