GUIDED PATH · PHASE 5
Guided Japanese Course
A mastery path for complete beginners and technology professionals.
HOW THIS COURSE WORKS
Follow the path. Advance by mastery.
The primary path tells you what to do next. You can still open any available lesson, but completion is based on checkpoints rather than calendar days.
FULL TARGET CURRICULUM
Tracks 0–10
TRACK 9 · 9-3
~始める / ~終わる: Start & Finish an Action
Attach 始める and 終わる to verb stems to describe beginning and completing actions.
- ます-stem recognition.
Useful for work and study status: started testing, finished reading, began investigating.
1. Remove ます, then attach 始める or 終わる
読みます→読み始める / 読み終わる. 調べます→調べ始める / 調べ終わる.
2. Report process boundaries
Study the examples and identify the structural pattern before relying on the English translation.
Natural: I started testing at 9.
Structure: 9 at — test-stem began
Start boundary.
Natural: I finished reading the document.
Structure: document — read-stem finished
Completion of action.
3. Process lifecycle worksheet
Transform 12 verbs into start/finish forms and place six on a timeline.
INTERACTIVE WORKSHEET
3. Process lifecycle worksheet
Create 12 Vます → STEM → V始める → V終わる rows. Add 6 start/end timestamps.
Tip: on a foldable or tablet, use your pen directly on the page. Your strokes are saved in this browser as you work.
3. Process lifecycle worksheet
Create 12 Vます → STEM → V始める → V終わる rows. Add 6 start/end timestamps.
4. Make the stem visible
Use the linked Manabi Kōbō tool for focused transfer practice.
Language IDE
Why here: The construction is simple once the ます-stem is correctly identified.
How to use it for this lesson: Transform 書きます, 読みます, 食べます, します, 調べます.
Build phase verbs →Mastery checkpoint
Answer from memory. Repair the exact form or perspective error behind any miss.
