In Japanese, verbs are categorized into Ichidan (一段, “one-step”) and Godan (五段, “five-step”) verbs. This article will focus only on Godan verbs, their conjugations, and how to use them in sentences.
Table of Contents
Fundamentals
Godan verbs, also known as u-verbs, undergo stem changes when conjugated, unlike Ichidan verbs, which have a simple and consistent pattern.
Instead of removing ～る like Ichidan verbs, Godan verbs change the final kana of their stem based on the conjugation rules.
Common Godan Verbs
| Verb (Dictionary Form) | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 書く | かく (kaku) | To write |
| 話す | はなす (hanasu) | To speak |
| 待つ | まつ (matsu) | To wait |
| 飲む | のむ (nomu) | To drink |
| 遊ぶ | あそぶ (asobu) | To play |
| 死ぬ | しぬ (shinu) | To die |
| 買う | かう (kau) | To buy |
You can recognize most Godan verbs because they end in ～う, ～く, ～ぐ, ～す, ～つ, ～ぬ, ～む, ～ぶ, or ～る (but not all ～る verbs are Ichidan).
Conjugation
Stem Form (Base Form)
Before conjugating, you must recognize the stem form of Godan verbs.
The stem form is found by removing the last “u” vowel sound and keeping the base.
| Verb (Dictionary Form) | Stem Form |
|---|---|
| 書く (kaku) | 書 (ka) |
| 話す (hanasu) | 話 (hana) |
| 飲む (nomu) | 飲 (no) |
| 買う (kau) | 買 (ka) |
Once you have the stem, you can attach different endings.
Present Tense (Dictionary Form) – 〜う
The dictionary form is the default present tense used in informal speech.
Example:
書く (kaku, "to write") Present Negative – 〜ない
To make a Godan verb negative, replace the final “u” sound with “a” + ない.
Example:
Casual
飲まない (nomanai, "I don’t drink.")
Polite
飲みません (nomimasen, "I don’t drink.")Past Tense – 〜た
To form the casual past tense, change the final “u” sound according to this pattern:
Example:
Casual
書いた (kaita, "I wrote.")
Polite
書きました (kakimashita, "I wrote.")Past Negative – 〜なかった
To form the casual negative past, replace ～ない with ～なかった.
Example:
Casual
話さなかった (hanasanakatta, "I didn’t speak.")
Polite
話しませんでした (hanashimasen deshita, "I didn’t speak.")Other Grammar Structures
Te-form (〜て)
The て-form is used for linking verbs, making requests, and forming progressive or imperative sentences.
| Group | Verb Example | Te-form |
|---|---|---|
| く → いて | 書く (kaku) | 書いて (kaite) |
| ぐ → いで | 泳ぐ (oyogu) | 泳いで (oyoide) |
| す → して | 話す (hanasu) | 話して (hanashite) |
| つ/る/う → って | 待つ (matsu) | 待って (matte) |
| む/ぶ/ぬ → んで | 飲む (nomu) | 飲んで (nonde) |
Example:
もっと日本語を話して
(motto nihongo o hanashite)
"Speak more Japanese."Volitional Form (Let’s ~) – 〜う
To express “let’s do something,” replace う with おう.
| Verb (Dictionary Form) | Volitional Form |
|---|---|
| 書く (kaku) | 書こう (kakou) |
| 話す (hanasu) | 話そう (hanasou) |
| 飲む (nomu) | 飲もう (nomou) |
Example:
映画を見に行こう！
(Eiga o mi ni ikou!)
"Let’s go watch a movie!"Potential Form (Can ~) – 〜れる
To express “can do something,” change the final “u” sound to “e” + る.
| Verb (Dictionary Form) | Potential Form |
|---|---|
| 書く (kaku) | 書ける (kakeru) |
| 話す (hanasu) | 話せる (hanaseru) |
| 飲む (nomu) | 飲める (nomeru) |
Example
お寿司が食べられる。
(Osushi ga taberareru.)
"I can eat sushi."Summary
| Tense | Casual | Polite |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 書く (kaku) | 書きます (kakimasu) |
| Negative | 書かない (kakanai) | 書きません (kakimasen) |
| Past | 書いた (kaita) | 書きました (kakimashita) |
| Past Negative | 書かなかった (kakanakatta) | 書きませんでした (kakimasen deshita) |
| Te-form | 書いて (kaite) | (Use in requests) |
| Volitional | 書こう (kakou) | 書きましょう (kakimashou) |
| Potential | 書ける (kakeru) | 書けます (kakemasu) |