ライバル の くみ は いつも おれたち に てきたい する。Raibaru no kumi wa itsumo oretachi ni tekitai suru.
The rival gang is always hostile towards us.

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Read the explanation below to understand the nuance of how this grammar structure is used.

We’re about to break down the dictionary form of a verb, the jisho-kei (じしょけい), and how it gets down in the present and future tense. It’s the base form, the real one, the one you find in the dictionary. No fancy suits, no polite talk—this is how you talk when you’re chilling with your crew. It’s the realest form of a verb, straight up.

The dictionary form is like a promise. It’s what you do on the regular, or what you gonna do later. When you say, “I eat,” that’s what’s happening right now or what you always do. When you say, “I will eat,” that’s the future play. In Japanese, the dictionary form covers both. The context, like if you’re talking about tomorrow, is what tells you the difference. It’s like you don’t gotta say “I will” all the time; your homies already know what’s up.

The Metaphor: The “Brick”

Think of the Dictionary Form like a brick of pure product straight from the supplier.

• Dictionary Form: This is the brick. It’s raw. It’s the source material. You can sell it as is (casual speech), or you can break it down and package it differently.
• Masu Form: This is when you cut the product and bag it up nice to sell to the public. It’s customer-service ready.

Read the table below then use it to conjugate some words you know.

Here’s the blueprint on how to flip these verbs. Verbs in Japanese are like gangs. You got three main sets:

1. Group 1 (U-Verbs): The biggest crew. The sound shifts from the ‘i’ line to the ‘u’ line.
2. Group 2 (Ru-Verbs): The easy crew. You usually just drop the “masu” and slap on a “ru.”
3. Group 3 (Irregulars): The wildcards. Only two of them. Memorize them or get played.

Verb Class	Masu Form (Polite)	Dictionary Form (Raw)	English
Group 1 (Godan)	(かきます) Kakimasu	(かく) Kaku	To write (a hit list)
Group 1 (Godan)	(のみます) Nomimasu	(のむ) Nomu	To drink (henny)
Group 1 (Godan)	(いきます) Ikimasu	(いく) Iku	To go (to the hideout)
Group 2 (Ichidan)	(たべます) Tabemasu	(たべる) Taberu	To eat
Group 2 (Ichidan)	(みます) Mimasu	(みる) Miru	To see/watch
Group 3 (Irregular)	(します) Shimasu	(する) Suru	To do
Group 3 (Irregular)	(きます) Kimasu	Kuru (くる)	To come

Look, it’s simple phonetics. For Group 1, if you know the “Masu” form, look at the sound right before “masu.” It’s always an “i” sound (like ki, mi, ri). Change that vowel to a “u” sound (ku, mu, ru). Kaki becomes Kaku. Yomi becomes Yomu. For Group 2, if it ends in an “e” sound before masu (like Tabe-masu), you just cut the “masu” and glue on a “ru.” Tabe-ru. Done.

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Listen to and repeat the sentences below.

したい　を　うめる。
Shitai o umeru.
I will bury the body.

てんいん　を　おどす。
Tenin o odosu.
I will threaten the store clerk.

けいさつ　と　たたかう。
Keisatsu to tatakau.
I will fight the police.

おれ の しゃてい は いつも おんな を なんぱ する。
Ore no shatei wa itsumo onna o nanpa suru.
My junior member always hits on girls.

まいにち、とばくを する。
Mai-nichi, to-baku o suru.
I gamble every day.

おれ は くみ の やつ に いつも めし を おごる。
Ore wa kumi no yatsu ni itsumo meshi o ogoru.
I always treat the guys in the gang to a meal.

いつか くみを ぬける。
Itsuka kumi o nu-keru.
Someday, I will leave the gang.

あした、やつを しめる。
Ashita, yatsu o shi-meru.
Tomorrow, I will beat that guy up.

ナイフ　で　きる。
Naifu de kiru.
I will cut him with a knife.

やみ　に　かくれる。
Yami ni kakureru.
I will hide in the darkness.

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Yo, mad respect. You handled the explanation, the nuance, and the conjugation like a boss. I see you tightening up your flow with that shadowing, too.

Stay Dangerous