Understanding a completed-action grammar pattern | Learn Japanese in English

Japanese lesson set in a contemporary Tokyo everyday setting: In a language classroom, two adults discuss a grammar pattern, why a verb form changes, and how to make another example..

EN → JA / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Understanding a completed-action grammar pattern to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

この文法パターンをもう一度説明していただけますか。

koh-noh boohn-poh pah-TAHN oh moh-OH ee-CHEE-doh seh-tsuh-MAY shee-teh ee-tah-dah-KEH-mahs kah Could you explain this grammar pattern again?
B

動作がすでに完了したことを表します。

doh-SAH gah soo-DEH-nee kahn-RYOH shee-tah koh-toh oh ah-rah-WAH-shee-mahs It shows that an action is already complete.
A

この文では、なぜ動詞が変わるのですか。

koh-noh boohn deh-wah, nah-ZEH doh-OH-shee gah kah-WAH-roo no deh-soo kah Why does the verb change in this sentence?
B

出来事が終わったので、形が変わります。

deh-kee-GOH-toh gah oh-WAH-tah noh-deh, kah-TAH-chee gah kah-WAH-ree-mahs The form changes because the event is finished.
A

別の例を教えていただけますか。

beh-tsuh noh REH-ee oh oh-SHEH-teh ee-tah-dah-KEH-mahs kah Can you give me another example?
B

授業の前に、誰かが本を開きました。

joo-GYOH noh mah-eh nee, dah-reh-kah gah hohn oh ah-kee-MAH-shee-tah Someone opened the book before class.
A

それで、このパターンが分かりやすくなります。

soh-reh-deh, koh-noh pah-TAHN gah wah-kah-ree-yah-soo-koo nah-ree-mahs That makes the pattern easier to understand.
B

では、自分で文を作ってみてください。

deh-wah, jee-BOOHN deh boohn oh tsoo-TEH mee-teh koo-dah-SAH-ee Now try making your own sentence.

Word by Word

この この means “this” and points to the specific grammar pattern being discussed in この文法パターン. It is commonly placed directly before a noun, as in この文 or この例.
文法 文法 means “grammar” in this lesson and identifies the subject being explained. It commonly appears before a related noun, as in 文法パターン.
パターン パターン means “pattern” and refers here to the grammar pattern the learner is studying. It can be used after a topic word to name a recurring form or structure.
を を marks この文法パターン as the object of 説明して, so it identifies what is being explained. A common pattern is nounを説明する, meaning to explain a noun or topic.
もう一度 もう一度 means “again” or “one more time” in もう一度説明していただけますか. もう adds the sense of another time, and 一度 means one time; together they politely request a repeat. Use it before an action when asking someone to do it again.
説明して 説明して means “explain” in the request 説明していただけますか. This form connects the action 説明する to the deferential request expression that follows. A common pattern is topicを説明していただけますか, asking someone politely to explain a topic.
いただけます In 説明していただけますか, いただけます helps make the request deferential: “Could you kindly explain?” The requested action is expressed before it in 説明して. This pattern is useful when asking a teacher, colleague, or other person politely for help.
か か marks 説明していただけますか as a polite question. It turns the request into a question seeking the listener’s agreement or ability to help. It commonly appears at the end of a polite question.
動作 動作 means “action” in 動作がすでに完了したこと, referring to the action whose completion is being discussed. It is useful when talking about a specific action as a process or event.
が が marks 動作 as the subject of 動作がすでに完了したこと. Here it identifies what is already complete. A common pattern is nounが完了する, stating that something is completed.
すでに すでに means “already” and shows that the action has been completed by the relevant point in the explanation. It appears before 完了した in すでに完了した. Use it when an event happened before the time currently being discussed.
完了した 完了した says that something has been completed in 動作がすでに完了したこと. It presents the action as finished, and the following こと turns that completed event into something being described. A common pattern is nounが完了した, stating that an activity or process is complete.
こと In 完了したこと, こと turns the preceding idea into “the fact that” or “the matter of” the action being complete. It allows the completed action to function as the content of 表します. This pattern is useful for describing or explaining a fact or situation.
表します 表します means “shows” or “expresses” in 動作がすでに完了したことを表します. It says that the grammar pattern conveys the fact that the action is complete. A common pattern is 内容を表します, meaning that something expresses particular content.
文 文 means “sentence” in この文では and identifies the sentence where the verb form is being examined. It is commonly used when discussing the wording or structure of a sentence.
では In この文では, では means “in this sentence” and sets この文 as the context for the question. It is useful when focusing on what happens within a particular sentence or situation.
なぜ なぜ means “why” and asks for the reason the verb changes in なぜ動詞が変わるのですか. It is commonly placed before the explanation or event whose reason is being requested.
動詞 動詞 means “verb” and identifies the word whose form changes in this sentence. It is useful when discussing how an action word behaves in a grammar pattern.
変わる 変わる means “change” in 動詞が変わるのですか, asking why the verb changes. It presents the change as something that happens to the verb. A common pattern is nounが変わる, meaning that something changes.
の In 変わるのですか, の helps frame the preceding idea as an explanation-seeking question: “Why does it change?” It works together with ですか, rather than expressing the entire question by itself. This pattern is useful when asking for an explanation about an action or situation.
です In 変わるのですか, です contributes a polite sentence ending to the explanation-seeking question. Together with の and か, it makes the question suitable for a polite classroom conversation. It commonly appears at the end of polite statements and questions.
出来事 出来事 means “event” in 出来事が終わったので and refers to the event whose completion explains the change in form. It is useful when discussing something that happened or took place.
終わった 終わった says that the event has finished in 出来事が終わったので. It gives the reason for the change described in 形が変わります. A common pattern is nounが終わった, stating that an event or activity has ended.
ので ので connects 出来事が終わった with 形が変わります and means “because” or “since.” It presents the finished event as the reason for the form changing. Use it after a reason clause when explaining why something happens.
形 形 means “form” in 形が変わります and refers to the grammatical shape of the verb. It is useful when discussing how a word appears or changes in a particular pattern.
変わります 変わります means “changes” in 形が変わります and politely states what happens to the form. It describes the result of the event being finished. A common pattern is nounが変わります, meaning that something changes.
別 In 別の例, 別 means “another” or “different” and distinguishes the requested example from the one already discussed. It commonly appears before の and a noun, as in 別の例.
例 例 means “example” in 別の例を教えていただけますか. It identifies a concrete sentence or case that can make the grammar pattern clearer. A common pattern is 例を教える, meaning to give or tell an example.
教えて 教えて means “tell” or “teach” in 別の例を教えていただけますか, where the speaker politely asks for another example. This form connects the action to the deferential request expression that follows. A common pattern is 例を教えてください, asking someone to give an example.
授業 授業 means “class” in 授業の前に and identifies the class as the time reference. It is commonly followed by の前 or の後 when locating an event in relation to a class.
前 In 授業の前に, 前 means “before” and places the opening of the book before class. The pattern nounの前に is used to say that something happens before a time or event.
に In 授業の前に, に marks the time point or period before which the action happened. It commonly follows a time expression, such as 授業の前に, to locate an event in time.
誰か 誰か means “someone” in 誰かが本を開きました and refers to an unspecified person who opened the book. It is commonly used with が when that unknown person is the subject of an action.
本 本 means “book” in 誰かが本を開きました and is the object that someone opened. It commonly appears with を when describing an action done to the book.
開きました 開きました says that someone opened the book in 誰かが本を開きました. The polite ending presents the completed event in a respectful way. A common pattern is 本を開きました, meaning that someone opened a book.
それで それで means “so” or “with that” in それで、このパターンが分かりやすくなります, linking the previous example to its result. それ refers to the preceding explanation or example, and で marks it as the basis or circumstance for what follows. Use it to connect a previous fact with a consequence.
分かりやすく 分かりやすく means “in an easy-to-understand way” or, in 分かりやすくなります, “easier to understand.” It describes the resulting quality of このパターン. A common pattern is nounが分かりやすくなる, saying that something becomes easier to understand.
なります なります means “becomes” in 分かりやすくなります and shows a change into the state of being easier to understand. It commonly follows a description of the new state, as in 分かりやすくなります.
自分 自分 means “oneself” or “one’s own” in 自分で文を作ってみてください, referring to the learner making the sentence personally. It commonly appears in expressions such as 自分で, meaning by oneself, or 自分の + noun, meaning one’s own noun.
で In 自分で文を作ってみてください, で marks 自分 as the means or manner: the learner should make the sentence by themselves. The pattern 自分で + verb is useful when emphasizing that someone performs an action personally.
作って 作って means “make” in 自分で文を作ってみてください and introduces the action the learner is asked to try. This form connects 作る to みてください. A common pattern is nounを作ってみる, meaning to try making something.
みて In 作ってみてください, みて expresses trying the action 作って: “please try making” a sentence. It follows another verb in this construction and focuses on attempting that action. Use verbてみる when encouraging someone to try something.
ください In 作ってみてください, ください makes the request polite: “please try making your own sentence.” It works with the preceding action rather than carrying the whole request alone. A common pattern is verbてください, used when politely asking someone to do something.

Grammar Points

〜ました

本を開きました。

hohn oh ah-kee-MAH-shee-tah

I opened a book.

Attach ました to the verb stem to describe a completed action politely.

〜て、〜て

説明して、例を作って。

seh-tsuh-MAY shee-teh, REH-ee oh tsoo-TEH

Explain it and make an example.

The て-form connects actions in sequence. The final て-form can sound like a casual request.

Japanese Vocabulary

すでに adv
soo-DEH-nee already
なぜ adv
nah-ZEH why
パターン noun
pah-TAHN pattern
もう一度 adv
moh-OH ee-CHEE-doh again
完了する verb
kahn-RYOH soo-roo become complete 完了した
説明する verb
seh-tsuh-MAY soo-roo explain 説明して
動作 noun
doh-SAH action
動詞 noun
doh-OH-shee verb
表す verb
ah-rah-WAH-soo show; express 表します
文 noun
boohn sentence
文法 noun
boohn-poh grammar
変わる verb
kah-WAH-roo change

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

show; express

Show Answer表します

pattern

Show Answerパターン

explain

Show Answer説明して

become complete

Show Answer完了した