Lesson 2 Verb Conjugation

Masu form (Polite Form)

1. Rule I - all verbs that ends with u, ku, gu, su, tsu, nu, bu, mu, or ru.
- change "u" sound to "i" sound and add masu.

Application: This conjugation is applied to present and future tense.


①Mama wa mise de banana o kaimasu. (Mom buys/will buy bananas at the store.)

②Jim wa manga o yomimasu. (Jim will read a comic book.)

③Ojii-san wa sugu kaerimasu. (Grandpa will return soon.)


Others:

mise: a store
manga: comic book
ojii-san: grandfather

Yodan Verbs

All Yodan verbs generally follow the same pattern, which you'll probably notice as you read through their different conjugations. You'll also notice that the bases of the first five conjugation forms follow the order of the Japanese vowel sounds(-a, -i, -u, -e, -o) so that makes them a bit easier to memorize.

-KU Verbs

sample verb: kaku = write

• 1st Negative form: Kaka(nai) = I don't write
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Kaki(masu/mashita) = I write/wrote(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Kaku = I write(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Kake(ba) = If I write
• 5th Volitional form: Kakou = Let's write
• 6th TE form: Kaite = I write and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Kaita = I wrote(casual)

-GU Verbs

sample verb: oyogu = swim

• 1st Negative form: Oyoga(nai) = I don't swim
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Oyogi(masu/mashita) = I swim/swam(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Oyogu = I swim(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Oyoge(ba) = If I swim
• 5th Volitional form: Oyogou = Let's swim
• 6th TE form: Oyoide = I swim and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Oyoida = I swam(casual)

-SU Verbs

sample verb: sagasu = search

• 1st Negative form: Sagasa(nai) = I don't search
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Sagashi(masu/mashita) = I search/searched(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Sagasu = I search(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Sagase(ba) = If I search
• 5th Volitional form: Sagasou = Let's search
• 6th TE form: Sagashite = I search and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Sagashita = I searched(casual)

-TSU Verbs

sample verb: matsu = wait

• 1st Negative form: Mata(nai) = I don't wait
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Machi(masu/mashita) = I wait/waited(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Matsu = I wait(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Mate(ba) = If I wait
• 5th Volitional form: Matou = Let's wait
• 6th TE form: Matte = I wait and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Matta = I waited(casual)

-NU Verbs

sample verb: shinu = die

*"shinu" is the only -nu verb*

• 1st Negative form: Shina(nai) = I don't die
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Shini(masu/mashita) = I die/died(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Shinu = I die(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Shine(ba) = If I die
• 5th Volitional form: Shinou = Let's die
• 6th TE form: Shinde = I die and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Shinda = I died(casual)

-BU Verbs

sample verb: hakobu = carry

• 1st Negative form: Hakoba(nai) = I don't carry
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Hakobi(masu/mashita) = I carry/carried(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Hakobu = I carry(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Hakobe(ba) = If I carry
• 5th Volitional form: Hakobou = Let's carry
• 6th TE form: Hakonde = I carry and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Hakonda = I carried(casual)

-MU Verbs

sample verb: yasumu = rest

• 1st Negative form: Yasuma(nai) = I don't rest
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Yasumi(masu/mashita) = I rest/rested(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Yasumu = I rest(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Yasume(ba) = If I rest
• 5th Volitional form: Yasumou = Let's rest
• 6th TE form: Yasunde = I rest and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Yasunda = I rested(casual)

-RU Verbs

sample verb: hashiru = run

• 1st Negative form: Hashira(nai) = I don't run
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Hashiri(masu/mashita) = I run/ran(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Hashiru = I run(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Hashire(ba) = If I run
• 5th Volitional form: Hashirou = Let's run
• 6th TE form: Hashitte = I run and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Hashitta = I ran(casual)

-U Verbs

sample verb: au = meet

• 1st Negative form: Awa(nai) = I don't meet
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Ai(masu/mashita) = I meet/met(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Au = I meet(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Ae(ba) = If I meet
• 5th Volitional form: Aou = Let's meet
• 6th TE form: Atte = I meet and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Atta = I met(casual)

Ichidan Verbs

Ichidan verbs conjugate differently than Yodan verbs. A big difference is that there's no base for their Negative and Conjunctive forms. Also, be careful not to get them mixed up with Yodan -ru verbs.

-IRU Verbs

sample verb: miru = see

• 1st Negative form: Mi(nai) = I don't see
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Mi(masu/mashita) = I see/saw(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Miru = I see(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Mire(ba) = If I see
• 5th Volitional form: Miro/yo = Let's see
• 6th TE form: Mite = I see and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Mita = I saw(casual)

-ERU Verbs

sample verb: ageru = give

• 1st Negative form: Age(nai) = I don't give
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Age(masu/mashita) = I give/gave(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Ageru = I give(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Agere(ba) = If I give
• 5th Volitional form: Agero/yo = Let's give
• 6th TE form: Agete = I give and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Ageta = I gave(casual)

Irregular Verbs

kuru = come

• 1st Negative form: Ko(nai) = I don't come
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Ki(masu/mashita) = I come/came(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Kuru = I come(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Kure(ba) = If I come
• 5th Volitional form: Koyou = Let's come
• 6th TE form: Kite = I come and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Kita = I came(casual)

suru = do

• 1st Negative form: Shi(nai) = I don't do
• 2nd Conjunctive form: Shi(masu/mashita) = I do/did(normal-polite)
• 3rd Dictionary form: Suru = I do(casual)
• 4th Conditional form: Sure(ba) = If I do
• 5th Volitional form: Shiyou = Let's do
• 6th TE form: Shite = I do and...(indicates another verb will follow)
• 7th TA form: Shita = I did(casual)

Verb List

Here's a list of some common Japanese verbs. See if you can conjugate them youself! ^.^

Yodan verbs

Motsu = Hold

Kau = Buy

Iu = Say

Hanasu = Speak

Yobu = Call

Yomu = Read

Utau = Sing

Ugoku = Move

Aruku = Walk

Omou = Think, Feel

Asobu = Play

Kiku = Listen

Noru = Get on, Ride

Narau = Learn

Uru = Sell

Naku = Cry

Warau = Laugh, Smile

Ganbaru = Do one's best, Hold on

Tatsu = Stand

Iku = Go

Suwaru = Sit

Tsukau = Use

Hairu = Enter

Kesu = Erase

Katsu = Win

Chigau = Be wrong

Umu = Give birth

Tobu = Fly

Kaeru = Return, Go back

Shiru = Know

Owaru = End

Korosu = Kill

Saku = Bloom

Naru = Become

Isogu = Hurry

Wakaru = Understand, Know

Ichidan verbs

Akeru = Open

Shimeru = Close

Dekiru = Be able to

Oshieru = Tell, Teach

Todokeru = Deliver

Taberu = Eat

Deru = Leave, Exit

Miseru = Show

Okiru = Get up

Kotaeru = Answer

Yameru = Stop, Resign

Shinjiru = Believe, Trust

Kanjiru = Feel, Sense

Nigeru = Run away, Escape

Wasureru = Forget

Tasukeru = Save

Akirameru = Give up

Hajimeru = Begin

Tsuzukeru = Continue

Umareru = Be born


Reference: animeyume.com