Complete Guide to Japanese Verb Conjugation: Master U-verbs, Ru-verbs, and All Essential Forms

Introduction to Japanese Verb Conjugation

Japanese verb conjugation might seem intimidating at first, but it's actually more straightforward than you think. Unlike English or Romance languages, Japanese verbs don't change based on who's doing the action. Whether it's "I eat," "you eat," or "they eat," the verb form remains the same!

Japanese has only three verb groups and follows consistent patterns with very few irregular verbs. Once you master these patterns, you can conjugate any Japanese verb with confidence. Check out our 300+ verb database for practice.

The Three Verb Groups

All Japanese verbs fall into one of three categories. Understanding which group a verb belongs to is crucial for proper conjugation.

Group 1: U-verbs (Godan Verbs / 五ご段だん動どう詞し)

U-verbs are called "godan" (five-step) because they use all five vowel sounds when conjugating. These verbs end in various consonant + う sounds.

*Some verbs ending in る are actually U-verbs, not Ru-verbs.

Group 2: Ru-verbs (Ichidan Verbs / 一いち段だん動どう詞し)

Ru-verbs are much simpler to conjugate. They end in る preceded by an い or え sound.

Group 3: Irregular Verbs

Good news! There are only two irregular verbs in Japanese:

• する (suru) - to do
• 来くる (kuru) - to come

Many compound verbs use する, such as:

• 勉べん強きょうする (benkyou suru) - to study
• 仕し事ごとする (shigoto suru) - to work
• 料りょう理りする (ryouri suru) - to cook

Tricky る-ending U-verbs

Some verbs end in る but are actually U-verbs. These are exceptions you need to memorize:

Essential Conjugation Forms

Let's start with the most important conjugation forms that you'll use in everyday Japanese.

Present/Future Forms

Polite Form (〜ます)

The ます form is used in formal situations and when showing respect or politeness.

Plain Form (Dictionary Form)

This is the casual form used in informal situations and is the base form found in dictionaries.

Negative Forms

Plain Negative (〜ない)

Polite Negative (〜ません)

Simply change ます to ません:

• 読よみます → 読よみません
• 食たべます → 食たべません

Past Forms

Past tense forms express completed actions.

Polite Past (〜ました)

• 読よみます → 読よみました
• 食たべます → 食たべました

Plain Past (Ta-form)

This follows the same rules as te-form but with た/だ instead of て/で.

Te-form and Ta-form Rules

The te-form is one of the most important conjugations in Japanese. It's used to connect sentences, make requests, and form continuous tenses.

Ta-form Rules (Past Tense)

Learn the ta-form first, then convert た→て and だ→で for te-form.

Ru-verbs and Irregular Verbs

Te-form Usage

The te-form has many important uses:

1. Continuous Actions (〜ている)

• 食たべている - "eating" (ongoing action)
• 住すんでいる - "living" (current state)

2. Requests (〜てください)

• 手て伝つだってください - "Please help"
• ゆっくり話はなしてください - "Please speak slowly"

3. Connecting Actions

• 朝あさごはんを食たべて学がっ校こうに行いきます - "I eat breakfast and go to school"

Advanced Conjugation Forms

Volitional Form (Let's / I will)

Used to express intention or suggest doing something together.

Examples:

• 映えい画がを見みよう - "Let's watch a movie"
• 一いっ緒しょに勉べん強きょうしよう - "Let's study together"

Potential Form (Can do)

Expresses ability or possibility.

Conditional Forms

〜たら (If/When)

Take the ta-form and add ら:

• 読よんだら - "if you read"
• 食たべたら - "if you eat"
• 雨あめが降ふったら家いえにいます - "If it rains, I'll stay home"

〜ば (If)

Change to え column + ば:

• 読よめば - "if you read"
• 食たべれば - "if you eat"

Desire Form (〜たい)

Expresses wants and desires. Change ます → たい. For a detailed guide on using tai-form, check out our Complete tai-form tutorial

• 読よみます → 読よみたい - "want to read"
• 食たべます → 食たべたい - "want to eat"
• 日に本ほんに行いきたいです - "I want to go to Japan"

Passive Form

Expresses that something is done to the subject.

Causative Form

Expresses making or letting someone do something.

Examples:

• 子こ供どもに野や菜さいを食たべさせる - "Make the child eat vegetables"
• 学がく生せいに宿しゅく題だいをさせる - "Make students do homework"

Complete Conjugation Tables

U-verb Example: 読よむ (yomu - to read)

Ru-verb Example: 食たべる (taberu - to eat)

Quick Comparison: All Groups

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Confusing Verb Groups

Many learners assume all verbs ending in る are Ru-verbs. Remember the exceptions!

2. Te-form Formation Errors

Don't memorize te-forms individually. Learn the ta-form rules and convert.

3. Mixing Up Potential and Passive

For Ru-verbs, potential and passive forms look identical but have different meanings.

• Potential: 寿す司しが食たべられる - "can eat sushi"
• Passive: 寿す司しが食たべられた - "sushi was eaten"

4. Using たい Incorrectly for Others

Don't use たい when talking about what others want.

5. Forgetting Particle Changes

Some conjugations require particle changes:

• Potential form: を → が
• Desire form: を can become が

Real-World Application Examples

Daily Routine Description

Practice conjugating verbs while describing your day:

Making Plans

Use different conjugations when planning activities:

Expressing Abilities and Preferences

Conclusion

Japanese verb conjugation might seem overwhelming at first, but it's actually quite systematic. With only three verb groups and consistent patterns, you can master the majority of Japanese verbs once you understand the rules.

Remember these key points:

• Identify the verb group first (U-verb, Ru-verb, or irregular)
• Learn basic forms before advancing to complex ones
• Practice with real sentences, not just tables
• Use memory aids and consistent study methods
• Don't rush - master each form thoroughly before moving on

The beauty of Japanese verb conjugation lies in its logical patterns. Unlike English, where irregular verbs are numerous and unpredictable, Japanese follows clear rules that apply consistently across thousands of verbs.

Start with the essential forms (present, past, negative, te-form) and gradually build up to the advanced forms. With consistent practice and the right study methods, you'll soon find yourself conjugating Japanese verbs naturally and confidently.