Structure 2

Structure 2: Verb conjugation and classifying

1. Five basic verb conjugations and the TE-form:

1. Negative form (NAI-form)
2. Polite form (MASU-form)
3. Dictionary form
4. Conditional form (BA-form)
5. Volitional form

       +) TE-form

 

Names such as “( –form )” refer to the name of the verb’s conjugated form.

 

The basic conjugations are 1) through 5) above,
but the TE-form should also be learned at an early stage.

 

In addition to 1) through 5) and the te-form, there are other forms such as
the potential, imperative, passive, and causative forms.
However, at the introductory level, learners should focus on
mastering 1)–5) plus the TE-form ( We will explain the te-form in Lesson 3. )

2. Classifying verbs by conjugation patterns

 

Japanese verbs can be divided into three types based on their conjugation patterns:

1. Consonant verbs ( CV )
2. Vowel verbs ( VV )
3. Irregular verbs ( IV )

1) Consonant verbs ( CV )
Consonant verbs are verbs whose verb stem ends with a consonant when written in romaji.
　Example:　行く（go)
　行く iku = stem ik + conjugated ending u

 

2) Vowel verbs ( VV ) 
Vowel verbs are verbs whose verb stem ends with a vowel when written in romaji.
　Example:　食べる（eat)
　食べる taberu = stem tabe + conjugated ending ru

 

3) Irregular verbs ( IV )
Irregular verbs are verbs whose conjugation patterns are irregular.
　There are only two such verbs:
　する (do) and 来る (come).

3. Rules of conjugation patterns

 

1) Examples of conjugation patterns for Consonant verbs
The colored part shows the sound that changes in each conjugation.

	聞く listen kiku	話す talk hanasu	待つ wait matsu	・・・	読む read yomu	言う say iu
あ	きかない kikanai	はなさない hanasanai	またない matanai	・・・	よまない yomanai	いわない iwanai
い	ききます kikimasu	はなします hanashimasu	まちます machimasu	・・・	よみます yomimasu	いいます iimasu
う	きく kiku	はなす hanasu	まつ matsu	・・・	よむ yomu	いう iu
え	きけば kikeba	はなせば hanaseba	まてば mateba	・・・	よめば yomeba	いえば ieba
お	きこう kikou	はなそう hanasou	まとう matou	・・・	よもう yomou	いおう iou

 

 

2) Examples of conjugation patterns for Vowel verbs
Vowel verbs can be divided into two types: e-verbs and i-verbs.
In both types, the verb stem stays the same, and only the ending changes during conjugation.

食べる　eat taberu	寝る　lie neru		起きる　get up okiru	見る　look miru
たべない tabenai	ねない nenai		おきない okinai	みない minai
たべます tabemasu	ねます nemasu		おきます okimasu	みます mimasu
たべる taberu	ねる neru		おきる okiru	みる miru
たべれば tabereba	ねれば nereba		おきれば okireba	みれば mireba
たべよう tabeyou	ねよう neyou		おきよう okiyou	みよう miyou