1.
plain form; plain style; informal style
The grammatical style of Japanese that uses dictionary forms of verbs and adjectives without the polite です/ます endings. Used in casual conversation, internal monologue, writing, and as the base form for many grammatical constructions.
友達とは普通体で話す。
I speak in plain form with friends.
この教科書では普通体と丁寧体の違いを学びます。
In this textbook, you learn the difference between plain form and polite form.
日記や小説は普通体で書かれることが多い。
Diaries and novels are often written in plain style.
Composed of 普通 (ordinary, normal) and 体 (style, form). A key grammatical term used in Japanese language education to describe the informal style of speech and writing.
The 普通体 is not inherently rude — it is simply the unmarked, neutral form of Japanese. It is required in many grammatical contexts even within polite speech, such as before と思う, 時, and many other subordinate clause patterns. Mastering when to use 普通体 versus 丁寧体 is one of the central challenges for learners.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 普通体で話す: to speak in plain form
- 普通体で書く: to write in plain form
- 普通体に変える: to change to plain form
- 普通体と丁寧体: plain form and polite form
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 常体: plain style — a more formal linguistic term for the same concept, often used in Japanese grammar textbooks written in Japanese
- 丁寧体: polite style — the contrasting style that uses です/ます endings
- 敬体: polite style — synonym of 丁寧体, used in more technical linguistic discussions
- 辞書形: dictionary form — the base form of a verb specifically, whereas 普通体 refers to the overall style