🎭 Kabuki — Past Tense Short Forms

In this chapter, we complete the set of Short Forms by learning the Past Tense Short Forms. These allow you to talk about the past casually and create complex descriptions.

Past Short Forms: Conjugation

The rules for Past Short Forms are nearly identical to rules you already know.

Qualifying Nouns (Relative Clauses)

In English, we say “The person who is reading.” In Japanese, we simply put the verb phrase before the noun.

[Verb Phrase (Short Form)] + [Noun]

1. 本を 読んでいる + 学生 (Book reading student)

   • 本を 読んでいる 学生
   • (The student who is reading a book.)

2. きのう 食べた + ケーキ (Yesterday ate cake)

   • きのう 食べた ケーキ
   • (The cake that I ate yesterday.)

Example Sentence:

• [きのう かった] ほんは たかかったです。
  • Kinou katta hon wa takakatta desu.
  • (The book [that I bought yesterday] was expensive.)

Already vs Not Yet

Talking about completion of actions.

1. Already: Mou ~Mashita

• もう ひるごはんを たべました。
  • (I have already eaten lunch.)

2. Not Yet: Mada ~Te imasen

Use the continuous negative form (“I am currently in the state of not having done it”).

• いいえ、まだ たべて いません。
  • (No, I have not yet eaten.)

Explaining Reasons: ~Kara

We can link two sentences with から (kara) to mean “because”.

[Reason Sentence] kara, [Result Sentence].

• あした しけんが ありますから、こんばん べんきょうします。
  • (Because I have an exam tomorrow, I will study tonight.)
• さむかった ですから、 いませんでした。
  • (Because it was cold, I didn’t go.)

Cultural Note: Traditional Arts

• 歌舞伎 (Kabuki): Highly stylized theater with elaborate make-up (kumadori). All roles, including female ones (onnagata), are played by men. Shout “Mattemashita!” (I’ve been waiting!) to cheer.
• 能 (Noh): Older, slower, mask-based theater. Spiritual and minimalist.
• 落語 (Rakugo): Comic storytelling by a lone performer on a cushion (zabuton), using only a fan and hand towel as props.

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