N4 Additional Expressions

Conversations in Plain style: meaning, usage and examples

Conversations in Plain style means: using plain forms in casual conversation.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. A:明日あしたどこ行いく？B:図書館としょかんに行いく。

   A: Where are you going tomorrow? B: I'm going to the library.

2. A:これ、おいしい？B:うん、おいしい。

   A: Is this delicious? B: Yeah, it's delicious.

3. A:もう昼ひるご飯はん食たべた？B:ううん、まだ。

   A: Have you had lunch yet? B: No, not yet.

4. A:今日きょう、暇ひま？B:うん、暇ひまだよ。どうして？

   A: Are you free today? B: Yeah, I'm free. Why?

When to use it

With family, friends and people close to you, Japanese uses plain forms instead of です and ます: 行いきますか becomes 行いく？ and 食たべました becomes 食たべた. Questions usually end with rising intonation instead of か. Particles such as を, へ and は are often dropped: 何なに食たべる？ 'What are you going to eat?'

Nuance

Plain style with a teacher, a boss or a stranger sounds rude, and polite style with close friends sounds distant. Casual words replace formal ones: うん (yes), ううん (no). In statements, だ after a noun is often softened with よ or ね, or left out.

Compare

Compare polite style: 明日あした、行いきますか。はい、行いきます。 vs plain: 明日あした、行いく？うん、行いく。 Compare a plain question with か: 行いくか？ sounds rough; in normal casual talk, just raise your voice at the end. 行いくの？ asks more softly, often for an explanation.

Tip: Answer in the same style you are asked in. If someone switches to plain style with you, it is usually a sign that they feel close to you.