Grammar Rules

Question 1

Expressing state-of-being

Answer 1

declare what something is by attaching 「だ」to noun or na-adjective

Ex: 学生　＋　だ　= 学生だ　(Is student)

Question 2

Conjugating to negative state of being

Answer 2

Can conjugate noun or adjective to its negative to say something is not [X]

Attach 「じゃない」to noun or na-adjective

Ex: 友達　＋　じゃない　= 友達じゃね (Is not friend)

Question 3

Conjugate to past state of being

Answer 3

To say something was something, attach 「だった」 to noun or na-adjective

Ex: 友達　＋　だった　= 友達だった (was friend)

Question 4

Conjugate to negative past tense

Answer 4

To say negative past (was not) conjugate to negative past tense by dropping the 「い」from 「ない」and adding 「かった」

Ex: 元気じゃない becomes 元気じゃなかった (was not well)