# Sentences Ending in Base 2



## Seikun

Hi.
I have been wondering about this since a long time now. I have seen many times senteneces with verbs in base 2 instead of the dictionary form and I would like to know what kind of expression they are. I took the example from a song being this the song title and I cannot think of any other sentence:

_我_ここに在り

Could you guys please explain this kind of sentences to me?

Thanks^^


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## Flaminius

Hi,

Assuming that your base 2 is the adverbial form (_reňňyōkē_ is the traditional term), your example does not use adverbial form.  _Ari_ (> Modern Japanese _aru_) is the traditional finis form (citation form, dictionary form etc.) and is identical to the adverbial form.  In classic literature you will encounter other irregular verbs such as _wori_ and _haberi_.  Their conjugation pattern is like below (using traditional paradigm and terms).



irrealisadverbialfinisadnominalrealisimperativearaariariaruareare


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## Seikun

I found another example as I recalled another song called saikai no hana. Here is an extract:

細い小道　消えた明かり 
あなたの匂いの風を*探し *
霧の中で黄昏れてる 
僕はあの言葉を

I'm not an expert in the japanese language so I just assumed the verbs in the former examples are in base 2. But whatever the base/case, etc may be I would like to know what kind of sentence construction this is and what they mean. At least in songs is very common to find this.

Thanks again.


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## Flaminius

The second and the third lines of the stanza together are a full sentence:
(僕は)あなたの匂いの風を探し、霧の中で黄昏れてる。

The last line remains hanging but it can be readily salvaged by the verb in the second line of the next stanza.


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## Seikun

You say the sentence after sagashi and the one that ends with sagashi are directly connected, so is it like when you add the te-form to verbs to connect actions (shoppu e itte kutsu wo kaita)?

Please could you explain in detail so I can understand this.

Thanks^^


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## Flaminius

Yes, the adverbial form has the same function as that you have described for the _te_-form.
It is equally grammatical to say:
Shoppu e iki kutsu o *katta*.


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## Seikun

I see. But is there any difference between the te-form and this adverbial form? Something like degree of politeness or they can be used for any situation, etc?

Thanks for clearing this up for me^^


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## Flaminius

They are almost identical functionally, though the use of adverbial forms is a bit more formal.  The adverbial form connects with the main verb horizontally, or coordinates.  The _te_-form, however, can be subordinated to the main verb.  Thus, while it is impossible to say 歩き帰る, the _te_-subordination makes a grammatical 歩いて帰る.

Cf. 『日本語文法入門ハンドブック』


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## Seikun

I see. 
As for the first example I posted (_我_ここに在り), how should it be translated/understood ever since there is not a next sentence.

Thanks for all your answers^^


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## xiaolijie

Well, if that is the case, then it's not "Base 2" but "Base 3" (shūshikei). It's a classical-style ending and you can translate the sentence as "I'm here".


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## Seikun

xiaolijie said:


> Well, if that is the case, then it's not "Base 2" but "Base 3" (shūshikei). It's a classical-style ending and you can translate the sentence as "I'm here".


I see. Someone else also told me it is translated as "I am here", but since I don't know this form of creating sentences I still wonder why "ari" instead of "aru". Is this form usually used? what does this form imply?, etc.

Thanks.


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## xiaolijie

As I said earlier, this is a classical-style ending, so you'd normall see it only in classical(-style) literature. In modern Japanese, yes, you would use "ru" instead.


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## Ilmen

Regarding the adverbial form, there is another thread that might interest you: 崩壊し.


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## Seikun

Thnaks. your thread is also helping me with this.


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