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In Japanese, there is a handful of verb classes that differ in conjugation. In this lesson, we will specifically only learn about verbs called "ru る verbs," more specifically called Ichidan 一段 verbs. This class constitutes half of all verbs in Japanese.
Before we learn about these verbs, let's go over some basic grammatical terminology.
Verb | An action or state of being. |
Auxiliary Verb | An ending that shows some grammatical function. |
Transitive Verb | A (willful) act that takes a direct object. |
Intransitive Verb | An action, state of being, or happening that does not take a direct object. |
Auxiliary verbs, often called "helper verbs," are not standalone words like in English. They must always be attached to verbs. Verbs and auxiliary verbs conjugate, and their conjugations are always very systematic with hardly any exceptions.
Just as with adjectives and adjectival nouns, the basic tenses of Japanese are non-past (present or future) and past. Although tense may not be the best word to describe what goes on in Japanese, we'll stick to it to have things feel more familiar.
Plain Non-Past Form: No Conjugation
Unlike the previous parts of speech we've covered, no conjugation is ever required to use the non-past tense in plain speech. This includes times when you use a verb to modify a noun. That means you won't have to learn any rules like da だ becoming na な.
It is when you use polite speech that goes beyond the basic form that you begin to conjugate. Nevertheless, as you will see, the non-past form can also stand for the gerund, which is the "to..." form of verbs in English. This means quite a few slightly different things can be expressed just with the basic form of a verb.
1. 看板を見る。
Kamban wo miru.
To look at a billboard.
2. 汚い服を着る。
Kitanai fuku wo kiru.
To wear dirty clothes.
3. 毎朝起きる。
Maiasa okiru.
To happen every morning/To get up every morning.
4. 時間が過ぎる。
Jikan ga sugiru.
Time passes.
5. 野菜を煮る。
Yasai wo niru.
To simmer vegetables.
Polite Non-Past Form: -masu ます
To make an Ichidan 一段 verb polite in the non-past tense, drop ru る and add -masu ます.
Meaning | Verb | Drop ru る, add -masu ます |
To close | Tojiru 閉じる | Tojimasu 閉じます |
To fall/drop | Ochiru 落ちる | Ochimasu 落ちます |
To borrow | Kariru 借りる | Karimasu 借ります |
To think | Kangaeru 考える | Kangaemasu 考えます |
To remember | Oboeru 覚える | Oboemasu 覚えます |
6. ドアを閉じます。
Doa wo tojimasu.
I’ll close the door.
7. ちょっと考えます。
Chotto kangaemasu.
I’ll think about it.
8. 教科書を借ります。
Kyōkasho wo karimasu.
I’ll borrow the textbook.
Usage Note: This form almost always cannot modify nouns. Meaning, you can't place it before a noun for the purpose of modifying said noun. To modify nouns with verbs in the non-past tense, you must use the plain form without -masu ます.
Ex. よく借りる教科書 〇
Yoku kariru kyōkasho
よく借ります教科書 X
Yoku karimasu kyōkasho
Textbook(s) that I often borrow
Plain Past Form: -ta た
To make an Ichidan 一段 verb past tense in plain speech, drop ru る and add -ta た.
Meaning | Verb | Drop ru る, add -ta た |
To see/look | Miru 見る | Mita 見た |
To fall down/collapse | Taoreru 倒れる | Taoreta 倒れた |
To find | Mitsukeru 見つける | Mitsuketa 見つけた |
To gather/collect | Atsumeru 集める | Atsumeta 集めた |
To get used to | Nareru 慣れる | Nareta 慣れた |
Usage Note: This form can also be used to modify nouns without any change in form. Most conjugations are able to do so as long as they are not in their polite forms.
9. あの絵を見た。
Ano e wo mita.
I saw that picture.
10. 切手を集めた。
Kitte wo atsumeta.
I collected stamps.
11. クマが倒れた。
Kuma ga taoreta.
The bear collapsed.
12. だいぶ慣れた。
Daibu nareta.
I've gotten fairly used to it.
Grammar Note: Perfect past tense involving "to have..." in English is usually translated with the past tense.
Polite Past Form: -mashita ました
To make an Ichidan 一段 verb past tense in polite speech, drop ru る and add -mashita ました.
Meaning | Verb | Drop ru る, add -mashita ました |
To get | Eru 得る | Emashita 得ました |
To increase | Fueru 増える | Fuemashita 増えました |
To line up/arrange in order | Naraberu 並べる | Narabemashita 並べました |
To mix | Mazeru 混ぜる | Mazemashita 混ぜました |
To plant | Ueru 植える | Uemashita 植えました |
13. 木を植えました。
Ki wo uemashita.
I planted a tree.
14. 言葉を並べました。
Kotoba wo narabemashita.
I lined up the words.
15. 人口が増えました。
Jinkō ga fuemashita.
The population increased/grew.
16. 調味料を混ぜました。
Chōmiryō wo mazemashita.
I mixed in spices.
Usage Note: Usually, this form cannot modify nouns. Meaning, you can't place it before a noun for the purpose of modifying said noun. To modify nouns with verbs in the past tense, you must use the plain form -ta た.
Ex. 混ぜた調味料 〇
Mazeta chōmiryō
混ぜました調味料 X
Mazemashita chōmiryō
Spice(s) that I mixed
Plain Negative Form: -nai ない
To make an Ichidan 一段 verb negative in plain speech, drop ru る and add -nai ない.
Meaning | Verb | Drop ru る, add -nai ない |
To break | Kowareru 壊れる | Kowarenai 壊れない |
To bathe in | Abiru 浴びる | Abinai 浴びない |
To lose | Makeru 負ける | Makenai 負けない |
To get wet | Nureru 濡れる | Nurenai 濡れない |
To answer | Kotaeru 答える | Kotaenai 答えない |
Usage Note: This form can also be used to modify nouns without any change in form. Most conjugations are able to do so as long as they are not in their polite forms.
17. 引き戸が壊れない。
Hikido ga kowarenai.
The sliding door won’t break.
18. シャワーを浴びない。
Shawā wo abinai.
To not/will not take a shower.
19. 僕は負けない。(Male speech)
Boku wa makenai.
I won’t lose.
20. 足が濡れない。
Ashi ga nurenai.
One’s feet won’t get wet.
21. 負けない心
Makenai kokoro
A heart that won’t lose
Polite Negative Form: -masen ません
To make an Ichidan 一段 verb negative in polite speech, drop ru る and add -masen ません.
Meaning | Verb | Drop ru る, add -masen ません |
To believe | Shinjiru 信じる | Shinjimasen 信じません |
To eat | Taberu 食べる | Tabemasen 食べません |
To feel/sense | Kanjiru 感じる | Kanjimasen 感じません |
To go out | Deru 出る | Demasen 出ません |
To sleep | Neru 寝る | Nemasen 寝ません |
Usage Note: This form almost always cannot modify nouns. Meaning, you can't place it before a noun for the purpose of modifying said noun. To modify nouns with verbs in the negative, you must use the plain form -nai ない.
22. 今夜寝ません。
Kon’ya nemasen.
I won’t sleep tonight.
23. 何も感じません。
Nani mo kanjimasen.
I don’t feel anything.
24. (お)肉は食べません。
(O-)niku wa tabemasen.
I don’t/won’t eat meat.
25. 神を信じません。
Kami wo shinjimasen.
I don’t believe in God.
Usage Note: This form almost always cannot modify nouns. Meaning, you can't place it before a noun for the purpose of modifying said noun. To modify nouns with verbs in the negative, you must use the plain form -nai ない.
Ex. 食べない(お)肉 〇
Tabenai (o-)niku
食べません(お)肉 X
Tabemasen (o-)niku
Meat that I don't/won't eat
Plain Negative Past Form: -nakatta なかった
To make an Ichidan 一段 verb negative past in plain speech, drop ru る and add -nakatta なかった.
Meaning | Verb | Drop ru る, add -nakatta なかった |
To vanish/go out | Kieru 消える | Kienakatta 消えなかった |
To wither | Kareru 枯れる | Karenakatta 枯れなかった |
To throw away | Suteru 捨てる | Sutenakatta 捨てなかった |
To forget | Wasureru 忘れる | Wasurenakatta 忘れなかった |
To add to | Kuwaeru 加える | Kuwaenakatta 加えなかった |
Usage Note: This form can also be used to modify nouns without any change in form. Most conjugations are able to do so as long as they are not in their polite forms.
26. 消えなかった証拠
Kienakatta shōko
Evidence that didn’t disappear
27. 彼はごみを捨てなかった。
Kare wa gomi wo sutenakatta.
He didn’t throw away the trash.
28. 忘れなかったよ。
Wasurenakatta yo.
I didn’t forget.
Particle Note: The particle yo よ adds exclamation to the sentence.
Polite Negative Past Form: -masendeshita ませんでした
To make an Ichidan 一段 verb negative past in polite speech, drop ru る and add -masendeshita ませんでした.
Meaning | Verb | Drop ru る, add -masendeshita ませんでした |
To get off/go down | Oriru 降りる | Orimasendeshita 降りませんでした |
To change | Kaeru 変える | Kaemasendeshita 変えませんでした |
To admit/recognize | Mitomeru 認める | Mitomemasendeshita 認めませんでした |
To be burned/charred | Kogeru 焦げる | Kogemasendeshita 焦げませんでした |
To check/investigate | Shiraberu 調べる | Shirabemasendeshita 調べませんでした |
29. 話題を変えませんでした。
Wadai wo kaemasendeshita.
I didn't change the topic.
30. ピザを食べませんでした。
Piza wo tabemasendeshita.
I didn't eat pizza.
31. なかなか焦げませんでした。
Nakanaka kogemasendeshita.
It didn’t really get charred.
32. 特に調べませんでした。
Toku ni shirabemasendeshita.
I didn’t particularly check/investigate it.
Usage Note: This form cannot modify nouns. Meaning, you can't place it before a noun for the purpose of modifying said noun. To modify nouns with verbs in the negative past, you must use the plain form -nakatta なかった.
Ex. 食べなかったピザ
Tabenakatta piza
食べませんでしたピザ
Tabemasendeshita piza
The pizza I didn’t eat
Alternative Polite Negative & Neg-Past Forms: -nai desu & -nakatta desu ないです・なかったです
To make an Ichidan 一段 verb negative or negative past in polite yet casual speech, drop ru る and add -nai desu ないです or nakatta desu なかったです respectively.
Meaning | Verb | Change to Plain Negative/Negative-Past, add desu です |
To leak | Moreru 漏れる | Morenai desu 漏れないです Morenakatta desu 漏れなかったです |
To clear up | Hareru 晴れる | Harenai desu 晴れないです Harenakatta desu 晴れなかったです |
To be popular | Moteru もてる | Motenai desu もてないです Motenakatta desu もてなかったです |
33. 内容は漏れないです。
Naiyō wa morenai desu.
(The) content won’t leak.
34. 今日は晴れなかったです。
Kyō wa harenakatta desu.
It didn’t clear up today. (Weather)
35. 魚は食べないです。
Sakana wa tabenai desu.
I don’t eat fish.
Usage Note: These forms cannot modify nouns. To modify nouns with verbs in the negative or negative past, you must use their plain forms -nai ない and -nakatta なかった respectively.
Ex. もてない男 〇
Motenai otoko
もてないです男 X
Motenai desu otoko
A man who isn’t popular
Conjugation Recap
As review, here are the conjugations you learned in this lesson with the verbs miru 見る (to see) and taberu 食べる (to eat).
Verb Form | Conjugation | Miru 見る (To see) | Taberu 食べる (To eat) |
Plain Non-Past | N/A | Miru 見る | Taberu 食べる |
Polite Non-Past | -masu ます | Mimasu 見ます | Tabemasu 食べます |
Plain Past | -ta た | Mita 見た | Tabeta 食べた |
Polite Past | -mashita ました | Mimashita 見ました | Tabemashita 食べました |
Plain Negative | -nai ない | Minai 見ない | Tabenai 食べない |
Polite Neg. 1 | -nai desu ないです | Minai desu 見ないです | Tabenai desu 食べないです |
Polite Neg. 2 | -masen ません | Mimasen 見ません | Tabemasen 食べません |
Plain Neg-Past | -nakatta なかった | Minakatta 見なかった | Tabenakatta 食べなかった |
Polite Neg-Past 1 | -nakatta desu なかったです | Minakatta desu 見なかったです | Tabenakatta desu 食べなかったです |
Polite Neg-Past 2 | -masendeshita ませんでした | Mimasendeshita 見ませんでした | Tabemasendeshita 食べませんでした |