A Complete Beginner’s Guide
Japanese verbs are actually very systematic and friendly for beginners.
Once you understand verb groups, basic forms, and how to conjugate, everything becomes much easier.
This article covers:
- Verb groups
- Dictionary form
- Masu form
- Negative form
- Past form
- Te-form
- How to use verbs in simple sentences
1. What Is a Verb in Japanese?
A verb (動詞 / どうし) describes an action or a state.
Examples:
- 食べる (taberu) – to eat
- 行く (iku) – to go
- 見る (miru) – to see
* Important rule:
Japanese verbs always come at the end of a sentence.
Example:
- 私はりんごを食べます。
- I eat an apple.
2. Verb Groups in Japanese
Japanese verbs are divided into 3 groups.
Group 1: Godan Verbs (う-verbs)
Most verbs belong to this group.
They usually end with sounds like u, ku, su, tsu, mu, nu, bu, gu, ru.
Examples:
- 行く (iku) – to go
- 書く (kaku) – to write
- 話す (hanasu) – to speak
- 飲む (nomu) – to drink
* Tip: If you’re not sure, many verbs are Group 1.
Group 2: Ichidan Verbs (る-verbs)
These verbs usually:
- End with る
- Have an i or e sound before る
Examples:
- 食べる (taberu) – to eat
- 見る (miru) – to see
- 起きる (okiru) – to wake up
* Rule: Conjugation is very easy → just remove る.
Group 3: Irregular Verbs
Only two verbs, but very important:
- する (suru) – to do
- 来る (kuru) – to come
3. Dictionary Form (Plain Form)
The dictionary form is the basic form of a verb.
- Used in dictionaries
- Used in casual speech
- Used before learning other conjugations
Examples:
- 食べる – to eat
- 行く – to go
- する – to do
4. Masu Form (Polite Form)
This is the polite form, very common in daily conversation.
How to make it:
- Group 1: change the final sound to i + ます
- Group 2: remove る + ます
- Group 3: special forms
Examples:
- 行く → 行きます (ikimasu)
- 食べる → 食べます (tabemasu)
- する → します
- 来る → 来ます (kimasu)
Example sentence:
- 毎日日本語を勉強します。
- I study Japanese every day.
5. Negative Form (ない-form)
Used to say “do not”.
How to make it:
- Group 1: change final sound to a + ない
- Group 2: remove る + ない
- Group 3: special forms
Examples:
- 行く → 行かない
- 飲む → 飲まない
- 食べる → 食べない
- する → しない
- 来る → 来ない (konai)
Example:
- 肉を食べない。
- I do not eat meat.
6. Past Form (た-form)
Used to talk about the past.
Examples:
- 食べる → 食べた (ate)
- 行く → 行った (went)
- 飲む → 飲んだ (drank)
- する → した
- 来る → 来た (kita)
Example:
- 昨日映画を見た。
- I watched a movie yesterday.
7. Te-form (て-form)
The te-form is extremely important.
It is used for:
- Connecting actions
- Making requests
- Progressive tense (～ている)
Examples:
- 食べる → 食べて
- 行く → 行って
- 飲む → 飲んで
Example:
- パンを食べて、学校へ行きます。
- I eat bread and go to school.
8. Present Progressive (～ている)
Used to say “am/is/are doing”.
Structure:
- て-form + いる
Examples:
- 食べています – am eating
- 勉強しています – am studying
Example:
- 今日本語を勉強しています。
- I am studying Japanese now.
9. Verb + たい (Want to do)
Used to express desire.
Structure:
- Verb (masu stem) + たい
Examples:
- 食べたい – want to eat
- 行きたい – want to go
Example:
- 日本へ行きたいです。
- I want to go to Japan.
10. Summary for N5 Verbs
At N5 level, you should master:
✅ Verb groups
✅ Dictionary form
✅ Masu form
✅ Negative form
✅ Past form
✅ Te-form
✅ Basic verb sentences
Once verbs are clear, grammar becomes much easier.