Introduction to Japanese Verb Types

Intro to Japanese Verb Types: う-verbs, る-verbs, and irregular verbs – Review Notes

Today we learned that there are 3 types of Japanese verbs.

In these video review notes we will go over today’s Japanese grammar in greater detail and see some example sentences and a list of verbs!

………………………………………………………………………………..

Today’s Grammar Lesson:

★　Today we will learn about the three Japanese verb classes.

★　There are 3 classes of Japanese verbs:

       ★　う-verbs (u-verbs)

       ★　る-verbs (ru-verbs)

       ★　irregular verbs

………………………………………………………………………………..

う-verbs (u-verbs) and る-verbs (ru-verbs):

★　The first type of Japanese verbs is called う-verbs (u-verbs), and is also sometimes referred to as “group 1 verbs”

★　う-verbs (u-verbs) always end with an う (u) sound when in plain form.

★　When conjugating an う-verb, the final う (u) sound changes (more details next time).

★　The second type of Japanese verbs is called る-verbs (ru-verbs), and is also sometimes referred to as “group 2 verbs.”

★　As you can see, る-verbs (ru-verbs) always end in る (ru), more specifically, in える (eru) or いる (iru).

★　When conjugating a る-verb, the る (more details next time).

★　So, although both る-verbs (ru-verbs) and う-verbs (u-verbs) actually end with a う (u) sound, you can tell if it is a る-verb (ru-verb) or not by checking if it ends in える (eru) or いる (iru), right?

★　Most of the time, the answer is yes. However, there are exceptions.

………………………………………………………………………………..

There are some Exceptions:

★　Sometimes う-verbs (u-verbs) can also end in いる (iru) or える (eru)!

★　So how do you figure out if this verb that ends in いる or える is anう-verb or a る-verb?!

★　Unfortunately, there is no rule that works for everything, so you will have to figure it out as you go.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Irregular verbs AKA Group 3 verbs:

★　Luckily, there are only 2 irregular verbs in Japanese!

★　These verbs are irregular because they are not conjugated like う-verbs or る-verbs.

★　We will learn more about verb conjugations in the next several grammar lessons.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Additional Basic Information about Verbs:

★　Unlike English, verbs come at the end of a sentence or a clause in Japanese.

★　Verbs carry a lot of meaning in Japanese. The tense and the level of formality of a sentence is determined by the verb, and the meaning of the sentence largely depends on the way the final verb is conjugated.

★　Unlike English, Japanese verbs do not have different conjugations depending on the subject (I, you, she, they, etc.) In this way, they are much more simple!

★　In Japanese, plain form (or masu form in a formal sentence) is used for both the simple present (factual or habitual) and future tense.

★　In Japanese, the irregular verb する (suru) is used for many different things including turning nouns into verbs.

★　For example, 勉強 (benkyō) is a noun that means study. When you add する (suru), it becomes a verb 勉強する (benkyō suru).

………………………………………………………………………………..

Example Sentences with う-verbs (Plain Form):

Number 1:

そとであそぶ。

Soto de asobu.

(I) will play outside. / (I) play outside.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Number 2:

ここで待つ。

Koko de matsu.

(I) will wait here. / (I) wait here.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Examples Sentences with る-verbs (Plain Form):

Number 1:

8時に起きる。

Hachiji ni okiru.

(I) get up at 8:00. / (I) will get up at 8:00.

……………………………………………………………………………….

Number 2:

ここでねる。

Koko de neru.

(I) sleep here. / (I) will sleep here.

………………………………………………………………………………..

Examples Sentences with irregular verbs:

Number 1:

学校でする。

Gakkō de suru.

(I) do (it) at school. / (I) will do (it) at school.

……………………………………………………………………………….

Number 2:

学校に来る。

Gakkō ni kuru.

(I) come to school. / (I) will come to school.

………………………………………………………………………………..

List of Japanese Verbs in Plain Form:

………………………………………………………………………………..

List of some common う-verbs:

洗う　　あらう　　arau　　　　to wash

歩く　　あるく　　aruku　　　 to walk

遊ぶ　　あそぶ　　asobu　　　 to play

会う　　あう　　　au　　　　　to meet

黙る　　だまる　　damaru　　 to be silent

騙す　　だます　　damasu　　 to trick

選ぶ　　えらぶ　　erabu　　　 to choose / pick

太る　　ふとる　　futoru　　　to gain weight

頑張る　がんばる　ganbaru　　to do one’s best

入る　　はいる　　hairu　　　  to enter

話す　　はなす　　hanasu　　  to speak / talk

払う　　はらう　　harau　　　 to pay

光る　　ひかる　　hikaru　　    to shine

行く　　いく　　　iku　　　　   to go

買う　　かう　　　kau　　　　  to buy

勝つ　　かつ　　　katsu　　　  to win

聞く　　きく　　　kiku　　　    to listen

守る　　まもる　　mamoru　   to protect

待つ　　まつ　　　matsu　　    to wait

持つ　　もつ　　　motsu　　　to hold / have　

泣く　　なく　　　naku　　　   to cry

怒る　　おこる　　okoru　　　 to get angry

思う　　おもう　　omou　　　  to think / believe

終わる　おわる　　owaru　　　to end

泳ぐ　　およぐ　　oyogu　　　 to swim

知る　　しる　　　shiru　　　  to know

立つ　　たつ　　　tatsu　　　   to stand

使う　　つかう　　tsukau　　   to use

動く　　うごく　　ugoku　　    to move

歌う　　うたう　　utau　　　　to sing

……………………………………………………………………………….

List of some common る-verbs:

開ける　　あける　　　akeru　　　 　to open

褒める　　ほめる　　　homeru　　　to praise

惚れる　　ほれる　　　horeru　　  　to fall in love

生きる　　いきる　　　ikiru　　　  　to live

入れる　　いれる　　　ireru　　　　  to put in

考える　　かんがえる　kangaeru　 　to think

借りる　　かりる　　　kariru　　　   to borrow

片付ける　かたづける　katazukeru　 to tidy up

数える　　かぞえる　　kazoeru　　　to count

消える　　きえる　　　kieru　　　　 to disappear

聞こえる　きこえる　　kikoeru　　　to hear

答える　　こたえる　　kotaeru　　　to answer

負ける　　まける　　　makeru　　　to lose

見る　　　みる　　　　miru　　　　 to see / look

見せる　　みせる　　　miseru　　　 to show

覚える　　おぼえる　　oboeru　　　 to remember

落ちる　　おちる　　　ochiru　　　  to fall

教える　　おしえる　　oshieru　　　to teach

捨てる　　すてる　　　suteru　　　  to throw away

助ける　　たすける　　tasukeru　　  to help / save

足りる　　たりる　　　tariru　　　　to be enough

疲れる　　つかれる　　tsukareru　　to get tired

忘れる　　わすれる　　wasureru　　 to forget

辞める　　やめる　　　yameru　　 　to quit

……………………………………………………………………………….

Want to learn over 600 Japanese verbs and have a quick and easy reference to all of their conjugations?? We recommend the Complete Japanese Verb Guide from Tuttle! ⬇

In addition to being a quick but thorough reference to over 600 verbs and their conjugations, it also includes hundreds of useful example sentences! Get it now!

……………………………………………………………………………….

Conclusion:

Today we learned about the three types of Japanese verbs. Next time, we will learn more about how to conjugate these verbs. If you have any questions, leave a comment below!

……………………………………………………………………………….

Do you want a Japanese tutor?

Take Japanese Skype Lessons with Professional Japanese Teachers on kakehashijapan.com!

………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………..