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Dictionary form

does, will do (plain)

Verb dictionary form (食べる, 行く, する)

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The dictionary form is the plain, casual present: 食べる, "(I) eat, will eat"; 行く, "(I'll) go". It's the ます form without the politeness: 食べます ↔ 食べる.

Between friends and family, whole conversations run on plain forms: 明日何時に起きる? "what time are you getting up tomorrow?" Novels, diaries and news articles use them too.

Even in polite speech, the dictionary form is everywhere inside sentences: before nouns (読む本, "a book to read"), before 前に (寝る前に), and before のが好き (読むのが好き). Only the final verb carries the politeness.

To get it from the ます form: ichidan 食べます → 食べる; godan 飲みます → 飲む, 帰ります → 帰る; します → する; 来ます → 来る (くる).

Register: Casual between friends and family; standard in writing that isn't addressed to anyone.

Examples

  • 明日あした、何時なんじに起おきる？

    What time are you getting up tomorrow?

  • 毎朝まいあさコーヒーを飲のむよ。

    I drink coffee every morning.

  • 週末しゅうまつは家いえで勉強べんきょうする。

    I'm studying at home this weekend.

  • 今日きょうは早はやく帰かえるね。

    I'm heading home early today.

  • 田中たなかさんも来くる？

    Is Tanaka coming too?

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