Japanese Verbs – Plain Form to Masu Form

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Japanese Grammar – Verbs: Plain form to Masu form – Review Notes

As we learned in our last Japanese grammar lesson, there are 3 types of Japanese verbs.

In today’s grammar lesson, we learned how to change verbs in each of the 3 verb classes from Plain form to ます-form (masu form)

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

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Today’s Grammar Lesson:

today's lesson

 Today we will learn how to change verbs from plain form to ます-form (masu form)

3 types of verbs

 We learned last time that there are 3 classes of Japanese verbs:

       ★ う-verbs (u-verbs)

       ★ る-verbs (ru-verbs)

       ★ irregular verbs

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Changing う-verbs (u-verbs) to ます- form

u verbs

 The first type of Japanese verbs is called う-verbs (u-verbs).

 To change an う-verb (u-verb) from Plain form to ます- form (masu form):

      ★ change the final う sound (‘u’ sound) to an い sound (‘i’ sound)

      ★ add ます (masu) to the end

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Note:

 In the case of a verb that ends in つ (tsu) or す (su), you have to be a little careful.

      ★ verbs ending in (tsu) change to ち (chi). For example, 待つ(まつ – matsu) changes to待ちます(まちます – machimasu).

      ★ verbs ending in (su) change to し (shi). For example, 話す(はなす – hanasu) changes to話します(はなします – hanashimasu).

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kaku

 書く(かく – kaku) is the plain form of the verb meaning “to write”

 書く(かく – kaku) changes to 書きます(かきます – kakimasu)

yomu

 読む(よむ – yomu) is the plain form of the verb meaning “to read”

 読む(よむ – yomu) changes to 読みます(よみます – yomimasu)

tsukuru

 作る(つくる – tsukuru) is the plain form of the verb meaning “to make”

 作る(つくる – tsukuru) changes to 作ります(つくります – tsukurimasu)

oyogu

 泳ぐ(およぐ – oyogu) is the plain form of the verb meaning “to swim”

 泳ぐ(およぐ – oyogu) changes to 泳ぎます(およぎます – oyogimasu)

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Changing る-verbs (ru-verbs) to ます- form

ru verbs

 The second type of Japanese verbs is called る-verbs (ru-verbs).

 To change a る-verb (ru-verb) from plain form to ます-form:

      ★ Take off る (ru)

      ★ Add ます (masu)

taberu

 食べる(たべる – taberu) is the plain form of the verb meaning “to eat”

 食べる(たべる – taberu) changes to 食べます(たべます – tabemasu)

okiru

 起きる(おきる – okiru) is the plain form of the verb meaning “to get up”

 起きる(おきる – okiru) changes to 起きます(おきます – okimasu)

neru

 寝る(ねる – neru) is the plain form of the verb meaning “to go to sleep”

 寝る(ねる – neru) changes to 寝ます(ねます – nemasu)

miru

 見る(みる – miru) is the plain form of the verb meaning “to see” or “to watch”

 見る(みる – miru) changes to 見ます(みます – mimasu)

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Changing Irregular Verbs to ます- form

irregular

 There are only 2 irregular verbs in Japanese:

      ★ 来る(くる – kuru) which means ‘to come’

      ★ する (suru) which means ‘to do’

irregular verbs

 来る (くる – kuru) changes to 来ます(きます – kimasu)

 する (suru) changes to します (shimasu)

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List of Japanese Verbs in Masu Form:

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List of some common う-verbs in ます- form:

洗います  あらいます  araimasu    to wash

歩きます  あるきます  arukimasu    to walk

遊びます  あそびます  asobimasu    to play

会います  あいます   aimasu     to meet

黙ります  だまります  damarimasu   to be silent

騙します  だまします  damashimasu   to trick

選びます  えらびます  erabimasu    to choose / pick

太ります  ふとります  futorimasu   to gain weight

頑張ります がんばります ganbarimasu  to do one’s best

入ります  はいります  hairimasu    to enter

話します  はなします  hanashimasu    to speak / talk

払います  はらいます  haraimasu    to pay

光ります  ひかります  hikarimasu     to shine

行きます  いきます   ikimasu      to go

買います  かいます   kaimasu     to buy

勝ちます  かちます   kachimasu   to win

聞きます  ききます   kikimasu      to listen

守ります  まもります  mamorimasu   to protect

待ちます  まちます   machimasu    to wait

持ちます  もちます   mochimasu    to hold / have 

泣きます  なきます   nakimasu     to cry

怒ります  おこります  okorimasu   to get angry

思います  おもいます  omoimasu    to think / believe

終わります おわります  owarimasu   to end

泳ぎます  およぎます  oyogimasu    to swim

知ります  しります   shirimasu     to know

立ちます  たちます   tachimasu    to stand

使います  つかいます  tsukaimasu    to use

動きます  うごきます  ugokimasu     to move

歌います  うたいます  utaimasu     to sing

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List of some common る-verbs in ます- form:

開けます  あけます   akemasu       to open

褒めます  ほめます   homemasu   to praise

惚れます  ほれます   horemasu    to fall in love

生きます  いきます   ikimasu     to live

入れます  いれます   iremasu     to put in

考えます  かんがえます kangaemasu   to think

借ります  かります   karimasu     to borrow

片付けます かたづけます katazukemasu  to tidy up

数えます  かぞえます  kazoemasu   to count

消えます  きえます   kiemasu     to disappear

聞こえます きこえます  kikoemasu   to hear

答えます  こたえます  kotaemasu   to answer

負けます  まけます   makemasu   to lose

見ます   みます    mimasu     to see / look

見せます  みせます   misemasu    to show

覚えます  おぼえます  oboemasu    to remember

落ちます  おちます   ochimasu    to fall

教えます  おしえます  oshiemasu   to teach

捨てます  すてます   sutemasu    to throw away

助けます  たすけます  tasukemasu   to help / save

足ります  たります   tarimasu    to be enough

疲れます  つかれます  tsukaremasu  to get tired

忘れます  わすれます  wasuremasu   to forget

辞めます  やめます   yamemasu    to quit

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Next Grammar Lesson:

next grammar lesson

 Next time we will learn how to make the negative plain form of verbs!

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3 comments

  1. To change it to a negative form we just add ません right?

    Comment by Noor on 12/21/2013 at 7:22 am
  2. Yes, to change to the negative polite form, change ます to ません. (◕ω◕)☆ http://www.punipunijapan.com/grammar-lesson-8-masu-verbs/

    Comment by PuniPuni on 12/22/2013 at 9:37 pm
  3. I am learning Japanese on my own for a month. Your website is so very helpful! I don’t know what I would do without you. Please, never stop! Thanks <3 Merci 😀 (je suis française/フランス人です)

    Comment by 歌 on 04/05/2014 at 4:52 pm

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