Conjugation

• mizen-kei (MZ) - irrealis form
  • used for things which are not happening or didn't happen. The opposite of the realis (IZ) form.
  • modern equivalent: -nai stem
  • example: 読ま, 本は読まない
• ren'you-kei (RY) - adverbial form
  • used to connect to other yougen words or clauses (sentences)
  • modern equivalent: -masu stem
  • example: 読み　本を読み始めた
• shuushi-kei (SS) - final form
  • used at the end of affirmative sentences
  • modern equivalent: dictionary/plain form
  • example: 読む, 毎日本を読む
• rentai-kei (RT) - attributive form
  • used to connect to taigen words or clauses, used to describe nouns.
  • no modern equivalent, merged with SS
  • example: 読む, 本を読むつもりです
• izen-kei (IZ) - realis form
  • NOTE: when talking about modern Japanese it's usually called katei-kei (conditional form) instead
  • used for events which have happened or are happening. The opposite of the irrealis (MZ) form.
  • modern equivalent: conditional (-ba) stem
  • example: 読め, 本を読めばいい
• meirei-kei (MR) - imperative form
  • used as imperative, to tell someone else to do something
  • modern equivalent: imperative form
  • example: 読め, 本を読め！