Skip to content
JLPT N5Verb Forms

ない Form— Plain Negative (Full Rules)

The plain (casual) negative of a verb, meaning 'don't / won't.' The resulting form behaves like an i-adjective (conjugates as なかった, etc.).

Grammar path · 練習

Practice this in the path

A short lesson: the pattern, its sentence anatomy, a quick quiz and a sentence to build.

Pro lessonUNIT 24 · VERB FORMS

Structure · 形

U-verb: change final -u to the -a sound + ない | Ru-verb: drop る + ない | する→しない, 来る→来ない

Examples · 例文

  • 何も聞かない。

    Nani mo kikanai.

    I won't ask/hear anything.

    聞く (ku) → 聞か (ka-row) + ない. 何も + negative = 'nothing at all.'

  • 今日は仕事しない。

    Kyou wa shigoto shinai.

    I won't work today.

    仕事する (irregular する) → 仕事しない

  • 夜はテレビを見ない。

    Yoru wa terebi o minai.

    I don't watch TV at night.

    見る is a ru-verb: drop る + ない → 見ない

Usage notes · 注意

  • The う-exception: If a u-verb ends in う (like 買う), it does NOT go to あ. It shifts to わ → 買わない (don't buy). Same for 会う→会わない, 言う→言わない.
  • The ある anomaly: ある (to exist) does not become あらない. Its plain negative is simply ない.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ない is tested against.

vsない form vs ません

Both are negative present. 聞かない is plain/casual; 聞きません is polite. Meaning is identical; only register differs.

More verb forms

Study Japanese grammar on LenGaki

Everything on this page, ready to study

  • 7,788 JLPT vocabulary words, N5 through N1, with readings and audio (N5 free)
  • 2,057 kanji with on'yomi, kun'yomi and stroke-order practice
  • 445 grammar points with examples and commonly-confused comparisons
  • Full-length N5 and N4 mock exams, timed, with real listening audio (N5 sets 1 and 2 free)