just cook instant food with a microwave oven, since I'm so busy these days.
Additionally, almost all adjectives can be combined with sum, as in the following examples. Note that adjectives end with i when modifying nouns. When combined with suru, however, the final i becomes ku, as in the following examples:
usuku-suru 薄く する usui (thin) + suru
• to make thin
Tsugi no pankēki wa chotto usuku-shite kudasai.
Make the next pancake a little thinner.
tanoshiku-suru 楽しく する tanoshii(pleasant, fun) + suru
• to make pleasant or fun
Moshi Amaria ga itara, pātii o tanoshiku-shite kureru to omoimasu ne!
If Amalia's here, she's sure to make the party fun!
This way of using suru has recently become so fashionable in contemporary Japanese that new words are being created almost daily. It's an amusing and playful aspect of a language with a reputation for its stiff formalities.
asashan-suru アサシヤンする asashan (morning shampoo) + suru
• to shampoo in the morning
tabako-suru タバコする tabako (tobacco) + suru
• to smoke, hence to take a rest
hyakutōban-suru 110 番する hyakutōban (number 110) + suru
• to call the police
*Note that in a similar way, hyakujūkyūban (119) + suru can indicate a call to the emergency number, ichi-rei-yon-suru (104) to information, ichi-ichi-roku-suru (116) to telephone repair, ichi-nana-nana-suru (177) to obtain a weather forecast, etc. See the telephone directory for further details.
In this book you will find the various usages above demonstrated at greater length. The following section presents an easy-to-understand explanation of suru and its conjugation patterns. Refer to it throughout the book as you encounter new or unfamiliar suru conjugations.
The Magical Power of Suru is divided into twelve chapters. Ten of these are organized according to situations a foreigner coming to Japan might encounter. This topical treatment is not intended as an informational guide for the newcomer to Japan, but to offer the vocabulary one needs to navigate through such situations while applying suru verbs. The last two chapters deal specifically with other types of compound-suru verbs; that is, loanwords and onomatopoeiac words and expressions.
Each chapter is presented in four sections. "The Situation" sets the scenario, introducing possible usages of suru in a particular circumstance, be it your initial arrival in Japan, a discussion on politics, or the use of loanwords in everyday speech. Next is a "Sample Dialogue" section showcasing some of the most useful or common verbs pertinent to the situation. The verbs featured in the dialogues are given individual attention in the section titled "Structures and Synonyms." Here the reader can further examine the makeup of each suru verb in the dialogue, and compare it to other synonymous verbs. The last segment of each chapter, "For Further Study," gives similar treatment to a few other verbs considered important to the situation. Finally, an appendix offers an alphabetical list of all featured compound-suru verbs for the reader's quick reference.
In short, this book saves the student of Japanese a lot of unnecessary toil and precious time spent mastering unfathomable Japanese verbs and getting accustomed to their ever-changing forms in a variety of contexts. Now you can have it all in one simple, easy-to-use package: the magical power of suru!
Suru Conjugations
The conjugation pattern below can be applied to all other compound-suru verbs. Let's examine the pattern using the verb setsumei-suru. For further clarification of the nuances of each suru conjugation, please refer to the sample sentences following the definitions. In most cases, the corresponding negative forms are included. The conjugations in parenthesis are polite forms of the verb.
setsumei-suru 説明する setsumei (explanation) + suru (to do)
• to explain
su +ru
(a) Denotes the plain, sentence-ending form of the verb.
Sensei wa sono riyū o seito ni setsumei-suru (-shimasu or -itashimasu).
The teacher explains the reason to the student.
(b) Denotes the continuation of a sentence or linkage with nouns, pronouns, or other classes of words.
Sono riyū o seito ni setsumei-suru hito wa sensei desu.
The person who explains the reason to the student is the teacher.
(c) Denotes probability, possibility, uncertainty, or doubt by adding darō, corresponding to "should" or "would" in English.
Sensei wa sono riyū o seito ni setsumei-suru darō.
The teacher should explain the reason to the student.
shi + nai
Denotes negation, conveying the idea of denying something or saying no.
Sensei wa sono riyū o seito ni setsumei-shinai (-shimasen).
The teacher does not explain the reason to the student.
shi + ta
Denotes an action or state that is completed at, or during, a definite period of time in the past; the past tense. The negative form is setsumei-shinakatta (-shimasen deshita).
Sensei wa sono riyū o setsumei-shita (-shimashita).
The teacher explained the reason to the student.
sa + seru
Denotes causation, conveying the idea of letting or making someone do something. The negative form is setsumei-sasenai (-sasemasen).
Sensei wa seito ni sono riyū o setsumei-saseru (-sasemasu).
The teacher lets a student explain the reason.
sa + reru
(a) Denotes the passive voice, conveying the idea of receiving an action or of an action being done by someone or something. The negative form is setsume-sarenai (-saremasen).
Sono riyū wa seito ni yori setsumei-sareru (-saremasu).
The reason is explained by the student.
(b) Denotes respect for the person about whom something is said, resulting in a polite expression.
Sensei wa seito ni sono riyū o setsumei-sareru (-saremasu).
The teacher explains the reason to the student.
shi + te
(a) Denotes present participle (-ing), forming the progressive
