Verb Conjugation in Japanese
Verb Conjugation in Japanese is pretty straightforward, overall, and you have covered most of the verb forms you will need in this course in previous levels of Japanese. Please click each verb group below to help you learn to conjugate these verbs correctly.
Three Verb Groups in Japanese
Irregular Verbs: These two verbs are called “irregular” because you must change the first syllable of each to conjugate it to its other forms.
(To Do) する します しています （す Becomes し）
(To Come) くる きます きています（く Becomes き） 来る 来ます 来ています
Regular I Verbs (う Verbs): These verbs are the most difficult and tricky to conjugate because they require syllable changes as you conjugate from form to form, and these changes are different for each type of ending on the various verbs. Each of these verbs ends in a syllable that contains the sound “u” but not necessarily the character う. They can end in う、く、す、つ、ぶ、む、る, etc）.
Sample Regular I う Verbs:
(To Buy) かう かいます かっています（買う 買います 買っています）
(To Go) いく いきます いっています（行く 行きます 行っています）
(To Speak) はなす はなします はなしています（話す 話します 話しています）
(To Wait) まつ まちます まっています（待つ 待ちます 待っています）
(To Play) あそぶ あそびます あそんでいます（遊ぶ 遊びます 遊んでいます）
(To Drink) のむ 飲みます のんでいます（飲む 飲みます 飲んでいます）
(To Run) はしる はしります はしています（走る 走ります 走っています）
Regular II Verbs (る Verbs):
These verbs end in the character る and are easy to conjugate because they do not require any syllable changes to change forms. The original ending is simply removed and the new ending is added to complete the verb conjugation.
NOTE: Some verbs that end in る fit in the next group of verbs, so this can be a little tricky.
Sample Regular II る Verbs:
(To Eat) たべる たべます たべています （食べる 食べます 食べています）
(To Get Up) おきる おきます おきています (起きる 起きます 起きています)
(Go Out) でる でます でています（出る 出ます 出ています）
Verb Conjugation Forms: Plain and Formal
Verbs in Japanese can be conjugated in various ways in different situations to convey different kinds of meanings.
Please click each link below to review plain and informal forms of verb conjugation.
Plain/Informal /Dictionary Forms of Verbs in Japanese
Remember that action verbs conjugated in the polite forms will end in MASU (affirmative for present or future), MASEN (Negative for present of future, MASHITA (Negative for Past), MASEN DESHITA (Negative for Past)
Plain or Informal verbs are often referred to as “dictionary” forms of verbs. They convey the base meaning of the verb without further conjugation. These forms are also used in certain, specific grammar forms for use in the middle of sentences. Note that the plain/informal forms of verbs in all tenses are often used in informal speech, but we will not use them for formal speech in the course.
Plain Form Affirmative: You should already be familiar with the plain affirmative forms (the first Column shown on the table below) but you may not be as familiar with the other forms since they are not used much up to this point in the Japanese courses since they are used more for informal speech. This is also called Dictionary form because it is how we find it in Japanese dictionaries. This form can appear as present or future depending on context.
Plain Form Negative: Notice in each example of the plain negative tense (the second column) that each includes ない（です）as the negative ending instead of the polite ending ません。You will also see that syllable changes are required for many of these in the Irregular and Regular I groups of verbs. These can be tricky so be sure to use and study these examples as you complete the worksheet assignment for this part of the verb review. This form may appear in present or future depending on context.
Plain Form Past Affirmative: Notice in each example of the plain past affirmative forms (the third column) that each one ends in た. These forms will be EXACTLY the same conjugation as used for the て forms previously studied except て is replaced with た. The て forms of some verbs in Japanese are very tricky, so that will be true for the た forms as well.
Plain Form Past Negative: Finally, notice in the plain past negative forms (the last column) that each ends in なかった（です). These can be tricky too, but note how much like the い-Adjective conjugation the negative forms of these informal verbs are and that may help you to remember and see the patterns for each.
Examples of Plain/Informal/Dictionary Verb Forms in Present and Past Tenses:
EXAMPLES |
Plain Form |
Plain Form |
Plain Form Past Affirmative |
Plain Form Past Affirmative |
(To Do) |
する |
しない |
した |
しなかった |
(To Come) |
くる 来る |
こない 来ない |
きた 来た |
こなかった 来なかった |
(To Eat) |
たべる 食べる |
たべない 食べない |
たべる 食べる |
たべなかった 食べなかった |
(To Drink) |
のむ 飲む |
のまない 飲まない |
のんだ 飲んだ |
のまなかった 飲まなかった |
(To Go) |
いく 行く |
いかない 行かない |
いった 行った |
いかなかった 行かなかった |
Formal Forms of Verbs in Japanese
Formal verbs are used for most sentence-ending verbs in Japanese (with some exceptions). They convey the base meaning of the verb plus the tense (present or past) and the positive or negative context of the verb (whether it does/did or does not/did not occur). These are the sentence-ending verbs used in this course most of the time.
Examples of Formal Verb Forms in Japanese:
(To Do) します しません しました しませんでした
(To Come) きます きません きました きませんでした（来ます 来ません 来ました 来ませんでした）
(To Eat) たべます たべません たべました たべませんでした（食べます 食べません 食べました 食べませんでした）
(To Drink) のみます のみません のみました のみませんでした（飲みます 飲みません 飲みました 飲みませんでした）
(To Go) いきます いきません いきました いきませんでした（行きます 行きません 行きました 行きませんでした）
Review Verb Forms
Let's review verb forms and also add a few new verb ones.
Verb Forms:
- Three Verb Groups (Irregular Verbs する・くる, Regular 1 う Verbs, Regular 2 る Verbs)
- Plain/Dictionary (る・う；ない；かった；なかった) and Formal Verbs（ます；ません；ました；ませんでした）
- てForms of Verbs (Present Progressive Actions; Ongoing/Repeated Action; Making Requests to Do or Not Do Actions; Permission Forms; and Connective Form of Verbs)
- Describing Actions Using Verb-Adjective Combinations (Things you like to do, don’t like to do, are skilled at doing, are fun to do, etc)
- Describing Actions you Plan to Do or Intend to Do
- Using Verbs to State a Purpose (What you will do) for Going Somewhere
- Using Verbs to State Actions that you Want to Do
Click each Set link below to read the information.
Set One
REVIEW of Connective て Form for Verbs （Verbて、Verbて、Verb）
REVIEW of the Permission Form for Verbs (Verbてもいいです)
NEW Verb Pattern for Prohibition of Doing Things (Verb ていけません；Verbてだめです)
Set Two
REVIEW of Plain Form Verbs (る・う；ない；かった；なかった)
REVIEW of Making Requests to Do or Not to Do Actions （Verb てください；Verbないでください）
NEW Verb Pattern for “Have the Experience of Doing” or “Have Done” (Verb たことがあります)
Set Three
NEW Verb Pattern for “Have to Do” “Must Do” (Verb なければなりません・いけません)
NEW Verb Pattern for “Don’t Have to Do” (Verb なくてもいいです)
NEW Verb Pattern for “Try to Do” (Verb てみる)
Set Four
REVIEW Verb Forms for “Intend to Do” and “Plan to Do” and Add NEW Verb Form for “Expect/Supposed to Do” （VerbPlain つもりです；VerbPlain よていです；VerbPlain はずです）
REVIEW of Answering Negative Questions（はい、Verb ません； いいえ、Verb ます）
REVIEW of "Want to do" and “Would Like to do” Verbs (Verb たいです； VerbPlain のがほしいです)
Set Five
REVIEW and NEW Verbs of Motion （ いきます； きます； かえります；でます；でかけます； のります； おります； つきます）
REVIEW and NEW Verbs for “Take” “Bring” and “Return”
NEW Verb for “Probably” or “Isn’t it?” or “Is it?” For Confirmation (でしょう)
NEW Verb Expressions for “What Can You Do?” (しょうがない； しかったがない)