Japanese Verb Conjugation Explained

Japanese verb conjugation might seem intimidating at first, but once you understand the system, it becomes remarkably logical. Unlike English, where irregular verbs are everywhere, Japanese follows predictable patterns for the vast majority of its verbs.

The key to mastering Japanese verbs is understanding the three main categories: godan verbs (五段動詞), ichidan verbs (一段動詞), and irregular verbs. Each group follows its own set of rules, and learning to identify which group a verb belongs to is the first crucial step.

In this comprehensive guide, you'll learn how to identify verb types, understand their conjugation patterns, navigate tricky exceptions, and use practical reference charts to build your confidence with Japanese verbs.

Understanding the Basics

What is Conjugation?

Conjugation is the process of changing a verb's form to express different meanings like tense (past, present), politeness level, negation, and more. In Japanese, the verb ending changes while the root typically stays the same.

Key Terms You Need to Know

The Three Verb Groups

Godan Verbs (五段動詞): The Five-Row Verbs

Godan verbs are called "five-row" verbs because their endings shift across five vowel sounds: a, i, u, e, o. These verbs have a consonant root, and the final vowel changes depending on the conjugation.

How Godan Conjugation Works

Let's use 書く (kaku - to write) as an example. The root is kak-, and the ending vowel changes:

Common Godan Conjugations

Ichidan Verbs (一段動詞): The Drop-る Verbs

Ichidan verbs are much simpler than godan verbs. They're called "one-row" verbs because they conjugate within a single vowel row. The rule is straightforward: drop る and add the ending.

How Ichidan Conjugation Works

Let's use 食べる (taberu - to eat) as an example. The root is tabe-, and it remains stable:

Comparison: Godan vs Ichidan

Notice how ichidan verbs maintain their stem (tabe) consistently, while godan verbs shift vowels throughout.

Irregular Verbs: する and 来る

Good news: Japanese only has two truly irregular verbs (and their compounds). These are する (suru - to do) and 来る (kuru - to come).

する (suru) Conjugations

来る (kuru) Conjugations

How to Identify Verb Types

The most challenging part for learners is determining whether a verb is godan or ichidan, especially when it ends in る. Here's a systematic approach:

The える/いる Challenge

The trickiest verbs are those ending in える (-eru) or いる (-iru). While most are ichidan, some common ones are godan exceptions:

Conjugation Mechanics: How Endings Attach

Understanding how different forms work will help you build any conjugation you need. Let's break down the most essential forms:

Negative Form (〜ない)

Polite Form (〜ます)

Te-form (〜て)

The te-form is one of the most useful conjugations, used for requests, ongoing actions, and connecting clauses. It's also the trickiest for godan verbs because of sound changes.

Past Tense (〜た)

Good news: the past tense follows the exact same pattern as te-form, just replace て/de with た/だ:

Potential Form (can do)

Volitional Form (let's do)

Advanced: Sound Changes and 音便 (Onbin)

For learners who want to understand why certain conjugations sound the way they do, this section explores the phonological patterns behind Japanese verb conjugation.

The Lost /w/ Sound

Historically, Japanese had a /w/ sound in more positions than it does today. This explains some modern conjugations:

This is why verbs ending in う don't become *あない but rather わない.

音便 (Onbin): Sound Euphony

音便 refers to sound changes that make words easier to pronounce. This primarily affects the te-form and past tense of godan verbs. There are three main types:

1. 促音便 (Sokuonbin) - Gemination with っ

Verbs ending in う, つ, る become って:

• 買う → 買って (katte)
• 待つ → 待って (matte)
• 売る → 売って (utte)

2. 撥音便 (Hatsuonbin) - Nasal assimilation with ん

Verbs ending in む, ぶ, ぬ become んで:

• 読む → 読んで (yonde)
• 遊ぶ → 遊んで (asonde)
• 死ぬ → 死んで (shinde)

3. イ音便 (I-onbin) - Consonant deletion

Verbs ending in く, ぐ lose the consonant and add い:

• 書く → 書いて (kaite, from *kak-ite)
• 泳ぐ → 泳いで (oyoide, from *oyog-ide)

Complete Conjugation Reference Charts

Godan Verb: 書く (kaku - to write)

Ichidan Verb: 食べる (taberu - to eat)

Irregular Verbs

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Misidentifying る-Ending Verbs

2. Incorrect Te-form Application

3. Forgetting 行く Exception

4. Using ある Incorrectly

5. Confusing Potential Forms

6. Overreliance on Romaji

Practice Recommendations

Effective Drilling Strategies

1. Master Identification First

Before drilling conjugations, make sure you can correctly identify verb types. Take common verbs and practice categorizing them:

• Create flashcards with verbs on one side and their type on the other
• Use the negative test to verify godan vs ichidan
• Focus especially on える/いる exceptions

2. Learn Forms in Order of Usefulness

Don't try to learn all forms at once. Build gradually:

3. Use Verb Families

Group verbs by their ending to practice te-form and past tense patterns together:

• む group: 読む、飲む、住む、頼む
• く group: 書く、聞く、歩く、泣く
• す group: 話す、貸す、返す、消す

4. Practice in Context

Don't just drill isolated forms. Create or find sentences that use the conjugations naturally:

• 毎日日本語を勉強します。(I study Japanese every day.)
• 昨日映画を見ました。(I watched a movie yesterday.)
• 本を読んで寝ました。(I read a book and went to sleep.)

5. Use Dictionary Resources

Online dictionaries are your best friends for verification:

• Jisho.org: Shows verb type and common conjugations
• Tangorin: Includes detailed conjugation tables
• Japanese verb conjugators: Let you practice any verb in any form

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I tell if a verb ending in る is godan or ichidan?

Check the vowel before る. If it's 'e' (え段) or 'i' (い段), it's likely ichidan. If it's 'a', 'u', or 'o', it's always godan. However, there are exceptions like 帰る (kaeru - to return) and 走る (hashiru - to run) which are godan despite ending in eru/iru. When in doubt, check the negative form: godan verbs change to らない, while ichidan verbs become ない.

What's the difference between verb stem and verb root?

The verb root is the unchanging core part when conjugating—the consonant for godan verbs or the part before る for ichidan verbs. The verb stem typically refers to the masu-stem (the base form used with ます). For example, in 書く (kaku), the root is kak-, and the stem is also 書き (kaki). In 食べる (taberu), both the root and stem are 食べ (tabe).

Why are する and 来る irregular?

する and 来る don't follow the standard conjugation patterns of godan or ichidan verbs. They have unique conjugation rules that must be memorized separately. For example, する becomes しない (not すない), and its potential form is できる (a completely different word). 来る changes its reading between くる, こ, and き depending on the form. This includes their compounds like 勉強する (benkyou suru) and 持って来る (motte kuru).

Do I need to memorize all the 音便 patterns?

Not explicitly. While understanding 音便 helps explain why conjugations sound the way they do, you don't need to memorize the linguistic terminology. Instead, focus on recognizing the te-form patterns: う/つ/る → って, む/ぶ/ぬ → んで, く → いて, ぐ → いで, す → して. With practice, these become automatic.

What's the fastest way to learn verb conjugation?

Start with correct verb identification, then master the most common forms first (negative, polite, past, and te-form). Use spaced repetition with flashcards, but always practice in context—create sentences using the verbs rather than drilling isolated forms. Focus on high-frequency verbs like 食べる, 行く, 見る, する, and 来る before moving to less common ones.

Why does ある have a special negative form?

The verb ある (to exist, for inanimate objects) has several unique features. Its negative form is ない (not あらない), its polite form is あります, and it doesn't have a te-form in standard usage. This is because ある is one of the oldest verbs in Japanese and has retained some archaic characteristics. Its counterpart for animate beings, いる, conjugates regularly as an ichidan verb.