In this lesson, you will learn how Japanese verbs conjugate. If you are not familiar with verbs yet, read "Japanese Verb(1)" first.
Dictionary Form
The dictionary form (basic form) of all Japanese verbs end with "u". This is the form listed in the dictionary, and is the informal, present affirmative form of the verb. This form is used among close friends and family in informal situations.
The ~ masu Form (Formal Form)
The suffix "~ masu" is added to the dictionary form of the verbs to make sentence polite. Aside from changing the tone, it has no meaning. This form is used in situations required politeness or a degree of formality, and is more appropriate for general use.
| The ~ masu Form | |
| Group 1 | Take off the final ~u, and add ~ imasu kaku --- kakimasu, nomu --- nomimasu |
| Group 2 | Take off the final ~ru, and add ~ masu miru --- mimasu, taberu --- tabemasu |
| Group 3 | kuru --- kimasu, suru --- shimasu |
The ~ masu Form minus "~ masu" is the stem of the verb. The verb stems are useful since many verb suffixes are attached to them.
| ~ Masu Form | The stem of the verb |
| kakimasu | kaki |
| nomimasu | nomi |
| mimasu | mi |
| tabemasu | tabe |
Present Tense
Japanese verb forms have two main tenses, the present and the past. There is no future tense. The present tense is used for future and habitual action as well. The informal form of the present tense is the same as the dictionary form. The ~ masu form is used in formal situations.
Past Tense
The past tense is used to express actions completed in the past (I saw, I bought etc.) and present perfect tense (I have read, I have done etc.). Forming the informal past tense is simpler for Group 2 verbs, but more complicated for Group 1 verbs. The conjugation of Group 1 verbs varies depending on the consonant of the last syllable on the dictionary form. All Group 2 verbs have the same conjugation pattern.
| Group 1 | ||
| Formal | Replace ~ u with ~ imashita | kaku --- kakimashita nomu --- nomimashita |
| Informal | (1) Verb ending with ~ ku: replace ~ ku with ~ ita | kaku --- kaita kiku --- kiita |
| (2) Verb ending with ~ gu: replace ~ gu with ~ ida | isogu --- isoida oyogu --- oyoida | |
| (3) Verb ending with ~ u, ~tsu and ~ ru: replace them with ~ tta | utau --- utatta matsu --- matta kaeru --- kaetta | |
| (4) Verb ending with ~ nu, ~bu and ~ mu: replace them with ~ nda | shinu --- shinda asobu --- asonda nomu --- nonda | |
| (5) Verb ending with ~ su: replace ~ su with ~ shita | hanasu --- hanashita dasu --- dashita | |
| Group 2 | ||
| Formal | Take off ~ru, and add ~ mashita | miru --- mimashita taberu ---tabemashita |
| Informal | Take off ~ru, and add ~ ta | miru --- mita taberu --- tabeta |
| Group 3 | ||
| Formal | kuru --- kimashita, suru --- shimashita | |
| Informal | kuru --- kita, suru ---shita | |
Present Negative
To make sentence negative, verb endings are changed into negative forms (The ~ nai Form).
| Formal | All Verbs (Group 1, 2, 3) | |
| Replace ~ masu with ~ masen | nomimasu --- nomimasen tabemasu --- tabemasen kimasu --- kimasen shimasu --- shimasen | |
| Informal | Group 1 | |
| Replace the final ~ u with ~anai (If verb ending is a vowel + ~ u, replace with ~ wanai) | kiku --- kikanai nomu --- nomanai au --- awanai | |
| Group 2 | ||
| Replace ~ ru with ~ nai | miru --- minai taberu --- tabenai | |
| Group 3 | ||
| kuru --- konai, suru ---shinai | ||
Past Negative
| Formal | All Verbs (Group 1, 2, 3) | |
| Add ~ deshita to the formal present negative form | nomimasen --- nomimasen deshita tabemasen --- tabemasen deshita kimasen--- kimasen deshita shimasen--- shimasen deshita | |
| Informal | All Verbs (Group 1, 2, 3) | |
| Replace ~ nai with ~ nakatta | nomanai --- nomanakatta tabenai --- tabenakatta konai --- konakatta shinai ---shinakatta | |
