基本の説明Overview
be動詞（am・is・are）以外の動詞を一般動詞と呼びます。play（する）・study（勉強する）のような動作を表す動詞のほか、like（好きだ）・have（持っている）・live（住んでいる）のように状態を表す動詞も一般動詞です。Verbs other than the be-verbs (am, is, are) are called ordinary (general) verbs. They include action verbs such as play and study, and also state verbs such as like, have and live.
一般動詞の現在形は、毎日の習慣（I get up at six.）、いつも変わらない事実（The sun rises in the east.）、今の状態（I like music.）を表します。every day・usually・on Sundays のような言葉がよくいっしょに使われます。The present tense of an ordinary verb describes habits (I get up at six.), lasting facts (The sun rises in the east.) and present states (I like music.). It often appears with words like every day, usually and on Sundays.
最大のポイントは「三人称単数」の主語のときです。三人称とは、自分（I）でも相手（you）でもない人や物のこと。その中で「ひとり・ひとつ」のもの（he, she, it, Tom, my mother, the dog など）が三人称単数です。このとき、動詞の語尾に s または es をつけます。I・you・複数の主語（we, they, my friends など）のときは、動詞は原形のままです。The key rule concerns a third-person singular subject. “Third person” means anyone or anything that is neither the speaker (I) nor the listener (you), and “singular” means just one person or thing (he, she, it, Tom, my mother, the dog…). With such a subject, add s or es to the end of the verb. With I, you or a plural subject (we, they, my friends…), the verb stays in its base form.
| 主語Subject | 動詞の形Verb form | 例Example |
|---|---|---|
| I / you / we / they / 複数の名詞I / you / we / they / plural nouns | 原形のままBase form | I play, you play, they play |
| he / she / it / 単数の名詞he / she / it / singular nouns | s または es をつけるAdd s or es | he plays, Tom plays, my mother plays |
s のつけ方は、動詞の終わり方によって次の4パターンに分かれます。How you add the ending depends on how the verb finishes. There are four patterns.
| 動詞の終わり方Verb ending | つけ方What to do | 例Examples |
|---|---|---|
| ふつうの動詞Most verbs | そのまま s をつけるJust add s | like → likes, play → plays, read → reads |
| s・x・ch・sh・o で終わるEnding in s, x, ch, sh or o | es をつけるAdd es | watch → watches, wash → washes, go → goes, do → does |
| 「子音字＋y」で終わるConsonant + y | y を i に変えて esChange y to i, add es | study → studies, try → tries |
| 不規則に変わるIrregular | 形そのものが変わるThe word itself changes | have → has |
「母音字＋y」で終わる動詞（play, enjoy など）は y を変えず、そのまま s をつけます（plays, enjoys）。y の前が a・i・u・e・o なら、ふつうの動詞と同じ扱いです。A verb that ends in a vowel + y (play, enjoy…) keeps its y and simply adds s (plays, enjoys). If the letter before y is a, e, i, o or u, treat it like an ordinary verb.
例文で確認Example sentences
① 習慣・日課（いつもすること）1. Habits and routines
② 三人称単数の s / es（つづりの4パターン）2. The third-person -s / -es (four spelling patterns)
③ 状態・事実を表す一般動詞3. Verbs for states and facts
④ 疑問文（〜しますか）4. Questions
⑤ 否定文（〜しません）5. Negatives
確認クイズQuick check
空所に入る語を答えましょう（括弧内の動詞は、必要なら形を変えて入れます）。Fill in each blank. Change the form of the verb in parentheses when necessary.
- My brother ___ (play) soccer on Sundays.
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plays — My brother は he にあたる三人称単数。play は母音字＋y なので s だけつける。My brother is a third-person singular subject (he). Play ends in vowel + y, so just add s. - Mika ___ (study) English every night.
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studies — Mika は三人称単数。study は「子音字＋y」なので y を i に変えて es。Mika is third-person singular. Study ends in consonant + y: change y to i and add es. - My mother ___ (watch) TV after dinner.
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watches — My mother は三人称単数。watch は ch で終わるので es をつける。My mother is third-person singular. Watch ends in ch, so add es. - ___ your sister like dogs?
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Does — your sister は she にあたる三人称単数なので Does で始める。your sister is a she (third-person singular), so start with Does. - We ___ have school on Sundays. (negative sentence)
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don't — 主語は we なので、does ではなく do を使い、否定文は don't（do not）。The subject is we, so use do (not does): the negative is don't (do not). - My father doesn't ___ (drink) coffee.
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drink — doesn't のあとの動詞は原形。does が三人称単数の s を引き受けているので、動詞には s をつけない。After doesn't, the verb is in its base form. Does already carries the third-person -s, so the verb gets no s.
おさえておきたいポイントKey points
- 一般動詞の現在形は、習慣・事実・状態を表すThe present tense of an ordinary verb expresses habits, facts and states
- 主語が三人称単数（he, she, it, Tom, my mother など）のときだけ、動詞に s / es をつける。I・you・複数の主語では原形のままAdd s / es to the verb only when the subject is third-person singular (he, she, it, Tom, my mother…). With I, you or a plural subject, keep the base form
- s のつけ方は4パターン：そのまま s／s・x・ch・sh・o は es／子音字＋y は ies／have は hasFour patterns for the ending: plain s / es after s, x, ch, sh, o / ies after consonant + y / have → has
- 疑問文は Do / Does を主語の前に置き、動詞は原形にするFor a question, put Do / Does before the subject and use the base form of the verb
- 否定文は動詞の前に don't / doesn't を置き、動詞は原形にするFor a negative, put don't / doesn't before the verb and use the base form
- Do や Does で聞かれたら、Yes, I do. / No, she doesn't. のように do / does で答えるWhen asked with Do / Does, answer with do / does: Yes, I do. / No, she doesn't.