Explanation
The base form is the plain verb form, like "go", "play", or "eat". Use it after modal verbs such as "can" and "must", after "do", "does", and "did" in questions and negatives, and in imperatives.
For example, in "Do you play tennis?", "Do" shows the question, and "play" stays in the base form. We do not say "Do you plays tennis?" or "Do you to play tennis?" In Japanese, the verb often stays in one form, so this can feel natural. But in English, the helper word and the base verb must work together.
動詞の原形は、"go"、"play"、"eat" のような、変化していない形です。"can" や "must" などの助動詞の後、また "do"、"does"、"did" を使う疑問文や否定文、命令文で使います。
例えば "Do you play tennis?" では、"Do" が疑問文を作り、"play" は原形のままです。"Do you plays tennis?" や "Do you to play tennis?" とは言いません。日本語は動詞の形があまり変わらないので、少し自然に感じるかもしれません。ですが英語では、助ける言葉と原形の動詞をセットで使います。
Examples
- I can swim. 私は泳げます。
- Please open the window. 窓を開けてください。
- Do you play soccer? サッカーをしますか。
- We must leave now. 私たちは今出発しなければなりません。
- She does not like coffee. 彼女はコーヒーが好きではありません。
- Let's go home. さあ、家に帰りましょう。
Common Mistakes
Japanese learners often add "-s", "-ed", or "to" after a modal or "do".
Wrong: "He can plays tennis."
Right: "He can play tennis."
Wrong: "Do you to like coffee?"
Right: "Do you like coffee?"
Wrong: "She did not went."
Right: "She did not go."
助動詞や "do" の後に、動詞へ "-s"、"-ed"、"to" を付けてしまうミスがよくあります。
× "He can plays tennis." → ○ "He can play tennis."
× "Do you to like coffee?" → ○ "Do you like coffee?"
× "She did not went." → ○ "She did not go."