The Ultimate Guide to Japanese Verbs for Beginners (Let’s, Want to, Don’t…)

In this lesson, we will be talking about verbs, 動どう詞し doushi. Whether you are a beginner picking up the Japanese language or already a learner, this video can act as an introduction or a refresher for you to iron out the basics.

The reason why we are on this topic today is because the learning of verbs and its conjugations is a really important aspect in the learning of Japanese language.

As compared to English, where verbs conjugate based on its pronoun, Japanese verbs conjugate depending on many different factors i.e. time, negation and formality.

Sentence breakdown

する suru (to do) → して(い)る shite(i)ru <inf.> or しています shiteimasu <form.>

(to be doing; present continuous form)

Note:

In this case, the verb conjugates based on the formality of the speech i.e. how formal you have to sound. This concept may not be foreign to you if you speak European languages, though not as applicable in the English language.

Note:

Another point to note, in Japanese sentence structure, the verb usually comes at the end of the sentence.

私わたし watashi (I / Me), the subject, is often omitted. In this sense, when the context is known (to both speaker and listener), the subject is generally omitted.

Sentence breakdown

テレビ (television)

見みる miru (to watch / see)

Sentence breakdown

これ kore (this)

なん nan / なに nani (what)

〜です desu (to be; verb)

〜か (question marker / particle; usually attached at the end of the sentence)

Sentence breakdown

暑あつい atsui (hot; weather)

〜ね ne (isn’t it?; used when seeking for confirmation or agreement from another person)

Note:

〜ですdesu is only used in formal speeches. In the case where you are speaking to your friends or family, you will usually drop the ~です desu (in informal speeches).

Moving on to the general classification of verbs; mainly (1) ‘U-verbs’ and (2) ‘RU-verbs’. As a reference following my videos, RU-verbs are also known as ‘iru/eru-verbs’ and U-verbs to be known as ‘other ending verbs’.

Note:

Reason for this classification being U-verbs (other ending verbs; aru/uru/oru-verbs) conjugate differently.

Technically all verbs (in the dictionary form) end with ‘u’. As such, verbs are further classified as above because of the ways they conjugate.

At this point, do not be intimidated by the different ways a verb can conjugates. As a guide, conjugation for U-verbs (other ending verbs) takes place in accordance to the 5 vowels in Japanese language.

(verb stem) –u → (verb stem) –a / i / u / e / o

With the bulk of verbs already classified into the various groups, take note that there are a few exceptions.

Take for example, 帰かえる kaeru (to go home).

Even though this verb has an eru-ending, it does not conjugate like the rest of the eru-ending verbs. Instead, it follows U-verbs (other ending verbs) conjugation.

Other exceptions include,

切きる kiru (to cut) ・要いる iru (to need) ・走はしる hashiru (to run), etc

Lastly, there are irregular verbs that conjugate slightly different as all the other verbs.

Now that the general classifications are sorted out (mainly RU-verbs, U-verbs and irregulars), we can look into how verbs conjugate.

Note:

Before we can proceed any further, be sure to learn your hiragana well. Even though it may seem a little overwhelming at first, it is definitely the easier set of writing systems of the 3 (i.e. hiragana, katakana, kanji).

Based on the 5 Japanese vowels, あ・い・う・え・お

We will start off to see how verbs conjugate with the first vowel, あ

あ・い・う・え・お

U-verbs (other ending verbs)

(verb stem)-u → (verb stem)-a

Note:

When used in conversation, the dictionary form of the verb is used to express present or future tense.

Note:

〜なきゃ nakya (to have to ~) <inf.>

For RU-verbs (iru/eru-verbs), you simply replace る ru with ない nai.

(verb stem)-ru → (stem verb)-nai

Now, let’s move on to see how verbs conjugate with the second vowel, い

あ・い・う・え・お

U-verbs (other ending verbs)

(verb stem)-u → (verb stem)-i

Note:

Meaning of the word does not change in this case. Masu-form; used for politeness, applicable when speaking to your seniors, boss, and even strangers. Else, you may sound rude (if you are using casual form).

Note:

After you know how to make masu-form, you will be able to make the negation, past form and past negation easily.

Note:

~でした deshita (was; past tense of です desu, often attached to a noun)

In addition, ~たい tai (want to form) can be constructed in this conjugation.

verb stem-ますmasu (to do) → verb stem-たい tai (to want) <inf.>

行く → 行き + ます iki + masu (to go) <form.>

行いきます iki-masu (to go) → 行いきたい iki-tai (to want to go) <inf.>

Ru-verbs (iru/eru-verbs)

verb stem-る ru → verb stem-ます masu / たい tai (to do / to want; verb conjugation)

Moving on, let’s move on to see how verbs conjugate with the next vowel. う is the dictionary form itself, so we will look at the next vowel, え

あ・い・う・え・お

U-verbs (other ending verbs)

(verb stem)-u → (verb stem)-e

Note:

The imperative form is used when giving a command as such it may sound harsh. If it is not your intention, you may use 行って itte (te- request form) in this case.

Ru-verbs (iru/eru-verbs)

verb stem-る ru → verb stem-ろ ro (imperative form conjugation)

Last, let’s move on to see how verbs conjugate with the last vowel, お

あ・い・う・え・お

U-verbs (other ending verbs)

(verb stem)-u → (verb stem)-o

Note:

Even though 遊あそぶ asobu would translate to be ‘to play’ as well, but in cases where you want to say ‘to play a video game’, (ゲームを)やる (gemu wo) yaru or プレイする purei suru to mean ‘to play’ instead.

おう is pronounced as long o sound (おお) i.e. long vowel

Note:

A more causal way to express would be dropping the last う e.g. 遊ぼ asobo or 行こ iko in speeches. However, in writing you will still attached the う behind.

Ru-verbs (iru/eru-verbs)

verb stem-る ru → verb stem-よう you (volitional form conjugation)

食たべべる taberu (to eat) → 食たべべよう tabeyou (let’s eat)

With that, we have gone through the different classifications of verbs and how they conjugate according to the 5 Japanese vowels (あ・い・う・え・お). Even though learning Japanese may seems like its too overwhelming at first, please preserve and don’t give up because Japanese would really appreciate your effort to speak and to understand them!