Japanese Verb Conjugations: Yodan Verbs: (verbs that end in u, ku, gu, su, tsu, nu, bu, mu,

or ru) Base 1 (a) Base 2 (e) Base 3 (u) Base 4 (e) kawakaikau (to buy) kaearukaarukiaruku (to walk) arukeisogaisogiisogu (to hurry) isogekasakashikasu (to lend) kasematamachimatsu (to wait) mateshinashinishinu (to die) shineasobaasobiasobu (to play) asobeyomayomiyomu (to read) yomekaerakaerikaeru (to return) kaere-

Base 5(o) kaou arukou isogou kasou matou shinou asobou yomou kaerou

Ichidan Verbs: (verbs that end in -eru and -iru except hairu, kaeru, shiru, kiru and iru) Base 1 Base 2 Base 3 (plain form) Base 4 Base 5 tabetabetaberu (to eat) taberetabeyou oboeoboeoboeru (to remember) oboereoboeyou kimekimekimeru (to decide) kimerekimeyou dedederu (to leave) deredeyou karikarikariru (to borrow) karirekariyou mimimiru (to look, watch) miremiyou

Summary:

Base
-nai

Suffix
-nai deshou

Meaning / Function / Usage

Used to make the verb present plain negative. John wa kasa o kawanai / John is not going to buy an umbrella. Means that somebody is probably not going to do something, negative probability John wa kasa o kawanai deshou. / John probably is not going to buy an umbrella. Used to make negative conditional sentences Ojii-san wa sugu kaeranakereba, watashi wa makudunarudo ni ikimasu. / If grandpa doesnt come back soon Im doing to McDonalds. Means "must do. has to... John wa ima kaeranakereba narimasen. / John has to return now. Used when you want to let/have/make someone do something; causative Ojii-san wa kodomotachi ni asobaseru / grandpa lets the children play. John ni raishuu made ni kimesaseru. / Ill have John decide by next week. Used to make the verb present polite positive. Watashi wa ashita kimimasu. / Ill decide tomorrow. Used to make the verb past polite positive. Doko de kaimashita ka? / Where did you buy it? Used to make the verb present polite negative. Watashi wa kasa o kaimasen. / I will not an umbrella. Used to make the verb past polite negative. Yoshie wa ringgo o tabemasen deshita. / Yoshie did not eat an apple. Used to indicate you want to do something. Watashi wa kasa o kaitai. / I want to buy an umbrella. The opposite of tai / tai desu. Watashi wa kasa o kaitakunai desu. / I dont want to buy an umbrella. Used as an invitation to do something. Ikimashou! / Lets go! Used in making simple command. Tabenasai! / Eat! Means perhaps or maybe; positive polite probability; the opposite of nai deshou. Raishuu watashi wa Kurashiki ni iku deshou. / Ill probably go to Kurashiki next week. Used when something is "supposed to be" or "ought to be," etc., Osaka ni iku hazu desu. / Im supposed to be in Osaka. Keiko ni furansugo o benkyou saseru hazu desu? / Am I supposed to make Keiko study French?

Base 1 + (a)

-nakereba -nakereba narimasen -seru / -saseru -masu -mashita -masen -masen deshita
1

Base 2 + (e)

-tai / -tai desu -takunai / -takunai desu -mashou -nasai

2

-deshou Base 3 + (u)

-hazu desu

1. 2.

3.

-seru is used when the verb to be conjugated belongs to Yodan group. saseru when the verb belongs to Ichidan group. In English, this is also equivalent to Let me do (something) for you or Let me do this for you Example: Watashi wa hakobimashou Let me carry this/ these for you. Can also be used in the same way as ne? Example: Osaka ni iku deshou? Youre going to Osaka, right?

Verb Dictionary Form: [eat] taberu Verb Infinitive: [to eat] tabe Verb Gerund: [eating] tabete Verb Gerund Plain Negative: [not eating] tabenaide Verb Gerund Polite Negative: [not eating] tabenakute Verb Present Plain: [eat] taberu Verb Present Plain Negative: [do not eat] tabenai Verb Present Polite: [eat] tabemasu Verb Present Polite Negative: [do not eat] tabemasen Verb Past Plain: [ate] tabeta Verb Past Plain Negative: [did not eat] tabenakatta Verb Past Polite: [ate] tabemashita Verb Past Polite Negative: [did not eat] tabemasen deshita Verb Present Progressive Plain: [is/are/am eating] tabete iru Verb Present Progressive Plain Negative: [is not/are not/am not eating] tabete inai Verb Present Progressive Polite: [is/are/am eating] tabete imasu Verb Present Progressive Polite Negative: [is not/are not/am not eating] tabete imasen Verb Past Progressive: [was/were eating] tabete imashita Verb Past Progressive Negative: [was not/ were not eating] tabete imasen deshita Verb Present Presumptive Plain: [must be eating] taberu darou Verb Present Presumptive Plain Negative: [is not probably eating] tabenai darou Verb Present Presumptive Polite: [is probably eating] taberu deshou Verb Present Presumptive Polite Negative: [is not probably eating] tabenai deshou Verb Past Presumptive Plain: [probably ate] tabeta darou Verb Past Presumptive Plain Negative: [probably did not eat] tabenakatta darou Verb Past Presumptive Polite: [probably ate] tabeta deshou Verb Past Presumptive Polite Negative: [probably did not eat] tabenakatta deshou Verb Future Presumptive Plain: [will probably eat] tabeyou Verb Future Presumptive Polite: [will probably eat] tabemashou Verb Imperative Plain: [eat!] tabero Verb Imperative Plain: (please eat!)] tabenasai Verb Imperative Plain Negative: [do not eat!] taberuna Verb Imperative Polite: [please eat!] tabete kudasai Verb Imperative Polite Negative: [please do not eat!] tabenaide kudasai Verb Conditional If: [] tabereba Verb Conditional If Negative: [] tabenakereba Verb Conditional When/if: [] tabetara Verb Conditional When/if Negative: [] tabenakattara Verb Potential Plain: [can eat] taberareru Verb Potential Plain Negative: [can not eat] taberarenai

Verb Potential Polite: [can eat] taberaremasu Verb Potential Polite Negative: [can not eat] taberaremasen Verb Passive Plain: [] taberareru Verb Passive Plain Negative: [] taberarenai Verb Passive Polite: [] taberaremasu Verb Passive Polite Negative: [] taberaremasen Verb Causative Plain: [] tabesaseru Verb Causative Plain Negative: [] tabesasenai Verb Causative Polite: [] tabesasemasu Verb Causative Polite Negative: [] tabesasemasen Verb Causative Passive Plain: [] tabesaserareru Verb Causative Passive Plain Negative: [] tabesaserarenai Verb Causative Passive Polite: [] tabesaseraremasu Verb Causative Passive Polite Negative: [] tabesaseraremasen

Base 1 There are three main uses for Base 1

The plain negative form -nai - the same for all three categories The passive case (to be instead of to do) -reru - normal verbs -rareru - eru/iru and special verbs The causitive case (make to do case) -seru - normal verbs -saseru - eru/iru and special verbs

The Plain Negative Form (Examples)

hon o kawanai - He will not buy the book tegami o kakanai daroo - He perhaps/probably will not write the letter Nihongo de hanasanai deshoo - He perhaps/probably does not speak Japanese shinaide kudasai - Please do not die matanaide mo ii desu - Even if you don't wait, it's ok (you don't have to wait) isoganakute mo ii desu - It's ok not to hurry (you don't have to hurry) konakatta - He did not come yomakattara... - If you did not read it... yobanai to... - If you do not call... toranakereba... - If you do not take it... tabenakereba narimasen - If you don't eat, it won't happen (you must eat) NOTE: this is how you say must in Japanese shinakute wa ikemasen - You should not do it miranai to omoimasu - I think that I don't see it (I don't think I see it)

The Passive Case (Examples) normal verbs

kawareru - to be bought (plain ending) kawaremasu - to be bought (masu ending) kawarenai - to not be bought (plain ending) kawaremasen - to not be bought (masu ending) eru/iru verbs

taberareru - to be eaten (plain ending) taberaremasu - to be eaten (masu ending) mirareru - to be seen (plain ending) miraremasu - to be seen (masu ending)

The Causitive Case - make to do (Examples) normal verbs

kawaseru - to have him buy it (plain ending) kawasemasu - to have him buy it (masu ending) eru/iru verbs

tabesaseru - to feed / cause to eat (plain ending) tabesasemasu - to feed / cause to eat (masu ending)

Base 2 Besides the masu verb ending, there are several uses for Base 2. The conjugation is the same for all three categories. The masu verb ending (Examples)

ikimasu - to go (present tense) ikimasen - to not go (present tense) ikimashita - went (past tense) ikimasen deshita - did not go (past tense) ikimashoo - let's go

Misc. verb endings for Base 2 (Examples)

ikinasai - go (command / imperative) tabenasai - eat (command / imperative)

kinasi - come (command / imperative) hon o kai ni iku - go to buy a book (plain ending) hon o kai ni ikimasu - go to buy a book (masu ending) tabe ni iku - go to eat (plain ending) tabe ni ikimasu - go to eat (masu ending) tabe ni ikimashoo - let's go and eat! kore wa yomiyasui - this is easy to read kore wa tabeyasui - this is easy to eat kore wa shiyasui - this is easy to do sore wa kakinikui - that is hard to write sore wa minikui - that is hard to see sore wa shinikui - that is hard to do isogi soo desu - seems to be busy shini soo dewa arimasen - does not seem to be dying hanashisugiru - talk too much tabesugiru - eat too much ikitai - want to go tabetai - want to eat ikitakatta - wanted to go (past tense plain) ikitaku wa nai - I do not want to go (plain ending) ikitaku wa arimasen - I do not want to go (masu ending) ikitakereba - If you want to go

Base 3 The conjugation is the same for all three categories.

iku - to go (plain ending) iku to omoimasu - I think I will go tegami o kaku daroo - He will perhaps/probably write a letter tegami o kaku deshoo - He will perhaps/probably write a letter kore o yomu hoo ga ii desu - It's better if you read this hon o kau hazu desu - You should buy the book iku kamo shiremasen - He will probably go iku ka doo ka kikimashoo - Let's ask whether or not he is going nihongo de yomu koto ga dekimasu - He can read Japanese hataraku kara yasumimasen - Because I work, I don't rest ame ga furu soo desu - I hear that it will rain matsu to... - If you wait... nihongo de kaku to kaku hodo jyoozu ni narimasu The more you write in Japanese, the more skillful you will become.

Base 4 There are two main uses for Base 4

The If form -ba - the same for all three categories The can form -ru - use only with the normal verb category

The If Form (Examples)

hon o kaeba - If you buy the book tegami o kakeba - If you write the letter tabereba - If you eat kureba - If you come

The Can Form (Examples) NOTE: with can, use ga after the object (instead of o)

kanji ga kakeru - I can write kanji (plain ending) Nihongo ga hanasemasu - I can speak Japanese (masu ending) matenai - I cannot wait (plain ending) ikemasen - I cannot go (masu ending)

Base 5 The conjugation is the same for all three categories.

ikoo - Let's go (plain ending) doko e ikoo ka - Where shall we go? (plain ending) tako o tabeyoo to suru - Try to eat octopus (plain ending) matoo to shimasu - Try to wait (masu ending)

The Te-Form There are several uses for the te-form. The conjugation is the same for all three categories.

yonde kudasai - please read Tookyoo ni sunde iru - I am living in Tookyoo (plain ending) doko ni sunde imasu ka - Where are you living (masu ending) Nippon ni sunde inai - I am not living in Japan (plain ending) Osaka ni sunde imasen - I am not living in Osaka (masu ending) tegami o kaite ita - I was writing a letter (plain ending) tabete imashita - I was eating (masu ending)

hon o katte ageru - To buy a book for someone/you kore wa koku ni kaite aru - This/it is written here. yooji wa shite aru - The errand is done/finished. hon o katte kara kaerimashita - After I bought the book, I returned home. tabete mo ii desu - Even if you eat it, it's ok (It's ok to eat it) shite morau - Get someone to do it for you tabete suru - To be finished eating

The Ta-Form The main use for the ta-form is the plain past tense. The conjugation is the same for all three categories.

katta - I bought it kaita - I wrote it tabeta - I ate it mita - I saw it kita - I came shita - I did it