Japanese Verb Chart
This chart lists the possible ways to conjugate verbs. Base 3 is the form that verbs are in when you read them in the dictionary. The Example column is the dictionary form of the verbs. You will notice that it is the same as the Base 3 column. For all normal verbs, the last syllable in Base 3 determines how it will be conjugated. Verbs that end in eru or iru have their own special category, along with the verbs kuru and suru. Just below the chart I have some verbs listed that end in eru or iru, but go in the normal category.
If you are a beginner learning Japanese, then most of the verb examples you will see will probably be in the "masu" form. To put a verb in the masu form, use Base 2 and add masu to the end of the conjugation. The masu form of verbs is almost always taught first to people learning Japanese, because it can be used in almost any situation and not be considered rude. The way you form and end your verbs determines the level of speech and how polite you are. It takes a while to get down when it is ok to say what. That is why you should learn the masu forms first.
Note that I am using aa, ii, uu, ee, oo for the long vowels. This has the same meaning as when a line is put over the vowel.
The following verbs end in eru or iru, but are conjugated like normal verbs.
- iru (to need)
- kaeru (to return)
- kagiru (to limit / restrict)
- kiru (to cut)
- shaberu (to chatter / shoot the breeze)
- shiru (to know)
- shimeru (to become damp / moist)
- suberu (to slip)
- teru (to shine)
- nonoshiru (to abuse / scold / speak ill of)
- hairu (to enter)
- hashiru (to run)
- heru (to reduce / decrease)
- mairu (to come / go - polite)
Base 1
There are three main uses for Base 1
-
The plain negative form
-nai - the same for all three categories
-
The passive case (to be instead of to do)
-reru - normal verbs
-rareru - eru/iru and special verbs
-
The causitive case (make to do case)
-seru - normal verbs
-saseru - eru/iru and special verbs
The Plain Negative Form (Examples)
- hon o kawanai - He will not buy the book
- tegami o kakanai daroo - He perhaps/probably will not write the letter
- Nihongo de hanasanai deshoo - He perhaps/probably does not speak Japanese
- shinaide kudasai - Please do not die
- matanaide mo ii desu - Even if you don't wait, it's ok (you don't have to wait)
- isoganakute mo ii desu - It's ok not to hurry (you don't have to hurry)
- konakatta - He did not come
- yomakattara... - If you did not read it...
- yobanai to... - If you do not call...
- toranakereba... - If you do not take it...
- tabenakereba narimasen - If you don't eat, it won't happen (you must eat)
NOTE: this is how you say must in Japanese
- shinakute wa ikemasen - You should not do it
- miranai to omoimasu - I think that I don't see it (I don't think I see it)
The Passive Case (Examples)
normal verbs
- kawareru - to be bought (plain ending)
- kawaremasu - to be bought (masu ending)
- kawarenai - to not be bought (plain ending)
- kawaremasen - to not be bought (masu ending)
eru/iru verbs
- taberareru - to be eaten (plain ending)
- taberaremasu - to be eaten (masu ending)
- mirareru - to be seen (plain ending)
- miraremasu - to be seen (masu ending)
The Causitive Case - make to do (Examples)
normal verbs
- kawaseru - to have him buy it (plain ending)
- kawasemasu - to have him buy it (masu ending)
eru/iru verbs
- tabesaseru - to feed / cause to eat (plain ending)
- tabesasemasu - to feed / cause to eat (masu ending)
Base 2
Besides the masu verb ending, there are several uses for Base 2.
The conjugation is the same for all three categories.
The masu verb ending (Examples)
- ikimasu - to go (present tense)
- ikimasen - to not go (present tense)
- ikimashita - went (past tense)
- ikimasen deshita - did not go (past tense)
- ikimashoo - let's go
Misc. verb endings for Base 2 (Examples)
- ikinasai - go (command / imperative)
- tabenasai - eat (command / imperative)
- kinasi - come (command / imperative)
- hon o kai ni iku - go to buy a book (plain ending)
- hon o kai ni ikimasu - go to buy a book (masu ending)
- tabe ni iku - go to eat (plain ending)
- tabe ni ikimasu - go to eat (masu ending)
- tabe ni ikimashoo - let's go and eat!
- kore wa yomiyasui - this is easy to read
- kore wa tabeyasui - this is easy to eat
- kore wa shiyasui - this is easy to do
- sore wa kakinikui - that is hard to write
- sore wa minikui - that is hard to see
- sore wa shinikui - that is hard to do
- isogi soo desu - seems to be busy
- nashi soo desu - does not seem to be any (special conjugation for the verb nai)
- shini soo dewa arimasen - does not seem to be dying
- hanashisugiru - talk too much
- tabesugiru - eat too much
- ikitai - want to go
- tabetai - want to eat
- ikitakatta - wanted to go (past tense plain)
- ikitaku wa nai - I do not want to go (plain ending)
- ikitaku wa arimasen - I do not want to go (masu ending)
- ikitakereba - If you want to go
Base 3
The conjugation is the same for all three categories.
- iku - to go (plain ending)
- iku to omoimasu - I think I will go
- tegami o kaku daroo - He will perhaps/probably write a letter
- tegami o kaku deshoo - He will perhaps/probably write a letter
- kore o yomu hoo ga ii desu - It's better if you read this
- hon o kau hazu desu - You should buy the book
- iku kamo shiremasen - He will probably go
- iku ka doo ka kikimashoo - Let's ask whether or not he is going
- nihongo de yomu koto ga dekimasu - He can read Japanese
- hataraku kara yasumimasen - Because I work, I don't rest
- ame ga furu soo desu - I hear that it will rain
- matsu to... - If you wait...
- nihongo de kaku to kaku hodo jyoozu ni narimasu
The more you write in Japanese, the more skillful you will become.
Base 4
There are two main uses for Base 4
- The If form
-ba - the same for all three categories
- The can form
-ru - use only with the normal verb category
The If Form (Examples)
- hon o kaeba - If you buy the book
- tegami o kakeba - If you write the letter
- tabereba - If you eat
- kureba - If you come
The Can Form (Examples)
NOTE: with can, use ga after the object (instead of o)
- kanji ga kakeru - I can write kanji (plain ending)
- Nihongo ga hanasemasu - I can speak Japanese (masu ending)
- matenai - I cannot wait (plain ending)
- ikemasen - I cannot go (masu ending)
Base 5
The conjugation is the same for all three categories.
- ikoo - Let's go (plain ending)
- doko e ikoo ka - Where shall we go? (plain ending)
- tako o tabeyoo to suru - Try to eat octopus (plain ending)
- matoo to shimasu - Try to wait (masu ending)
The Te-Form
There are several uses for the te-form.
The conjugation is the same for all three categories.
- yonde kudasai - please read
- Tookyoo ni sunde iru - I am living in Tookyoo (plain ending)
- doko ni sunde imasu ka - Where are you living (masu ending)
- Nippon ni sunde inai - I am not living in Japan (plain ending)
- Osaka ni sunde imasen - I am not living in Osaka (masu ending)
- tegami o kaite ita - I was writing a letter (plain ending)
- tabete imashita - I was eating (masu ending)
- hon o katte ageru - To buy a book for someone/you
- kore wa koku ni kaite aru - This/it is written here.
- yooji wa shite aru - The errand is done/finished.
- hon o katte kara kaerimashita - After I bought the book, I returned home.
- tabete mo ii desu - Even if you eat it, it's ok (It's ok to eat it)
- shite morau - Get someone to do it for you
- tabete suru - To be finished eating
The Ta-Form
The main use for the ta-form is the plain past tense.
The conjugation is the same for all three categories.
- katta - I bought it
- kaita - I wrote it
- tabeta - I ate it
- mita - I saw it
- kita - I came
- shita - I did it
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