Introduction to Japanese Verb Types

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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!

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Today’s Grammar Lesson:

today's lesson

 Today we will learn about the three Japanese verb classes.

3 verb classes

 There are 3 classes of Japanese verbs:

       ★ う-verbs (u-verbs)

       ★ る-verbs (ru-verbs)

       ★ irregular verbs

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

u verbs

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

u verbs examples

 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).

ru verbs

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

ru verbs examples

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

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

 So, although both る-verbs (ru-verbs) and う-verbs (u-verbs) actually end with a  (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.

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There are some 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.

exceptions

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Irregular verbs AKA Group 3 verbs:

irregular 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.

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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).

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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.

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Number 2:

ここで待つ。

Koko de matsu.

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

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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.

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Number 2:

ここでねる。

Koko de neru.

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

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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.

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Number 2:

学校に来る。

Gakkō ni kuru.

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

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List of Japanese Verbs in Plain Form:

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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

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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

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verb guide

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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!

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2 comments

  1. もし「太る」は「To gain weight」、日本語で「To loose weight」はどの様に言いますか?大変参考になりました。宜しくお願いします。

    Comment by Majic on 12/07/2013 at 10:22 am
  2. Great question! (◕ω◕)☆ ‘To lose weight’ in Japanese is 痩せる(やせる), which is a る-verb (although 太る(ふとる) is an う-verb).

    Comment by PuniPuni on 12/11/2013 at 7:02 am

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