🇯🇵 Japanese Verb Mechanics
Top Japanese Verbs & The 3 Verb Groups
Japanese verbs are remarkably regular with zero person or plural agreement (the verb does not change between 'I', 'you', and 'they'). Every verb falls into one of 3 simple groups: Godan (Group 1), Ichidan (Group 2), or the two irregular verbs (suru and kuru).
⛩️ The 3 Japanese Verb Groups
Group 1: Godan (五段)
End in -u, -ku, -gu, -su, -tsu, -nu, -bu, -mu, -ru. The root vowel shifts across the 5 vowels (a, i, u, e, o). Example: nomu ➔ nomimasu.
Group 2: Ichidan (一段)
End in -eru or -iru. Extremely easy to conjugate: simply drop the -ru and add suffixes! Example: taberu ➔ tabemasu.
Group 3: Irregular (変格)
Only TWO verbs in the entire language: する (suru - to do) and 来る (kuru - to come)!
Essential Japanese Verbs Matrix (JLPT N5)
| # | Dictionary Form | English Meaning | Verb Group | Polite Present (-masu) | Te-Form (-te) | Past (-ta) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | する /suru/ | to do / perform | Group 3 (Irregular) | shimasu | shite | shita |
| 2 | 来る /kuru/ | to come | Group 3 (Irregular) | kimasu | kite | kita |
| 3 | 食べる /taberu/ | to eat | Group 2 (Ichidan / Ru) | tabemasu | tabete | tabeta |
| 4 | 飲む /nomu/ | to drink | Group 1 (Godan / U) | nomimasu | nonde | nonda |
| 5 | 行く /iku/ | to go | Group 1 (Godan / U) | ikimasu | itte | itta |
| 6 | 見る /miru/ | to see / watch | Group 2 (Ichidan / Ru) | mimasu | mite | mita |
| 7 | 話す /hanasu/ | to speak / talk | Group 1 (Godan / U) | hanashimasu | hanashite | hanashita |
| 8 | 聞く /kiku/ | to hear / listen / ask | Group 1 (Godan / U) | kikimasu | kiite | kiita |
| 9 | 読む /yomu/ | to read | Group 1 (Godan / U) | yomimasu | yonde | yonda |
| 10 | 書く /kaku/ | to write | Group 1 (Godan / U) | kakimasu | kaite | kaita |
| 11 | 買う /kau/ | to buy | Group 1 (Godan / U) | kaimasu | katte | katta |
| 12 | 分かる /wakaru/ | to understand | Group 1 (Godan / U) | wakarimasu | wakatte | wakatta |