Verb endings

Ok, im a little confused with verb endings, more specifically the past congujation. I have a grammar and verb book and they saw that mita means i saw, is this correct? Also could you just say tabeta for i ate? And also tabetakunai for i don't want to eat? Where as on 3.6 grammer, you say that tabemashita is i ate? Help please ^_^

I think tabeta vs. tabemashita are both past tense just different formalities.

To understand the difference between *Tabeta* and *Tabemashita* we first need to review the difference between*Taberu* and *Tabemasu*. :P :arrow: *Taberu* is the plain, dictionary form of the verb "eat". You see this form when you look up words in the dictionary and is like the infinitive form in English. You use this form when speaking informally (between friends or family). In Japanese, the plain, dictionary form of a verb is use to speak of both present and future events. Usually, the context makes it clear that the speaker is the subject, or someone else. So, you could just say *Taberu* and express "I eat". :arrow: Now, Japanese verbs don't change for how many people or things do the action, or whether the speaker, the listener, or someone else does the action. However, Japanese verbs change forms to express levels of politeness. This is where the __Masu-form__ comes in. This form is used for formal situations, or where politeness is called for. The Masu-form of *Taberu* is *Tabemasu*. The *__masu__* adds an affirmative polite meaning. :idea: The Past tense... To make the plain past form of a verb ending in RU in the dictionary form, replace the final *~ru* with *~ta*. OR, if you're starting from the polite form, replace *~masu* with *~mashita*. _(there are a few exceptions to this rule)_ So, *Tabe__ru__* becomes *Tabe__ta__* *Tabe__masu__* becomes *Tabe__mashita__* Both *Tabeta* and *Tabemashita* translate as "I ate".

In short I got it right w00t!

(This is part of a Grammar lesson in the Rocket Japanese Platinum) The plain past form of an __*"U-verb"*__ depends on the last hiragana syllable of its dictionary form. There are 5 different endings for the past tense replacing 9 different dictionary form endings which are: ～う, ～つ, ～る, ～む, ～ぶ, ～ぬ, ～す, ～く, and ～ぐ So if you memorize the model verb for each ending, you'll be a Past-Form master! *1. Verbs ending in ～う _(~u)_, ～つ _(~tsu)_ and some ～る _(~ru)_ * All verbs with these three endings have one thing in common... their Past plain forms end in ~tta or in Hiragana, that's the small っ and た. Here is the rule: In Rōmaji: a) the final "u" drops and adds ~tta b) the final "tsu" drops and adds ~tta c) the final "ru" drops and adds ~tta Example: *a__u__* _"I meet"_ → *a__tta__* _"I met"_ *ma__tsu__* _"I wait"_ → *ma__tta__* _"I waited"_ *to__ru__* _"I take"_ → *to__tta__* _"I took"_