[Verse 1] Last time you learned です and ます—polite and plain Now let’s bend the verb to show connection, ask, explain The て-form (te-form) is the shape that links and flows Cut the ます, add て—here’s how it goes 食べます → 食べて (tabete)—“eat and…” 行きます → 行って (itte)—“go and…” A small つ for いち, に, し—a sound that doubles Learn the pattern, get out of troubles [Chorus 1] て for linking, て for ask “Please do this” is a simple task Te kudasai—that’s the way 待ってください (matte kudasai)—“please wait,” okay Te-form opens up the door One verb more, then one verb more [Verse 2] Now let’s talk about existence—where things are and stay いる (iru) for living, ある (aru) for objects, okay? 猫 が いる (neko ga iru)—there’s a cat, alive 本 が ある (hon ga aru)—there’s a book, to read or write Place first, then に (ni), then the verb of being 部屋 に 猫 が いる (heya ni neko ga iru)—now you’re seeing Past tense? いた (ita) and あった (atta) for “was” Simple as the rhythm because [Chorus 2] いる for living, ある for things Location marked by に (ni) that brings “In the room, there is a cat” 覚えて (oboete)—remember that Present, past, it’s yours to use Choose the right one, you won’t lose [Verse 3] Adjectives in past—they also change their shape い-adjectives drop the い, add かった (katta)—no escape 美味しい (oishii) → 美味しかった (oishikatta) “was delicious” 寒い (samui) → 寒かった (samukatta) “was cold,” vicious? な-adjectives? They use でした (deshita) with ease 静か (shizuka) → 静かでした (shizuka deshita) “was quiet,” please And negatives: なかった (nakatta) for い-adj past 美味しくなかった (oishikunakatta)—“wasn’t tasty,” last [Bridge] Let’s add “because”—から (kara) after clause 理由 (riyū)—reason, give a pause 寒い から (samui kara) “because it’s cold” 窓 を 閉めて (mado o shimete)—window closed, behold Te-form plus から works too 疲れた から (tsukareta kara)—“since I’m tired,” true Now you’re building sentences with cause and effect Logical and smooth, correct [Verse 4] Want to say “can do”? Potential form is key For ru-verbs: drop る, add られる (rareru) naturally 食べる (taberu) → 食べられる (taberareru) “can eat” For u-verbs: change u to e + る (ru), repeat 行く (iku) → 行ける (ikeru) “can go” 泳ぐ (oyogu) → 泳げる (oyogeru) “can swim,” you know And できる (dekiru) for “can do”—the verb alone 日本語 が できる (nihongo ga dekiru)—now you’ve grown [Chorus 3] できる, できる—yes you can Potential form expands your plan Taberareru, ikeru too You say what’s possible for you From basics now you start to soar One step more, and then one more [Verse 5] Let’s connect two sentences with “but” or “and” が (ga) means “but”—it’s not the subject strand 行きたい です が、 時間 が ありません (ikitai desu ga, jikan ga arimasen) “I want to go, but I’ve no time”—that’s zen And “so” is から (kara) we saw before Put it after reason, then the result—explore 忙しい から 行けません (isogashii kara ikemasen) “Because I’m busy, I can’t go”—amen [Verse 6] Let’s add some time words—frequency and day いつも (itsumo) always, 時々 (tokidoki) sometimes, okay よく (yoku) often, あまり (amari) not much—with negative ぜんぜん (zenzen) never—superlative Days of week? 月曜日 (getsuyōbi) Monday 火曜日 (kayōbi) Tuesday, sing all the way 水曜日 (suiyōbi), 木曜日 (mokuyōbi), 金曜日 (kin’yōbi) 土曜日 (doyōbi), 日曜日 (nichiyōbi)—complete the story [Chorus 4] Step by step, the language grows Te-form, potential, reason flows ある and いる, past adjectives too Now you’ve got more tools to use は and です still hold the frame Lesson two—you’re not the same [Outro] So take this song and sing it through Practice each part, make it you また 来週 (mata raishū)—or just tomorrow Build from joy, not from sorrow これ は 歌 の 第二課 (kore wa uta no dainika) And you’re walking the Japanese way
