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All about Verbs - Part 1

One of the characteristics of the Japanese language is that the verb generally comes
at the end of the sentence. As Santosh sensei has already taught you that
Japanese sentence pattern follows the rule: Subject + wa+ object + o+ Verb.
Since Japanese's sentences often omit the subject, the verb is probably the most
important part in understanding the sentence. However, Verbs forms are considered
to be difficult to learn. The good news is the system itself is rather simple, as far as
memorizing certain rules. Unlike the more complex verb conjugation of other
languages, Japanese verbs do not have a different form to indicate the person (first-,
second, and third-person), the number (singular and plural), or gender.

Japanese verbs are roughly divided into three groups according to their dictionary form
(basic form).

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).

 hanasu （話す） - to speak

 kaku （書く） - to write
 kiku （聞く） - to listen
 matsu （待つ） - to wait
 nomu （飲む） - to drink

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

Vowel-stem-verbs or Ichidan-doushi (Ichidan verbs).

~ Iru ending verbs

 kiru （着る） - to wear

 miru （見る） - to see

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 okiru （起きる） - to get up

 oriru （降りる） - to get off
 shinjiru （信じる） - to believe

~ Eru ending verbs

 akeru （開ける） - to open

 ageru （あげる） - to give
 deru （出る） - to go out
 neru （寝る） - to sleep
 taberu （食べる） - to eat

IMPPRTANT: There are some exceptions. The following verbs belong to Group 1,

though they end with "~ iru" or "~ eru".

 hairu （入る） - to enter

 hashiru （走る） - to run
 iru （いる） - to need
 kaeru （帰る） - to return
 kagiru （限る） - to limit
 kiru （切る） - to cut
 shaberu （しゃべる） - to chatter
 shiru （知る） - to know

Group 3: Irregular verbs

There are only two irregular verbs, kuru (to come) and suru (to do).

The verb "suru" is probably the most often used verb in Japanese. It is used as "to do," "to

make," or "to cost". It is also combined with many nouns (of Chinese or Western origin) to make

them into verbs. Here are some examples.

 benkyousuru （勉強する） - to study

 ryokousuru （旅行する） - to travel
 yushutsusuru （輸出する） - to export
 dansusuru （ダンスする） - to dance

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 shanpuusuru （シャンプーする） - to shampoo

Dictionary Form

The dictionary form (basic form) of all Japanese verbs ends with "u". This is the form
listed in the dictionary, and is the informal, present affirmative form of the verb. This
form is used among close friends and family in informal situations.

The ~ masu Form (Formal Form)

The suffix "~ masu" is added to the dictionary form of the verbs to make sentence
polite. Aside from changing the tone, it has no meaning. This form is used in situations
required politeness or a degree of formality, and is more appropriate for general use.
Check out the ~ masu form of the basic verbs.

The ~ masu Form

Group 1 Take off the final ~u, and add ~ imasu
kaku --- kakimasu, nomu --- nomimasu
Group 2 Take off the final ~ru, and add ~ masu
miru --- mimasu, taberu --- tabemasu
Group 3 kuru --- kimasu, suru --- shimasu

The ~ masu Form minus "~ masu" is the stem of the verb. The verb stems are useful
since many verb suffixes are attached to them.

~ Masu Form The stem of the verb

kakimasu kaki
nomimasu nomi
mimasu mi
tabemasu tabe

Present Tense

Japanese verb forms have two main tenses, the present and the past. There is no
future tense. The present tense is used for future and habitual action as well. The

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informal form of the present tense is the same as the dictionary form. The ~ masu
form is used in formal situations.

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.). Forming the informal past
tense is simpler for Group 2 verbs, but more complicated for Group 1 verbs. The
conjugation of Group 1 verbs varies depending on the consonant of the last syllable on
the dictionary form. All Group 2 verbs have the same conjugation pattern.

Group 1
Formal Replace ~ u with ~ imashita kaku --- kakimashita
nomu --- nomimashita
Informal (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 and ~ ru: utau --- utatta
replace them with ~ tta matsu --- matta
kaeru --- kaetta
(4) Verb ending with ~ nu, ~bu shinu --- shinda
and ~ mu: asobu --- asonda
replace them with ~ nda nomu --- nonda
(5) Verb ending with ~ su: hanasu --- hanashita
replace ~ su with ~ shita dasu --- dashita
Group 2
Formal Take off ~ru, and add ~ mashita miru --- mimashita
taberu ---tabemashita
Informal Take off ~ru, and add ~ ta miru --- mita
taberu --- tabeta
Group 3
Formal kuru --- kimashita, suru --- shimashita
Informal kuru --- kita, suru ---shita

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Present Negative

To make sentence negative, verb endings are changed into negative forms (The ~ nai
Form).

Formal All Verbs (Group 1, 2, 3)

Replace ~ masu with ~ masen nomimasu --- nomimasen
tabemasu --- tabemasen
kimasu --- kimasen
shimasu --- shimasen
Informal Group 1
Replace the final ~ u with ~anai kiku --- kikanai
(If verb ending is a vowel + ~ u, nomu --- nomanai
replace with ~ wanai) au --- awanai
Group 2
Replace ~ ru with ~ nai miru --- minai
taberu --- tabenai
Group 3
kuru --- konai, suru ---shinai

Past Negative

Formal All Verbs (Group 1, 2, 3)

Add ~ deshita to nomimasen --- nomimasen deshita
the formal present tabemasen --- tabemasen deshita
negative form kimasen--- kimasen deshita
shimasen--- shimasen deshita
Informal All Verbs (Group 1, 2, 3)
Replace ~ nai nomanai --- nomanakatta
with ~ nakatta tabenai --- tabenakatta
konai --- konakatta
shinai ---shinakatta
The ~ te form is a useful form of the Japanese verb. It does not indicate tense by itself, however

it combines with other verb forms to create other tenses. It has many other uses as well. To

make the ~ te form, replace the final ~ ta of the informal past tense of the verb with ~ te, and

~ da with ~ de. Learn the ~ te form of the basic verbs.

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Here are some examples.

 nonda （飲んだ） - nonde （飲んで）

 tabeta （食べた） - tabete （食べて）
 kita （来た） - kite （来て）

Here are some other functions of the ~ te form.

(1) Request: the ~ te form kudasai

 Mite kudasai. （見てください。） - Please look.

 Kiite kudasai. （聞いてください。） - Please listen.

(2) The present progressive: the ~ te form iru or imasu (formal)

 Hirugohan o tabete iru. （昼ご飯を食べている。） - I am having lunch.

 Terebi o mite imasu. （テレビを見ています。） - I am watching TV.

It is also used to describe a habitual action and a condition.

(3) Listing successive actions

It is used to connect two or more verbs. The ~ te form is used after all but the last sentence in

a sequence.

 Hachi-ji ni okite gakkou ni itta. （八時に起きて学校に行った。） - I got up at eight

and went to school.
 Depaato ni itte kutsu o katta. （デパートに行って靴を買った。） - I went to
department store and bought shoes.

(4) Asking permission: the ~ te form mo ii desu ka.

 Terebi o mite mo ii desu ka. （テレビを見てもいいですか。） - May I watch TV?

 Tabako o sutte mo ii desu ka. （タバコを吸ってもいいですか。） - May I smoke?

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