Japanese Verb Conjugation

Group 1: ~ U ending Verbs

The basic form of Group 1 verbs end with "~ u". This group is also called
Consonant-stem verbs or Godan-doushi (Godan verbs).

Group 1

Group 1
hanasu to speak
kaku to write
kiku to listen
matsu to wait
nomu to drink

Group 2

Group 2: ~ Iru and ~ Eru ending Verbs

The basic form of Group 2 verbs end with either "~iru" or "~ eru".
This group is also called Ichidan or Vowel-stem verbs.

Group 2
kiru to wear
miru to see
~ iru
okiru to get up
ending
oriru to get off
shinjiru to believe
akeru to open
ageru to give
~ eru
deru to go out
ending
neru to sleep
taberu to eat

Exceptions

The following verbs belong to Group 1, even though they end in "~ iru" or "~
eru".

Group 1 Exceptions
hairu to enter
hashiru to run
iru to need

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 kaeru to return
kagiru to limit
kiru to cut
shaberu to chatter
shiru to know

Group 3 (Irregular)
Group 3: Irregular Verbs
There are two irregular verbs, kuru (to come) and suru (to do).

The verb suru is likely the most often used verb. It is means to do, to make,or to
cost. It is also combined with many nouns to change them into verbs.

Combination Examples

Noun + Suru
benkyousuru to study

ryokousuru to travel

yushutsusuru to export

dansusuru to dance

shanpuusuru to shampoo

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Dictionary Form
The dictionary form (basic form) of all Japanese verbs end with "u". This is also the
informal, present affirmative form of the verb. Use this with friends and family in
informal situations.

Masu Form
The ~ masu Form (Formal Form)

Add the suffix "~ masu" to the dictionary form of a verb to make sentence polite.
Use this form in situations theat require increased levels of politeness or formality,
and is more appropriate for general use.

~ masu Form

Remove the final ~u, and add ~ imasu

Group 1 (kaku --- kakimasu, nomu ---
nomimasu)

Remove the final ~ru, and add ~ masu

Group 2
(miru --- mimasu, taberu --- tabemasu)

Group 3 kuru --- kimasu, suru --- shimasu

The verb stem can be found by removing the ~ masu from the ~masu form:

~ Masu Form Verb Stem

kakimasu kaki

nomimasu nomi

mimasu mi

tabemasu tabe

Present Tense
Japanese verbs have two main tenses, present and past. The present tense is used
for future and habitual actions. The informal form of the present tense is the same
as the dictionary form. Use the ~ masu form in formal situations.

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Past Tense

The past tense is used to express actions completed in the past (I saw, I bought
etc.) and present perfect tense (I have read, I have done etc.). The conjugation of
Group 1 verbs varies with the consonant of the last syllable on the dictionary form.
Group 2 verbs all have the same conjugation pattern.

Past Tense

Group 1

kaku ---
kakimashita
Formal Replace ~ u with ~ imashita
nomu ---
nomimashita

(1) Verb ending with ~ ku: kaku --- kaita

replace ~ ku with ~ ita kiku --- kiita

(2) Verb ending with ~ gu: isogu --- isoida

replace ~ gu with ~ ida oyogu --- oyoida

(3) Verb ending with ~ u, ~tsu utau --- utatta

and ~ ru: matsu --- matta
replace them with ~ tta kaeru --- kaetta
Informal

(4) Verb ending with ~ nu,

shinu --- shinda
~bu
asobu --- asonda
and ~ mu:
nomu --- nonda
replace them with ~ nda

hanasu ---
(5) Verb ending with ~ su:
hanashita
replace ~ su with ~ shita
dasu --- dashita

Group 2
miru --- mimashita
Take off ~ru, and add ~
Formal taberu ---
mashita
tabemashita

miru --- mita

Informal Take off ~ru, and add ~ ta
taberu --- tabeta

Group 3
Formal kuru --- kimashita, suru --- shimashita

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 Informal kuru --- kita, suru ---shita

Present Negative

To make a negative sentence, change the verb ending into the ~nai, negative
form.

All Verbs (Group 1, 2, 3)

nomimasu ---
nomimasen
Formal tabemasu ---
Replace ~ masu with ~
tabemasen
masen
kimasu --- kimasen
shimasu ---
shimasen

Group 1
Replace the final ~ u with
~anai kiku --- kikanai
(If verb ending is a vowel + nomu --- nomanai
~ u, au --- awanai
replace with ~ wanai)

Informal

Group 2
miru --- minai
Replace ~ ru with ~ nai
taberu --- tabenai

Group 3
kuru --- konai, suru ---shinai

Past Negative

Group 1, 2, 3
Formal
Add ~ deshita nomimasen --- nomimasen
to deshita

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 the formal tabemasen --- tabemasen
present negative deshita
form kimasen --- kimasen deshita
shimasen --- shimasen deshita

Group 1, 2, 3
Informal nomanai --- nomanakatta
Replace ~ nai tabenai --- tabenakatta
with ~ nakatta konai --- konakatta
shinai ---shinakatta

The TE Form

The ~ te form not indicate tense by itself. It combines with other verb forms to
create other tenses. To make the ~ te form, replace the final ~ ta of the informal
past tense of the verb with ~ te, and ~ da with ~ de.

Te Form

Informal Past The ~ te form

nonda nonde

tabeta tabete

kita kite

Functions of the ~ te form.

1. Describe a habitual action/ condition

2. Request (~ te form + kudasai)

Mite kudasai. Please look.

Kiite kudasai. Please listen.

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3. Present progressive: ~ te form + iru or imasu (formal)

Hirugohan o tabete iru. I am having lunch.

Terebi o mite imasu. I am watching TV.

4. Listing successive actions

Use to connect two or more verbs, used after all but the last verb in a
sequence.

Hachi-ji ni okite gakkou ni I got up at eight and went to

itta. school.

Depaato ni itte kutsu o I went to department store

katta. and bought shoes.

5. Ask permission: (~ te form + mo ii desu ka)

Terebi o mite mo ii desu ka. May I watch TV?

Tabako o sutte mo ii desu

May I smoke?
ka.

~TE Examples
Group 1 Example

Dictionary
Formal The ~ te
Form English
Form Form
(Basic Form)

aruku to walk arukimasu aruite

asobu to play asobimasu asonde

au to meet aimasu atte

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 hairu to enter hairimasu haitte

hajimaru to begin hajimarimasu hajimatte

iku to go ikimasu itte

kaeru to return kaerimasu kaette

kakaru to take kakarimasu kakatte

kaku to write kakimasu kaite

kau to buy kaimasu katte

kiku to listen kikimasu kiite

matsu to wait machimasu matte

motsu to have mochimasu motte

narau to learn naraimasu naratte

nomu to drink nomimasu nonde

okuru to send okurimasu okutte

omou to think omoimasu omotte

oyogu to swim oyogimasu oyoide

shiru to know shirimasu shitte

suwaru to sit suwarimasu suwatte

tatsu to stand tachimasu tatte

tomaru to stop tomarimasu tomatte

tsuku to arrive tsukimasu tsuite

uru to sell urimasu utte

utau to sing utaimasu utatte

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 to
wakaru wakarimasu wakatte
understand

warau to laugh waraimasu waratte

yomu to read yomimasu yonde

Group 2 Example

kangaeru to think kangaemasu kangaete

miru to see mimasu mite

neru to sleep nemasu nete

oshieru to teach oshiemasu oshiete

taberu to eat tabemasu tabete

Group 3 Example

kuru to come kimasu kite

suru to do shimasu shite

The ~te form it does not indicate tense by itself; it can be used to string
together sequences of verbs. One of the ~te form structure is "~ te
kudasai," to expresse a request.

Kaite kudasai Please write.

Matte kudasai. Please wait.