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Japanese Verbs
In Japanese language, verbs are deeply related to sentence structures and particles such as ni or o. | English | Japanese |
You need to learn not only its meaning, but also how to use the verb in the sentence.

Important Verb List

Example Sentences for Beginner's Level

tabemasu to eat

nomimasu to drink

kaimasu to buy

mimasu to watch, look, see

We publish Essential Japanese Verbs.
ikimasu to go Our book explains clearly about the meaning of
kaerimasu to return, go home each verb with explaining its usage.
Over 3,000 example sentences help you to master
okurimasu to send how to use Japanese verbs.
Essential Japanese Verbs includes 1,400 examples
aimasu to meet
for beginner's level and 1,700 examples for
tomarimasu to stop, stay intermediate level. All examples are voice-
recorded.
shimasu to do, play
The book is also available from all bookstores in
Japan.

Overview - Verb Groupings

Japanese verbs can be classified in several ways.
The two most important classifications in learning Japanese verbs, group belonging and
transitive or intransitive, are introduced here.

Classification according to conjugation

Japanese verbs have inflection. They are classified into three groupings according to the way
they are conjugated.
Verbs in the same group follow the same rule when making various verb forms (with some
exception).

Group 1 : most i-ending verbs (iki-masu, kaki-masu, ai-masu)

Group 2 : all e-ending verbs (tabe-masu, ake-masu, de-masu)
some i-ending verbs (mi-masu, i-masu, kari-masu)
Group 3 : two verbs; shimasu and kimasu (to come)

Transitive verbs and Intransitive verbs

Japanese transitive and intransitive verbs are written using the same Kanji but are read
differently in many cases.
In our materials, they are entered separately; "vt." is used to indicate transitive verb, "vi." for
intransitive verb.

ex. kowashimasu (vt.) Transitive verb

kowaremasu (vi.) Intransitive verb

Kodomo wa jitensha o kowashimashita.

My child broke a bicycle.

Jitensha wa kowaremashita.
A bicycle broke.

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Overview - Verb Conjugation

In our materials, we pick up 17 verb conjugation forms.
To make each form, other than the masu form, there are certain rules which must be followed
depending on which group a verb belongs to.

masu form masu masu form affirmative

masen masu form negative
mashita masu form past affirmative
masendeshita masu form past negative

Plain form root form Plain form affirmative (dictionary form)

nai form Plain form negative
ta form Plain form past affirmative
nakatta form Plain form past negative

Other forms te form

Conditional form (ba form)
Potential form
Imperative form
Volitional form
Passive form
Causative form
Causative passive Long form
Causative passive Short form

Verb Forms
We give brief explanations for each form.

Verb Conjugation Tables

We have provided verb conjugation tables for each form.
You can learn how to make each form according to the group a verb belongs to.

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