Went To Do
“Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.” - John Wooden
As I’m sure you’ve figured out, the いきます part of v.stem+にいきます can be changed to past tense, negative tense, and past negative tense. I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ll mention it again – you always want to look to the last word to figure out what the tense of the sentence is. If the いきます is いきました, you know you “went to go do something.” If it’s いきません you know you “will not go do something.” Anyways, you get the picture. Just know that the end of the sentence is the most important part when it comes to knowing the tense of the sentence. Let’s quickly take a look at all four combinations and then start practicing.
たべ に いきます
Go to eat
たべ に いきました
Went to eat
たべ に いきません
Do not go eat
たべ に いきませんでした
Did not go eat
If you understood the original pattern (v.stem + にいきます) then the others shouldn’t be any trouble for you. Let’s start with some simple examples that will use verbs from your Season 3 verbs lists as well as Group 1 from the Ultimate Verbs List.
すし を たべ に いきました
I went to eat sushi
しつもん し に いきました
I went to ask a question
がくせい が しつもん し に いきました
The student went to ask a question
にほんご を おしえ に いきません
I will not go teach Japanese
ブラッド・ピットさん を あい に いきませんでした
I did not go meet Brad Pitt
I think at this point you should have some idea how this pattern works. Let’s have you try this out a bit. Think of the verbs that you know (probably mostly from your Season 3 verb list). What kinds of things could you go do? Can you come up with three on your own?
＿＿＿＿＿ を ＿＿＿＿＿ に ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
Let’s continue practicing via a worksheet. After you’ve got this pattern down, we’ll spend the next couple pages going over this pattern using verbs other than いきます!
Go To Do Practice Sheet (PDF)
After you’ve finished the worksheet and feel comfortable with this pattern, move on to the next page!