Using もう and まだ

もう and まだ have different meanings depending on if the ending verb is negative or affirmative.

Here is the first way you can use them:
もう〜affirmative = already
まだ〜negative = not yet

Here are some examples:
A: ばんごはんをもうたべましたか。
   Have you already eaten dinner?
B: いいえ、まだたべていません。
No, I have not eaten yet.
OR
B: はい、もうたべました。
Yes, I have already eaten.

A: このクラスをもうとりましたか。
Have you already taken this class?
B: いいえ、まだとっていません。
No, I have not taken it yet.
OR
B: はい、もうとりました。
Yes, I have already taken it.

The second way to use them is this:
もう〜negative = not anymore
まだ〜affirmative = still

Here are some examples:
A: あのレストランでまだアルバイトをしていますか。
Do you still work part time at that restaurant? 
B: いいえ、もうしていません。
No, not anymore.
OR
B: はい、まだしています。
Yes, I am still doing it.

A: あのひとがまだすきですか。
Do you still like that person?
B: いいえ、もうすきじゃありません。
No, I don't like them anymore.
OR
B: はい、まだすきです。
Yes, I still like them.

The basic functions of を, に／へ, and で

There are a few basic sentence structures that you learn with these particles.

location に／へ motion verb.
Ex: としょかんにいきます。／としょかんへいきます。Go to the library.
The に／へ here marks the destination you have.
NOTE: The particle へ is pronounced as え.

location で action verb.
Ex: うちでねます。Sleep at home.
The で here marks the location that you are doing something.

indirect object を action verb.
Ex: みずをのみます。Drink water.
The を here marks the indirect object, showing that you are doing something to something else.

You can combine the above two to make sentences like this:

location で indirect object を action verb.
Ex: レストランでばんごはんをたべます。Eat dinner at a restaurant.
NOTE: When combining these, you MUST keep the particles with the works they are marking.
レストランで／ばんごはんを／たべます。
Technically you can mix these around, as long as the action verb stays at the end, but I would not recommend it as it gets confusing and can sound a bit odd.

A LOT OF PEOPLE MIX UP に AND で
The easiest way I have found to remember which is which is that a location with に has a motion verb at the end and a location that has で has an action verb at the end.

This may change once you learn more complicated grammar, BUT if you are taking Japanese 120 and using Nakama 1a, REMEMBER THIS

て-form made easy!

So, in Japanese grammar, one of the most basic verb conjugations always seems to be the most confusing. I get lots and lots of students from all levels of Japanese asking me how the hell they can conjugate to て-form.
Here's how!

IF YOU DO NOT KNOW DICTIONARY FORM YET:
Sorry, it's harder for you guys...

First, you need to know the difference between a う-verb and an る-verb:

う-verbs end in　います sounds: いきます、あそびます、かきます、so on and so forth.

While る-verbs end in えます sounds: たべます、いれます、かけます
THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS: みます、おきます、and あびます are all る-verbs even though they end with an います sound!

Now on to CONJUGATION!

Irregular verbs:
します→して
きます→きて
NOTE: Any nouns that get します added to them are IRREGULAR. Ex: べんきょうします、りょうりします all conjugate to して

る-verbs:
ます→て
Examples:
いれます→いれて
みます→みて
たべます→たべて
かけます→かけて
おきます→おきて

Easy, right?

Now on to the verbs that confuse the hell out of everyone...

う(u)-verbs:
There are quite a few sub-categories of う-verbs, so I will separate them:

Ends with します→して
Examples:
はなします→はなして

Ends with きます→いて
Examples:
ききます→きいて
かきます→かいて
はきます→はいて
NOTE: If the き before ます is VOICED (ぎ), then the て becomes voiced as well (で)
Example:
およぎます→およいで

Ends with ります or います→って
Examples:
とります→とって
つくります→つくって
いいます→いって
かいます→かって

Ends with みます or びます→んで
Examples:
よみます→よんで
のみます→のんで
あそびます→あそんで
よびます→よんで

EXEPTION!!!
いきます, although it ends in きます, conjugates into いって. REMEMBER THIS!
いきます→いって

IF YOU KNOW DICTIONARY FORM:
It's a LOT easier for you!

る-verbs
Drop る and add て.
Ex: たべる→たべて、おきる→おきて、みる→みて

う-verbs:
Ends with す→して
Ex: はなす→はなして

Ends with く→いて
Ex: かく→かいて、きく→きいて
NOTE: If it ends with ぐ, then the て becomes voiced. Ex: およぐ→およいで

Ends with る or う→って
Ex: とる→とって、つくる→つくって、かう→かって、いう→いって

Ends with む or ぶ→んで
Ex:よむ→よんで、のむ→のんで、あそぶ→あそんで、よぶ→よんで

EXCEPTION!!! Even though いく ends with く、it gets conjugated as if it was る or う
いく→いって
Please memorize this~

And that is て-form in a nutshell! Please let me know if you have any questions (or found any typos...)

Languages are Weird: An Introduction

Languages are weird. Especially the English language. This blog is mostly about the adventures I have while tutoring the English language to International Students. I'll also be throwing in stories about being a Japanese Teaching Assistant and Tutor at the local Junior College.

How about I describe what I do a bit more:
English tutoring: I have many International friends, and I am constantly helping them with their English homework, or just the language in general. 99% of this takes place at Starbucks, I basically use it as my classroom/office/home/everything. I sometimes volunteer at the local ESL school and help out the students there. Also, I tutor a middle school boy from Japan.
Japanese Teaching Assistant: I TA for 2 Japanese classes at the local JC: 1st Term Japanese, and the 3rd/4th Term class (it's combined).
Japanese Tutoring: I work for the school tutoring Japanese. I get paid for this (yay!), compared to TAing, which is volunteer work.

A little about me personally: I'm 22 years old, have been studying Japanese and Psychology (as well as studying in Japan for a summer), I basically live in Starbucks, and most of my friends are International Students or Americans who (like me) want to become ESL teachers. I will be taking the Oxford Series seminars to get TESOL certified, and hopefully be able to get a job abroad...because California's economy sucks.

The reason I started this blog: I need something to keep me sane after moving back in with my parents and not having a job that is able to pay rent (hence, living with my parents).Also, there are lots of fun and interesting tidbits that I learn about languages and culture everyday, and I thought I should write them down.