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The most common Japanese verbs

Mastering verbs in Japanese is essential for anyone looking to achieve fluency in the language. Understanding the most common Japanese verbs is the first step towards constructing meaningful sentences and expressing yourself accurately. 

This guide will walk you through the various categories of Japanese verbs, including U-verbs, Ru-verbs, and irregular verbs. We’ll also explore action verbs related to physical and mental activities, delve into other types of verbs, and examine auxiliary verbs, known as 助動詞 (Jodoushi). By learning how Japanese verbs work, you’ll gain a deeper insight into the language and enhance your ability to communicate effectively.

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1. Verb categories: The various types of Japanese verbs

U-verb

  • 話す (hanasu): speak
話す (hanasu): speakCasualPolite
Stemhanas
Basic Form話す (hanasu)話します (hanashimasu)
Negative Form話さない (hanasanai)話しません (hanashimasen)

The verb 話す (hanasu), meaning “to speak,” is composed of the stem “hanas” and the suffix “u.” As demonstrated in the Japanese verb chart, the suffix undergoes conjugation changes based on the verb form. It’s essential to note that when a verb ends in “u,” the final vowel is “u.” Thus, u-verbs can end with the Hiragana characters:

  • う(u)
  • く (ku)
  • す(su)
  • つ (tsu)
  • ぬ (nu)
  • む (mu)
  • る (ru) 

Examples

EnglishReadingKanjiHiragana
runhashiru走るはしる
danceodoru踊るおどる
speakhanasu話すはなす
waitmatsu待つまつ

Ru-verb

  • 見る (miru): to see
見る (miru): seeCasualPolite
Stemmi
Basic Form見る (miru)見ます (mimasu)
Negative Form見ない (minai)見ません (mimasen)

The verb 見る (miru), meaning “to see,” is a ru-verb that consists of the stem “mi” and the suffix “ru.” Like other ru-verbs, the suffix follows a specific conjugation pattern, differing slightly from u-verbs.

Examples

EnglishReadingKanjiHiragana
eattaberu食べるたべる
believeshinjiru信じるしんじる
sleepneru寝るねる
wake upokiru起きるおきる

Irregular verb

  • 来る (kuru):come
来る (kuru) :comeCasualPolite
Stemku / ko / ki
Basic Form来-るく-るku-ru来-ますき-ますki-masu
Negative Form来-ないこ-ないko-nai来-ませんき-ませんki-masen
  • する (suru):do
する (suru) :doCasualPolite
Stemsu / shi
Basic Formす-るsu-ruし-ますshi-masu
Negative Formし-ないshi-naiし-ませんshi-masen

The Japanese verb する (suru), meaning “do,” is a very handy word which can often turn a noun into a verb when it’s added next to the noun. 

For example:

  • 運動 (undou) + する (suru) = to exercise (doing exercise)
  • 勉強 (benkyou) + する (suru) = to study (doing study)
  • 買い物 (kaimono) + する (suru) = to shop (doing shopping)

2. Action verbs: Physical 

Physical action verbs describe tangible actions, such as running, eating, or speaking. These are some of the most frequently used verbs in daily conversations and are essential for basic communication. 

EnglishJapanese readingKanjiHiragana
runhashiru走るはしる
flytobu飛ぶとぶ
walkaruku歩くあるく
swimoyogu泳ぐおよぐ
climbnoboru登るのぼる
sitsuwaru座るすわる
standtatsu立つたつ
liftageru上げるあげる
carryhakobu運ぶはこぶ
thrownageru投げるなげる
pushosu押すおす
pullhiku引くひく
kickkeru蹴るける
hitutsu打つうつ
bitekamu噛むかむ
bendmagaru曲がるまがる
stretchnobasu延ばすのばす
danceodoru踊るおどる
writekaku書くかく
drawkaku描くかく
paintnuru塗るぬる
cleansouji suru掃除するそうじする
cookryouri suru料理するりょうりする
washarau洗うあらう
foldoru折るおる
cutkiru切るきる
openakeru開けるあける
closeshimeru閉めるしめる
tiemusubu結ぶむすぶ
pullhiku引くひく
whispersasayakuささやくささやく
sleepneru寝るねる
wakeokiru起きるおきる
stand uptachi agaru立ち上がるたちあがる
jogJogingu suruジョギングするジョギングする
verbs in japanese

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3. Action verbs: Mental 

Mental action verbs describe intangible actions, such as thinking, wanting, or believing. These verbs are crucial for expressing thoughts, desires, and opinions in Japanese.

EnglishJapanese readingKanjiHiragana
Thinkkangaeru考えるかんがえる
Rememberomoidasu思い出すおもいだす
Forgetwasureru忘れるわすれる
Understandrikai suru理解するりかいする
Knowshiru知るしる
Decidekimeru決めるきめる
Imaginesouzou suru想像するそうぞうする
Realizekizuku気づくきづく
Concentrateshuuchuu suru集中するしゅうちゅうする
Doubtutagau疑ううたがう
Believeshinjiru信じるしんじる
Empathizedoujou suru同情するどうじょうする
Feelkanjiru感じるかんじる
Likekonomu好むこのむ
Dislikekirau嫌うきらう
crynaku泣くなく
get angryokoru怒るおこる
feel sadkanashimu悲しむかなしむ
verbs in japanese

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4. Other verbs

Here is a table showcasing various other verbs, including their readings, Kanji characters, and Hiragana forms:

EnglishJapanese readingKanjiHiragana
starthajimeru始めるはじめる
stoptomaru止まるとまる
waitmatsu待つまつ
askkiku聞くきく
answerkotaeru答えるこたえる
showmiseru見せるみせる
teachoshieru教えるおしえる
learnmanabu学ぶまなぶ
buykau買うかう
selluru売るうる
borrowkariru借りるかりる
returnkaesu返すかえす
lendkasu貸すかす
payharau払うはらう
taketoru取るとる
giveageru上げるあげる
receivemorau貰うもらう
moveugoku動くうごく
joinsanka suru参加するさんかする
finishowaru終わるおわる
dirtyyogoreru汚れるよごれる
leadmichibiku導くみちびく

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5. Japanese auxiliary verbs: 助動詞 (Jodoushi)

Auxiliary verbs, or 助動詞 (jodoushi), are used in conjunction with main verbs to modify their meaning. By adding an auxiliary verb, the meaning of the preceding word will be modified.

For example:

  • 読む(Read)+そうだ

= 読むそうだ: They say that she/he will read

  • 読む (yomu): “read” + たい (tai) [desire]
    = 読みたい (yomitai): “want to read”

Here are some common Japanese auxiliary verbs:

Japanese readingHiraganaUsage / Meaning/Example
(sa)seru(さ)せるCausation
食べさせる tabesaseruto make (one) eat
(ra) reru(ら)れるPassive / Ability, etc.
食べられるtaberareru  edible / being eaten
nai / nu ない/ぬNegation
食べないtabenai  (I do) not eat
you(よ)うVolition
食べようtabeyou  I will eat / Let’s eat
tai / tagaruたい / たがるDesire
食べたいtabetai I want to eat
you daようだSimilarity
食べるようだtaberu you da  it looks like (she/he) eats
sou daそうだHearsay
食べるそうだtaberu sou da they say that (she/he) eats
rashiiらしいHearsay / Behavior
食べるらしいtaberu rashiithey say that (she/he) may eat
da / desu・masuだ / です・ますPredication / Politeness (copula)
食べますtabemasu (I) eat

How Japanese verbs work

Japanese verbs are categorized into three main types: U-verbs, Ru-verbs, and Irregular verbs. Each type follows specific conjugation rules, which determine how the verb forms change depending on the tense, mood, or politeness level.

U-verbs, such as 書く (kaku) meaning “write,” have stems ending in a consonant followed by “u.” The conjugation involves modifying the stem and adding specific endings. For example, the polite form of 書く is 書きます (kakimasu), and the negative form is 書かない (kakanai).

Ru-verbs, like 出る (deru) meaning “come out,” have stems that end in a vowel followed by “ru.” These verbs are generally simpler to conjugate. For instance, 出る becomes 出ます (demasu) in the polite form and 出ない (denai) in the negative form.

Irregular verbs don’t follow the standard conjugation patterns of U-verbs and Ru-verbs. The most common irregular verbs are する (suru) meaning “do,” and 来る (kuru) meaning “come.” Their conjugations are unique, such as する becoming します (shimasu) and 来る becoming 来ます (kimasu) in the polite form.

Understanding how these categories work is essential for mastering Japanese verb conjugation and using verbs correctly in different contexts.


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verbs in japanese

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Conclusion

Understanding verbs in Japanese is crucial for advancing your language skills. By familiarizing yourself with the most common Japanese verbs and their categories, you’ll be better equipped to use them in context, whether you’re discussing physical actions, mental states, or employing auxiliary verbs. With this knowledge, you can start crafting more complex sentences and expressing yourself with greater precision. Continue practicing and applying these verbs to see significant improvements in your Japanese proficiency.

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