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The next class of verbs that we will study is the Godan 五段 verb class. These verbs behave just like ru る verbs Ichidan 一段 verbs. These verbs conjugate and function the same way with the only difference  being that their roots end in consonants. Because their stems end in consonants, which are then followed by u う in their basic form, they are frequently referred to as u verbs. This difference does have one drawback, which is that you will have to learn contraction rules with certain conjugations. 

Godan 五段 verbs conjugate as do adjectives, adjectival nouns with the help of da だ or desu です, and the basic tenses are still the non-past and past tenses. As we've learned in the lesson prior, the non-past tense can be used to stand for either the present tense, future tense, or the gerund depending on context. The past tense correlates to both the English past tense and perfect tense. Using this knowledge that we've already attained, we will take the next step of our journey by learning how to conjugate the remaining 49% of verbs.

Plain Non-Past Form: No Conjugation

As was the case for Ichidan 一段 verbs, no conjugation is required for the non-past tense in plain speech. Of course, the non-past needs -masu ます when you use polite speech, but we'll get to that shortly. Because a Godan 五段 verb can have any consonant end its stem, we'll need to first see all the possibilities.

Verb Notes: 

1. The consonant "w" becomes important in certain conjugations, so even though it may be silent here, it does play a role.  
2. Shinu 死ぬ is the only verb in Standard Japanese that ends in nu ぬ. 

1. 小説しょうせつを書かく。
Shōsetsu wo kaku.
To write a novel.

2. いつか死(し)ぬ。
Itsuka shinu.
To one-day die.

3. 世界せかいが変かわる。
Sekai ga kawaru.
The world will change.

4. 美味おいしい食たべ物ものを買かう。
Oishii tabemono wo kau.
To buy delicious food. 

Polite Non-Past Form:-masu ます

To make a Godan 五段 verb polite in the non-past tense, change the vowel after the stem to /i/ い, and then add -masu ます. Note that the consonant t will turn to ch when followed by the vowel i. 

Usage Note: This form cannot modify nouns. To modify nouns with verbs in the non-past tense, you must use the plain form without -masu ます. 

5. 道みちが凍こおります。
Michi ga kōrimasu.
The road(s) (will) freeze over.

6. 小泉こいずみさんを待まちます。
Koizumi-san wo machimasu.
I’ll wait for Mr. Koizumi.

7. 全員死ぜんいんしにます。
Zen’in shinimasu.
Everyone dies.

8. 警察けいさつを呼よびますよ。
Keisatsu wo yobimasu yo.
I’ll call the police.

9. 本気ほんきで挑いどみます！
Honki de idomimasu!
I’m going to challenge all out!

Plain Past Form: -ta た

To make a Godan 一段 verb past tense in plain speech,-ta た is used just like with Ichidan  一段 verbs. However, a series of sound changes affect them in different ways depending on what consonant the verb stem ends with.

• If the verb stem ends in k, the k drops, /i/ is inserted, and -ta た is attached. 
• If the verb stem ends in g, the g drops, /i/ is inserted, but -ta た → -da だ when attached. 
  
• If the verb stem ends in s, -ta attaches normally like with -masu ます.
• If the verb stem ends in n, b, or m, these consonants → n, and -ta た → -da だ when attached.
• If the verb stem ends in t, r, or w, these consonants → small tsu っ, and then -ta た attaches.

Examples affected by the sound changes described in these rules are shown in bold below along with verbs that are irregular. 

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.

Grammar Notes:
1. The verb "to go" becomes itta 行った in the past tense unlike all other verbs whose stems end in k.
2. The verb "to say" is actually pronounced as "yū." This discrepancy manifests in the past tense as well, making both "itta" and "yutta" viable and equally correct pronunciations.   

10. バターを売(う)った。
Batā wo utta.
I sold butter. 

11. お金かねを貸かした。
Okane wo kashita.
I lent money.

12. やっと宿題(しゅくだい)が終(お)わった！
Yatto shukudai ga owatta.
My homework is finally finished!

13. その黄色(きいろ)い鳥(とり)が死(し)んだ。
Sono kiiroi tori ga shinda. 
That yellow bird died.

14. 卵たまごを包つつんだ肉団子にくだんご
Tamago wo tsutsunda nikudango
Meatballs with egg packed in

15. アニソンを歌(うた)った。
Anison wo utatta.
I sang an anime song.

16. 悪口わるくちを言った人ひと
Warukuchi wo itta/yutta hito
Person who said slander 

Polite Past Form: -mashita ました 

  To make a Godan 五段 verb past tense in polite speech, change the vowel after the stem to /i/ い, and then add -mashita ました. 

Usage Note: This form cannot modify nouns. To modify nouns with verbs in the past tense, you must use the plain form -ta た. 

17. 喉のどが渇かわきました。
Nodo ga kawakimashita.
I’m thirsty/My throat is dry.

18. 好すきな香かおりを嗅かぎました。
Suki na kaori wo kagimashita.
I smelled a scent that I like.

19. タイプミスを直(なお)しました。
Taipumisu wo naoshimashita.
I fixed the typo(s).

20. 祖母そぼは去年死きょねんしにました。
Sobo wa kyonen shinimashita.
My grandmother died last year.

21. 竹たけを運はこびました。
Take wo hakobimashita.
I carried/transported bamboo.

22. 同おなじことを思おもいました。
Onaji koto wo omoimashita.
I thought the same thing.

23. 自然薯じねんじょを掘ほりました。
Jinenjo wo horimashita.
I dug up Japanese yams.

Plain Negative Form: -nai ない  

To make a Godan 五段 verb negative in plain speech, change the vowel after the stem to /a/ あ, and then add -nai ない. Note how in this conjugation, silent w becomes spoken. 

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. 

24. 心こころは揺ゆるがない。
Kokoro wa yuruganai.
My heart won’t waver.

25. 電気でんきがつかない。
Denki ga tsukanai.
The electricity won’t/doesn’t turn on.

26. 風邪薬かぜぐすりは風邪かぜを治なおさない。
Kazegusuri wa kaze wo naosanai.
Cold medicine won’t cure a cold.

27. 銃じゅうを撃うたない。
Jū wo utanai.
I won’t shoot a gun.

28. 決けっして死しなない。
Kesshite shinanai.
I’ll never die.

29. 服ふくを畳たたまない夫おっと
Fuku wo tatamanai otto
Husband who won’t fold clothes

30. 英会話えいかいわを習ならわない。
Eikaiwa wo narawanai.
To not take lessons in English conversation.

Polite Negative Form: -masen ません 

To make a Godan 五段 verb negative in polite speech, change the vowel after the stem to /i/ い, and then add -masen ません.

Usage Note: This form cannot modify nouns. To modify nouns with verbs in the negative, you must use the plain form -nai ない.  

31. 夫おっとがまったく働はたらきません。
My husband won’t work at all.

32. 僕ぼくは死しにません！ (Male speech)
Boku wa shinimasen!
I won’t die!

33. もう悩(なや)みません。
Mō nayamimasen.
I won’t be troubled anymore.

34. 私わたしはまだ帰かえりません。
Watashi wa mada kaerimasen.
I’m not going home yet.

35. クリスマスは祝(いわ)いません。
Kurisumasu wa iwaimasen.
I won’t celebrate Christmas.

36. 歯はが立たちません。
Ha ga tachimasen.
I can’t make a dent in it.

Idiom Note: This idiom comes from a phrase literally meaning “unable to bite through something.”  

Plain Negative Past Form: -nakatta なかった 

To make a Godan 五段 verb negative past in plain speech, change the vowel after the stem to /a/ あ, and then add -nakatta 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. 

37. ワニが動かなかった。
Wani ga ugokanakatta.
The crocodile didn’t move.

38. とどめを刺(さ)さなかった。
Todome wo sasanakatta.
I didn’t put an end to it.

39. ハリー・ポッターは死(し)ななかった。
Harii Potta wa shinanakatta.
Harry Potter didn’t die.

40. 爪つめを噛かまなかった。
Tsume wo kamanakatta.
I didn’t bite my nails.

Polite Negative Past Form: -masendeshita ませんでした 

To make a Godan 五段 verb negative past in polite speech, change the vowel after the stem to /i/ い, and then add -masendeshita ませんでした. 

Usage Note: This form cannot modify nouns. To modify nouns with verbs in the negative past, you must use the plain form -nakatta なかった. 

41. 薬(くすり)を飲(の)みませんでした。
Kusuri wo nomimasendeshita.
I didn’t take (the) medicine. 

42. 商品しょうひんが届とどきませんでした。
Shōhin ga todokimasendeshita.
The item didn’t arrive.

43. カニは死(し)にませんでした。
Kani wa shinimasendeshita.
The crab didn’t die.

44. タバコを吸(す)いませんでした。
Tabako wo suimasendeshita.
I didn’t smoke.  

Alternative Polite Negative & Neg-Past Forms: -nai desu & -nakatta desu ないです・なかったです 

To make a Godan 五段 verb negative or negative past in polite yet casual speech, change the vowel after the stem to a あ, and then add -nai desu ないです or nakatta desu なかったです respectively. 

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.   

45. 彼女は本を読(よ)まなかったです。
Kanojo wa hon wo yomanakatta desu.
She didn't read a/the book.

46. 多分死たぶんしなないです。
Tabun shinanai desu.
I probably won’t die.

47. あまり話(はな)さなかったです。 
Amari hanasanakatta desu.   
I really didn’t talk/speak. 

 Conjugation Recap 

As review, here are the conjugations you learned in this lesson. Each kind of Godan 五段 verb is represented with one verb. For brevity, all conjugations will be rendered in Hiragana ひらがな.

After having learned all about both kinds of verbs, the sad realization that sometimes they look exactly like each other hits you like a bowling ball the face. For verbs that end in "eru" or "iru," you won't be able to initially tell what kind of verb they are until you see at least one conjugation. Usually, verbs that are homophonous almost always have different pitches as well.

There is at least one bit of good news from this debacle, which is that the fact there are two classes of verbs helps distinguish verbs that sound alike in their base forms.  

If a verb ends in -ru る but the vowel preceding it is an /a/, /u/, or /o/, it will always be a Godan 五段 verb. It's also the case that a lot of verbs won't sound like an Ichidan 一段 verb. All the verbs below are Godan  五段 verbs. 

48. 電話でんわを切きりました。
Denwa wo kirimashita.
I hung up the phone.

49. 彼女かのじょは着物きものを着きました。
Kanojo wa kimono wo kimashita.
She wore a kimono.

50. スタイルを変(か)えませんでした。
Sutairu wo kaemasendeshita.
I didn’t change the style.

51. 彼かれは帰かえりませんでした。
Kare wa kaerimasendeshita.
He didn’t return/go home.

52. 車くるまを擦こする。
Kuruma wo kosuru.
To scratch a car.

53. この街(まち)はずっと変(か)わらない。
Kono machi wa zutto kawaranai.
This town won’t ever change.

54. たくさん魚(さかな)を釣(つ)った。
Takusan sakana wo tsutta.
I caught a lot of fish. 

55. 助たすけは要いらない。
Tasuke wa iranai.
I don't need help.