Japanese verb conjugations and adjective declensions

This page is a list of Japanese verb and adjective conjugations. Since these are almost all regular, they can all be included on one page. Japanese verb conjugation is the same for all subjects, first person ("I", "we" , second person ("thou", "you" and third person ("he!she!it" and "they" , singular and plural. The plain form of all verbs ends in u. There are very few irregular verbs, and this page contains a comprehensive list of their conjugations. In modern Japanese, there are no verbs ending in zu, fu, pu, or yu, and (, shinu" to die is the only one ending in nu. Present and future In Japanese, events in the present and future share the same tense#sometimes called the "non$past tense"#and the distinction between them is communicated in other ways (for e%ample, through the conte%t, or via words that convey the time . The non$past form of a verb is the same as its dictionary form#it is used as the headword, or lemma #and no conjugation needs to be done. &or e%ample'

( (watashi wa) kaimono o suru' "(I shop", or "(I will shop". ( (watashi wa) ashita benkyou suru' "Tomorrow, (I will study". (Japanese pronouns usually are omitted when it is clear about whom the spea(er is tal(ing.

In most cases, the non$past tense cannot be used to indicate one)s current state, such as in the *nglish sentence "I am shopping". +ather, it can only be used to e%press habit or other actions that are e%pected to continue into the future, such as in "I shop". To convey the former, the te form with iru must be used. Past tense The past tense is very similar in conjugation to the te form. ,ost of the past tenses are formed by replacing "te" with "ta". The only e%ceptions are the adjective forms. Type of verb suru (do kuru (come iku (go irassharu (polite masu stem u ku gu su tsu Past Examples Irregular verbs shita kita itta irasshatta - -mashita $ -tta $ -ita $ -ida $ -shita $ -tta ikimasu (go Past

ikimashita tsukatta yaita oyoida shimeshita matta

Regular verbs tsukau (use yaku (burn oyogu (swim shimesu (show matsu (wait

 nu bu mu ru (consonant stem iru, eru (vowel stem i adjective na adjective Usage

shinu (die yobu (call yomu (read hashiru (run kigaeru (change $ -ita, $ -eta clothes Adjectives $ -katta yasui (cheap $ -nda $ -nda $ -nda $ -tta $ -datta kantan (simple

shinda yonda yonda hashitta kigaeta yasukatta kantan datta

-sing the past tense follows the same pattern as the present!future tense. &or e%ample, nihon ni iku (I am going to go to Japan becomes nihon ni itta (I went to Japan . Negative The basic pattern is u becomes anai. (Informal Type suru (do kuru (come aru da Negative Examples Irregular verbs benky suru shinai (study konai nai de wa nai Negative benky shinai

ja nai masu stem $ -masen ikimasu (go Regular verbs u $ -wanai tsukau (use ku $ -kanai yaku (burn gu $ -ganai oyogu (swim su $ -sanai shimesu (show tsu $ -tanai matsu (wait nu $ -nanai shinu (die bu $ -banai yobu (call mu $ -manai yomu (read ru (consonant stem $ -ranai hashiru (run iru, eru (vowel $ -inai, $ kigaeru (change stem -enai clothes Adjectives $ -kunai itai (painful i adjectives $ -de wa kantan na adjectives

ikimasen tsukawanai yakanai oyoganai shimesanai matanai shinanai yobanai yomanai hashiranai kigaenai itakunai kantan

nai $ -ja nai

de wa nai kantan ja nai

The nai ending conjugates in two ways. .. /s an i adjective. &or e%ample the past tense of tabenai is tabenakatta and the te form is tabenakute. 0. There is a special te form made by adding de. &or e%ample, tabenaide. This is used, for e%ample, in tabenaide kudasai' "1lease don)t eat (this ".

i form The i form, or ren'ykei, is very regular, and in almost all cases it is formed by replacing the u with i. i form Examples i form Irregular verbs suru (do shi benky suru benky shi kuru ki ru (polite verbs $ -i gozaru gozai ! de da ari Regular verbs u $ -i tsukau (use tsukai ku $ -ki yaku (burn yaki gu $ -gi oyogu (swim oyogi su $ -shi shimesu (show shimeshi tsu $ -chi matsu (wait machi nu $ -ni shinu (die shini bu $ -bi yobu (call yobi mu $ -mi yomu (read yomi ru (consonant stem $ -ri hashiru (run "! hashiri iru, eru (vowel kigaeru (change $ -i, $ -e kigae stem clothes The rule for polite verbs ending in ru applies to the consonant$stem honorific verbs irassharu, # ossharu, kudasaru, gozaru, and nasaru, which have irregular i forms. They are formed by replacing the ru with simply i, instead of ri. Usage The i form has many uses, typically as a prefi%. These include'

Type

To form polite verbs when followed by the $ -masu ending' iku 2 ikimasu, tsukau 2 tsukaimasu.

To express a is! when followed by the ending tai' tabetai' "I want to eat it", ikitai' "I want to go". (The tai ending conjugates as an i adjective. To express a strong negative intention when followed by $ -wa shinai' $% & iki wa shinai yo, anna tokoro "no way I)m going someplace li(e that". To form a command when followed by o $ -nasai' kore o tabenasai' "eat this", '( asoko e ikinasai' "go over there". o $ -na' ) *+! massugu kaerina "go straight home"' nakayoku asobina "play nice". (-sed with children, etc. To e%press that something is easy or !ard when followed by $ -yasui or $ -nikui' shitashimiyasui' "easy to befriend"' ,-!. wakarinikui' "hard to understand". To express excessiveness when followed by the verb $ -sugiru' nomisugiru' "to drin( too much". (sugiru can also be used with the stems of adjectives. 3hen followed by the verb $ $yagaru in ya(u4a speech, to express affronted contempt (a conjugation of opposite polarity to the honorifics showing disrespect in the form of hatred combined with haughty!macho disdain for the doer!subject of the action!verb' koroshiyagaru' "to have the 5e%pletive6 gall to (ill 5sbdy6" 7e.g. $$without my permission8. (The te form can be substituted for the i form.

The i form also has some uses on its own, such as'

To express purpose, with ni' tabe ni ikimashita' "I went there to eat". In formal !onorifics such as #/ o tsukai kudasai' "1lease use this". In conjunctions in formal writing.

&or some verbs, the i form also forms part of related words in ways that are not governed by any general rules. &or e%ample'

The i form of taberu (to eat can prefi% mono to form tabemono (food . Similarly with nomu (to drin( and kau (to buy . The i form of kakeru (to bet is a word on its own' kake, which means "a bet". hanasu (to separate can be suffi%ed to the i form of kiru (to cut to form kirihanasu (to cut off .

Te form The te form of a Japanese verb is used when the verb has some (ind of connection to the following words. The conjugation of the te form is similar to the conjugation of the past tense. Type "ecomes Examples Irregular verbs Te form

 suru (do kuru (come iku (go irassharu (polite masu stem u ku gu su tsu nu bu mu ru iru, eru (vowel stem i adjective na adjective Usage

shite 1 kite itte irasshatte $ -mashite

aisuru (to love

0 aishite

akemasu (open

23 akemashite / tsukatte 4 yaite oyoide 5 shimeshite 6 matte shinde yonde yonde " hashitte 897 kigaete : yasukute kantan de

Regular verbs $ -tte tsukau (use $ -ite yaku (burn $ -ide oyogu (swim $ -shite shimesu (show $ -tte matsu (wait $ -nde shinu (die $ -nde yobu (call $ -nde yomu (read $ -tte hashiru (run $ -ite, $7 kigaeru (change -ete clothes Adjectives $ -kute yasui (cheap $ -de kantan (simple

/s a simple command' o ;(Tabete ' "*at." o ;(9onde ' "+ead." In re:uests with kure and kudasai. o < ' "1lease read the boo(." 3ith the verbs ' o iru' It means "to be doing". &or e%ample' 6 matte iru' "I am waiting". This is also used in some situations where the *nglish e:uivalent does not use "to be doing". &or e%ample' = shitte iru' "I (now", > motte iru' "I have", ((? koko ni sunde iru' "I live here". ;ollo:uially, in this form the "i" often disappears, so 6 matte iru becomes 6 matteru and shitte iru becomes = shitteru. o o#u' It means "to do in advance". #@A<B# obent o tsukutte oita' "I)ve made a bo%ed lunch (for later ". ;ollo:uially, in this form the "e" often disappears, so B# tsukutte oita becomes BC tsukuttoita. o aru' This forms a (ind of passive when used with a transitive verb. ((DEFGH koko ni moji ga kaite aru' "There are some characters written here". It shows that something was left in a certain state. ;ontrast to G "(aite iru", "I am writing", which applies to the person doing the writing rather than what is written.

s!imau' This implies something is completed or done, usually unintentionally or accidentally or une%pectedly and sometimes e%pressing that the action is contrary to right or correct action' I J 3 katazukete shimatta' "I have finished tidying". It can also suggest a regrettable situation' KLMFN7 watashi no kagi ga kiete shimatta' ",y (eys have disappeared".

The form te shimau is shortened to the very very commonly used and casual chimau or OP chau with the same consonant doubling as the te form. &or e%ample, "I forgot my mobile phone<"' "(eitai wasurechatta<" " QO" The de shimau form is shortened to RP jau or jimau in collo:uial speech. o miru' It means "to try doing". o i#u' ;an e%press continuous action or a change of state in the future. o #uru' ;an e%press continuous action or a change of state in the past. To combine clauses or adjectives, as if by the *nglish conjunction "and". &or e%ample' o S TUS<VP yakkyoku e itte, kusuri o kau' "(I am going to go to the pharmacy and buy medicine." o LW$XYZF[,-!\ ano hito wa shinsetsu de, atama ga yokute, wakariyasui' "That person is (ind, smart, and easy to understand." o :] yasukute ii ne' "It)s good that it)s cheap." (lit. "=eing cheap, it is good." 3ith particles in formations such as o te a i#enai' "9ou must not ...". &or e%ample, $3 tabete wa ikenai' "9ou must not eat this". (>ther words of prohibition, such as dame, can be substituted for i#enai. o te mo ii' "9ou may do!It)s o( if you do". &or e%ample, ^ tabete mo ii' "9ou may eat it". o te mo #ama anai' "9ou may do!I don)t mind if you do" o te !os!ii' "I want you to do (for me " o _ te sumimasen' "Sorry for ma(ing you go through all this trouble"

Potential The general pattern is u becomes eru. Type suru kuru koreru u ku $ -eru $ -keru Regular verbs tsukau (use yaku (burn tsukaeru yakeru Potential Examples Irregular verbs dekiru korareru benky suru Potential benky dekiru

 gu su tsu nu bu mu ru (consonant stem iru, eru (vowel stem

$ -geru $ -seru $ -teru $ -neru $ -beru $ -meru $ -reru $ -irareru, -erareru $ -ireru, $ -ereru

oyogu (swim shimesu (show matsu (wait shinu (die yobu (call yomu (read hashiru (run kigaeru (change clothes

oyogeru 5 shimeseru 6 materu ] shineru yoberu yomeru hashireru kigaerareru kigaereru

Usage The potential is used to e%press that one has the ability to do something. ?irect objects are mar(ed with the particle ga instead of o. &or e%ample `Fa nihongo ga yomeru' "I can read Japanese". It is also used to re:uest some action from someone, in the e%act sense of the *nglish ";an you ... @" &or e%ample koohii kaeru?' ";an (you buy (some coffee@" Aowever, sometimes in *nglish "3ill you...@" and ";an you ... @" is used interchangeably to ma(e re:uests. Though it is possible in Japanese, koohii kau?, it is very casual and might also mean simply "/re you buying!3ill you buy coffee@" in very dry factual sense. -nli(e in *nglish, the potential is not often used to e%press permission (as in the sentence ";an I eat this apple@" as it is almost always understood to mean "?o I have the ability to eat this apple@"' b(L!cFQ kono ringo ga tabereru?. /nd since the $reru form is more often used in speech than the more correct passive potential form $rareru, and subjects are often implied in Japanese, it may implicitly be as(ing (in this case if the apple is edible. So, to see( permission, a more polite form is used, such as the te mo ii or more casual "te ii"" usage of the te form, resulting in something literally more li(e "Is eating this apple >B@" b(L!c< ^- Kono ringo o tabete mo ii desu ka? or b(L!c< Kono ringo o tabete ii?. The potential ru ending conjugates as a vowel stem verb. $ausative The causative forms are characteri4ed by the final u becoming aseru for consonant stem verbs, and ru becoming saseru for vowel stem verbs. Type suru (do $ausative Examples Irregular verbs d@ saseru kanben suru $ausative d@ kanben saseru

 kuru (come u ku gu su tsu nu bu mu ru (consonant stem iru, eru (vowel stem i adjectives

1 kosaseru Regular verbs $e -waseru $- -kaseru $F -gaseru $ -saseru tsukau (use yaku (burn oyogu (swim shimesu (show matsu (wait shinu (die yobu (call yomu (read hashiru (run /e tsukawaseru 4- yakaseru F oyogaseru 5 shimesaseru 6 mataseru shinaseru f yobaseru yomaseru " hashiraseru 897 kigaesaseru

$ -taseru $ -naseru $f -baseru $ -maseru $ -raseru $ -isaseru, $ kigaeru -esaseru Adjectives and negatives $ -ku saseru

g samuku saseru h- shizuka na adjectives $ -ni saseru (:uiet shizuka ni saseru The ru ending of the causative form becomes the new verb ending. This conjugates as a vowel stem verb. Cegatives are not normally made into causatives. Instead, a negative ending is added to the causative of the verb. Thus, for e%ample, abesasenai' "?o not let eat". /djectives are made causative by using the adverb form plus saseru. samui (cold Usage The causative is used for'

%a#ing someone do something' ij< shukudai o saseru' "(I ma(e (him do homewor(". &etting someone do something' klf soto de asobaseru' "(I let (him play outside". 3ith e%plicit actors' m nFopqr< sensei ga kodomo ni benkyou wo saseta' "The teacher made the children study." The honorific forms s P sasete morau or t sasete itadaku using the verbs morau or its humble e:uivalent itadaku.

$ausative passive The causative passive form is obtained by first conjugating in the causative form and then conjugating the result in the passive form. Usage /s its rule suggests, the causative passive is used to e%press causation passively' ryshin ni benky saserareru' "(I am made to study by (my parents".

=ecause words such as 6 Q mataserareru are considered to be difficult to pronounce, fre:uently in collo:uial speech, the middle part of the causative passive would contract. That is, 6Q mataserareru (I was made to wait , would become 6Q matasareru. /nother e%ample such as "(I was made to buy (something " would formally be VeQ kawaserareta from the verb kau, but collo:uially, it is fre:uently contracted to VeQ kawasareta. This abbreviation is not used for Ichidan verbs ()ru) verbs , nor for the irregular suru and kuru. $onditional eba form The eba conditional form is characteri4ed by the final u becoming eba for consonant stem verbs, and ru becoming reba for vowel stem verbs. Type suru kuru da (copula u ku gu su tsu nu bu mu ru (consonant stem iru, eru (vowel stem i adjectives $onditional Examples Irregular verbs d@ kanben sureba suru kureba de areba Regular verbs $ -eba tsukau (use $ -keba yaku (burn $ -geba oyogu (swim $ -seba shimesu (show $ -teba matsu (wait $ -neba shinu (die $ -beba yobu (call $ -meba yomu (read $ -reba hashiru (run $onditional d@Qf kanben sureba

tsukaeba yakeba oyogeba 5f shimeseba 6f mateba ]f shineba yobeba yomeba hashireba kigaereba

samukereba kantan de na adjectives $ -de areba kantan areba nai (negative $ -nakereba ikanai ikanakereba na adjectives and nouns are usually used with the nara conditional, instead of with de areba. The nakereba form used for the negative form can be collo:uially contracted to nakya or O nakucha. Thus ikanakereba can become - ikanakya. Usage

$ -ireba, $ kigaeru -ereba (change clothes Adjectives and negatives $ -kereba samui

The eba conditional form is used in conditionals. &or e%ample'

nani sureba ii ka' "3hat should I do@" (lit. "It would be good if I did what@" wakareba ii' "/s long as you understand" (lit. "If you understand, it is good." u vF QfVw<%P jikan ga areba, kaimono wo shiyou' "If there)s time, let)s go shopping."

$onditional ra form The conditional ra form is formed from the past tense by simply adding ra. ba can be further added to that, which ma(es it more formal. Usage The conditional ra form can be used in the same way as the conditional eba form. Aowever, it can also be used to mean more li(e "if and when", and it is typically preferred over the eba form when this meaning is more accurate. &or e%ample'

nihon ni ittara, kamera wo kaitai' "If I go to Japan, then (when that has happened I want to buy a camera."

The conditional ra form can also be used when the main clause is in the past tense. In such situations, it means "when", and carries the additional implication that the result was une%pected. &or e%ample'

kissaten ni ittara, !uzuki-san ni deatta' "3hen I went to the cafe, I came across(deatta Su4u(i."

Imperative ,ost of the imperative forms are characteri4ed by the final u becoming e. Type "ecomes x shiro suru % seyo kuru ru (polite verbs kureru masu stem da (copula koi irassharu $ -i nasaru kure $ -mase de are irasshaimasu (come, go irasshaimase irasshai nasai d@ kanben suru Examples Irregular verbs Imperative d@x kanben shiro d @ % kanben

u ku gu su tsu nu bu mu ru (consonant stem iru, eru (vowel stem

$ -e $ -ke $ -ge $ -se $ -te -ne $ -be -me $ -re $x -iro, $ -iyo

Regular verbs tsukau (use yaku (burn oyogu (swim shimesu (show matsu (wait shinu (die yobu (call yomu (read hashiru (run kigaeru (change clothes

tsukae yake oyoge 5 shimese 6 mate ] shine yobe yome hashire 897x kigaero

$7x -ero, $ 897% kigaeyo -eyo The rule for polite verbs ending in ru applies to the consonant$stem honorific verbs irassharu, ossharu, kudasaru, gozaru, and nasaru, whose imperative forms are the same as their irregular i forms.

Usage The imperative form is used

in orders, such as in the military, or to inferiors, or in te%tboo( e%ercises, in set phrases such as nani shiro' "no matter what". in reported speech, where a polite re:uest may be reported using a plain imperative' kashite kudasai (direct kase to iwareta (he told me to lend it to him .

Passive The general pattern for the passive voice is u becomes areru. Type suru kuru (come u ku gu su tsu nu Passive Examples Irregular verbs benky suru sareru (study korareru Regular verbs $ -wareru tsukau (use $ -kareru yaku (burn $ -gareru oyogu (swim $ -sareru $ -tareru $ -nareru shimesu (show matsu (wait shinu (die Passive benky sareru

tsukawareru yakareru oyogareru shimesareru matareru shinareru

 bu -bareru yobu (call yobareru mu $ -mareru yomu (read yomareru ru (consonant $ -rareru hashiru (run stem hashirareru $ -irareru, $ kigaeru iru, eru -erareru (vowel stem (change clothes kigaerareru The ru ending of the passives becomes the new verb ending. This conjugates as a vowel stem verb. Thus past, te, or polite forms can all be added to the verb. The copula, da, does not form a passive. &or the masu form, the masu is added to the passive of the plain verb. Usage The passive is used

as a passive' (Lyz{$|}%BQ kono terebi wa oshiba ni yotte tsukurareta' "This TD was made by Toshiba", as a suffering passive, indicating that a regrettable thing was done to someone, and as a form of !onorific.

'olitional Type 'olitional Examples Irregular verbs %P shiy suru (do %P sey kuru (come da (copula masu stem 1%P koy dar $~P -mash ~P ikimash tsuka yak oyog 5'P shimes 6CP mat shin yob yom "xP hashir 897%P kigaey benky suru (study 'olitional qr%P benky shiy qr%P benky sey

ikimasu (go, polite Regular verbs u $ - tsukau (use ku $ -k yaku (burn gu $ -g oyogu (swim su $ -s shimesu (show tsu $ -t matsu (wait nu $ -n shinu (die bu $ -b yobu (call mu $ -m yomu (read ru (consonant stem $ -r hashiru (run iru, eru (vowel $%P -iy, $7% kigaeru (change -ey stem clothes

Usage In general, the volitional form e%presses intention, such as in these cases'

In volitional ("let)s" or "I shall" statements' qr%P benky shiy' "Eet)s study" or "I shall study". To as( volitional ("shall we" :uestions' ik ka' "Shall (we go@" To e%press what one is thin(ing of doing, via omou' V#PCP ka to omou' "(I am thin(ing of buying (it ". In the form %PC shiy to suru' be about to or be trying to. %PC "nu ga hoey to shite iru' "The dog is about to bar(."