To recap, the verb stem is the polite form of the verb with the ます removed.

Verb Dictionary Polite Stem
to go きます き〜
to eat べる べます べ〜
to do する します し〜

We can use the verb stem with the kanji 方 to say “way of doing something”—an especially handy phrase when you first set foot in the Japan and there are many things you don’t yet know.

ただしいやりかたおしえてください。
Please show me the correct way to do this.
先生せんせいはなかた面白おもしろいです。
The teacher has an amusing way of speaking.
このマシンの使つかかたがわかりません。
I don’t know the way to use this machine.
You May Also Like

Expressing a Purpose: ため

One of the meanings of the noun 為ため is “objective” or “purpose”. 学費がくひの為ための貯金ちょきん。 Savings for school fees. Literally:…

Decisions: ことにする

JLPT N4. Used in both writing and conversation. We use the below structure to show that we have…

Speaking Objectively

Both にしては and わりには allow us to make statements about things in an objective manner. 彼は年の割に若く見えます。 He looks…

Saying “When” in Japanese: とき

Quite often “とき” is the first word that you meet to say ‘when’ in Japanese. The kanji (時) we…