Japanese verb conjugation is the backbone of the language. Unlike English, where you add helper words (“will go”, “did not go”), Japanese changes the verb ending itself. The good news? The rules are remarkably consistent once you learn the three verb groups.
The Three Verb Groups
Group 1: U-Verbs (五段動詞 / Godan)
The largest group. The dictionary form ends in an “u” sound: く, ぐ, す, つ, ぬ, ぶ, む, る, う.
Examples: 書く (kaku, write) · 飲む (nomu, drink) · 話す (hanasu, speak) · 買う (kau, buy) · 待つ (matsu, wait)
Group 2: Ru-Verbs (一段動詞 / Ichidan)
End in “る” with an “e” or “i” sound before it. Conjugation is simpler — just drop る and add the ending.
Examples: 食べる (taberu, eat) · 見る (miru, see) · 起きる (okiru, wake up) · 教える (oshieru, teach)
Group 3: Irregular Verbs
Only two: する (suru, do) and 来る (kuru, come). Memorize these — they don’t follow rules.
Essential Conjugation Chart
| Form | 書く (U-verb) | 食べる (Ru-verb) | する (Irreg.) | 来る (Irreg.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polite (ます) | 書きます | 食べます | します | 来ます |
| Negative (ない) | 書かない | 食べない | しない | 来ない |
| Past (た) | 書いた | 食べた | した | 来た |
| Te-form (て) | 書いて | 食べて | して | 来て |
| Potential | 書ける | 食べられる | できる | 来られる |
| Passive | 書かれる | 食べられる | される | 来られる |
| Volitional | 書こう | 食べよう | しよう | 来よう |
| Imperative | 書け | 食べろ | しろ | 来い |
How U-Verb Conjugation Works
U-verbs change the final kana to a different row of the hiragana chart. Here’s the pattern for the ます stem:
Rule: Change the final “u” sound to the “i” sound of the same column.
く → き · ぐ → ぎ · す → し · つ → ち · ぬ → に · ぶ → び · む → み · る → り · う → い
書く → 書きます · 飲む → 飲みます · 話す → 話します
The Te-Form (Most Used Conjugation)
Te-form is the Swiss Army knife of Japanese grammar. You need it for:
- Connecting sentences: 食べて、飲んだ (ate and drank)
- Requests: 書いてください (please write)
- Progressive: 食べている (is eating)
- Permission: 行ってもいい (may I go?)
Te-form song (for U-verbs):
う・つ・る → って · む・ぶ・ぬ → んで · く → いて · ぐ → いで · す → して
Exception: 行く → 行って (not 行いて)
The #1 Trick: Identify the Verb Group First
Before conjugating, always identify the group. Tricky cases exist — some verbs look like ru-verbs but are actually u-verbs:
- 帰る (kaeru, return) — U-verb, not ru-verb!
- 入る (hairu, enter) — U-verb
- 走る (hashiru, run) — U-verb
- 知る (shiru, know) — U-verb
These must simply be memorized. Kanjijo’s flashcards tag each verb with its group, so you internalize the correct conjugation pattern through SRS repetition.
Study Strategy: Build Conjugation Muscle Memory
Conjugation isn’t about memorizing charts — it’s about automatic recall. When you see 飲む, your brain should instantly produce 飲んで without thinking.
- Kanjijo’s SRS flashcards show verbs in context, reinforcing conjugation patterns naturally
- Mnemonic stories help remember which group tricky verbs belong to
- Writing practice builds physical muscle memory for conjugated forms
- Daily review via lock screen widgets keeps verb forms fresh passively
SRS flashcards that drill conjugation patterns until they become automatic. Free on iOS.