1.
irrealis form; imperfective form
One of the six traditional conjugation bases (活用形) of Japanese verbs and adjectives, used as the stem for negative forms (〜ない), volitional forms (〜う/〜よう), and passive/causative forms (〜れる/〜せる). For example, the 未然形 of 書く is 書か- (as in 書かない).
未然形に「ない」をつける。
Attach "nai" to the irrealis form.
「書く」の未然形は「書か」です。
The irrealis form of "kaku" (to write) is "kaka."
否定や意志を表すときは動詞を未然形に変える必要がある。
When expressing negation or volition, you need to change the verb to the irrealis form.
A technical term from traditional Japanese grammar (国文法). Composed of 未然 ("not yet realized") + 形 ("form"), reflecting that this base is used for things that have not yet happened — negatives, volitions, and hypotheticals. Encountered mainly in school grammar textbooks, dictionaries, and linguistic discussion; not a word that comes up in everyday conversation.
USAGE:
- The 未然形 is the stem to which suffixes like 〜ない, 〜う/〜よう, 〜れる/〜られる, and 〜せる/〜させる attach.
- Godan verbs have an -a row 未然形 (書く → 書か-), while ichidan verbs drop the final る (食べる → 食べ-).
- In modern school grammar, the volitional 〜う/〜よう form is often analyzed as a separate "未然形(う)" sub-form.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 未然形に活用する: to conjugate into the irrealis form
- 動詞の未然形: the irrealis form of a verb
- 未然形+ない: irrealis form + nai (negative)
RELATED TERMS:
- 連用形: continuative form (stem for 〜ます, 〜た)
- 終止形: terminal/dictionary form
- 連体形: attributive form (modifies nouns)
- 仮定形: hypothetical form (stem for 〜ば)
- 命令形: imperative form
- 活用形: conjugation form (the general category)