Japanese conjugation
This page is a comprehensive 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 fairly simple and is the same for all subjects (first, second and third person, 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.
Causative
The causative forms are characterized by the final u becoming aseru for consonant stem verbs, and ru becoming saseru for vowel stem verbs.
| Type | Causative | Examples | Causative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irregular verbs | |||
| するsuru | させるsaseru | 勘弁するkanben suru | 勘弁させるkanben saseru |
| 来るkuru | 来させるkosaseru | ||
| Regular verbs | |||
| u | waseru | 使うtsukau | 使わせるtsukawaseru |
| ku | kaseru | 乾くkawaku | 乾かせるkawakaseru |
| gu | gaseru | 泳ぐoyogu | 泳がせるoyogaseru |
| su | saseru | 示すshimesu | 示させるshimesaseru |
| tsu | taseru | 待つmatsu | 待たせるmataseru |
| nu | naseru | 死ぬshinu | 死なせるshinaseru |
| bu | baseru | 呼ぶyobu | 呼ばせるyobaseru |
| mu | maseru | 読むyomu | 読ませるyomaseru |
| ru (consonant stem) | raseru | 走るhashiru | 走らせるhashiraseru |
| iru, eru (vowel stem) | isaseru, esaseru | 着替えるkigaeru | 着替えさせるkigaesaseru |
| Adjectives and negatives | |||
| i adjectives | ku saseru | 寒いsamui | 寒くさせるsamuku saseru |
| na adjectives | ni saseru | 静かshizuka | 静かにさせるshizuka ni saseru |
- The ru ending of the causative form becomes the new verb ending. This conjugates as a vowel stem verb.
- Negatives are not normally made into causatives. Instead, a negative ending is added to the causative of the verb. Thus, for example, Tabesasenai: "Do not let eat".
- Adjectives are made causative by using the adverb form plus saseru.
Usage
The causative is used for:
- Making someone do something: 宿題をさせる shukudai o saseru: "(I) make (him) do homework".
- Letting someone do something: 外で遊ばせる soto de asobaseru: "(I) let (him) play outside".
- With explicit actors: 先生が子供に勉強をさせた sensei ga kodomo ni benkyou wo saseta: "The teacher made the children study."
- The honorific forms させて貰う sasete morau or させて頂く sasete itadaku using the verbs 貰う morau or its humble equivalent 頂く itadaku.
Causative passive
The causative passive form is obtained by first conjugating in the causative form and then conjugating the result in the passive form.
Usage
As its rule suggests, the causative passive is used to express causation passively: 両親に勉強させられる ryōshin ni benkyō saserareru: "(I) am made to study by (my) parents".
Because words such as させられる saserareru are considered to be difficult to pronounce, frequently in colloquial speech, the middle part of the causative passive would contract. That is, させられる saserareru would become さされる sasareru. Another example such as "(I) am made to buy (something)" would formally be 買わせられた kawaserareta from the verb 買う kau, but colloquially, it is frequently contracted to 買わされた kawasareta
Conditional eba form
The eba conditional form is characterized by the final u becoming eba for consonant stem verbs, and ru becoming reba for vowel stem verbs.
| Type | Conditional | Examples | Conditional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irregular verbs | |||
| するsuru | すればsureba | 勘弁するkanben suru | 勘弁すればkanben sureba |
| 来るkuru | くればkureba | ||
| だda (copula) | であればde areba | ||
| Regular verbs | |||
| うu | えばeba | 使うtsukau (use) | 使えばtsukaeba |
| くku | けばkeba | 乾くkawaku (dry) | 乾けばkawakeba |
| ぐgu | げばgeba | 泳ぐoyogu (swim) | 泳げばoyogeba |
| すsu | せばseba | 示すshimesu (show) | 示せばshimeseba |
| つtsu | てばteba | 待つmatsu (wait) | 待てばmateba |
| ぬnu | ねばneba | 死ぬshinu (die) | 死ねばshineba |
| ぶbu | べばbeba | 呼ぶyobu (call) | 呼べばyobeba |
| むmu | めばmeba | 読むyomu (read) | 読めばyomeba |
| るru (consonant stem) | ればreba | 走るhashiru (run) | 走ればhashireba |
| いる iru, える eru (vowel stem) | いれば ireba, えれば ereba | 着替えるkigaeru (change clothes) | 着替えればkigaereba |
| Adjectives and negatives | |||
| i adjectives | ければkereba | 寒いsamui | 寒ければsamukereba |
| na adjectives | であればde areba | 簡単kantan | 簡単であればkantan de areba |
| ないnai (negative) | なければnakereba | 行かないikanai | 行かなければikanakereba |
- na adjectives and nouns are usually used with the なら nara conditional, instead of with であれば de areba.
- The なければ nakereba form used for the negative form can be colloquially contracted to なきゃ nakya. Thus 行かなければ ikanakereba can become 行かなきゃ ikanakya.
Usage
The eba conditional form is used in conditionals. For example:
- 何すればいいかnani sureba ii ka: "What should I do?" (lit. "It would be good if I did what?")
- 分かればいいwakareba ii: "As long as you understand" (lit. "If you understand, it is good.")
- 時間があれば買い物をしようjikan ga areba, kaimono wo shiyou: "If there's time, let's go shopping."
Conditional ra form
The conditional ra form is formed from the past tense by simply adding ra. ba can be further added to that, which makes it more formal.
Usage
The conditional ra form can be used in the same way as the conditional eba form. However, it can also be used to mean more like "if and when", and it is typically preferred over the eba form when this meaning is more accurate. For example:
- 日本に行ったら、カメラを買いたい。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 unexpected. For example:
- 喫茶店に行ったら、鈴木さんに出会った。kissaten ni ittara, Suzuki-san ni deatta: "When I went to the cafe, I happened to meet Suzuki (and didn't expect to)"
i form
The i form, or ren'youkei, is very regular, and in almost all cases it is formed by replacing the u with i.
| Type | i form | Examples | i form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irregular verbs | |||
| するsuru | しshi | 勉強するbenkyō suru | 勉強しbenkyō shi |
| 来るkuru | きki | ||
| るru (polite verbs) | いi | ござるgozaru | ございgozai |
| だda | でありde ari | ||
| Regular verbs | |||
| うu | いi | 使うtsukau (use) | 使いtsukai |
| くku | きki | 焼くyaku (burn) | 焼きyaki |
| ぐgu | ぎgi | 泳ぐoyogu (swim) | 泳ぎoyogi |
| すsu | しshi | 示すshimesu (show) | 示しshimeshi |
| つtsu | ちchi | 待つmatsu (wait) | 待ちmachi |
| ぬnu | にni | 死ぬshinu (die) | 死にshini |
| ぶbu | びbi | 呼ぶyobu (call) | 呼びyobi |
| むmu | みmi | 読むyomu (read) | 読みyomi |
| るru (consonant stem) | りri | 走るhashiru (run) | 走りhashiri |
| いるiru, えるeru (vowel stem) | いi, えe | 着替えるkigaeru (change clothes) 見るmiru (see) |
着替えkigae 見mi |
- 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 prefix. These include:
- To form polite verbs when followed by the -masu ending: ikimasu, tsukaimasu.
- To express a wish 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 like that"
- To form a command when followed by
- nasai: kore o tabenasai: "eat this", asoko e ikinasai: "go over there".
- na: massugu kaerina "go straight home"; nakayoku asobina "play nice". (Used with children, etc.)
- To express that something is easy or hard 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 drink too much". (sugiru can also be used with the stems of adjectives.)
- In yakuza speech, to express disrespect (such as hatred or contempt) for the doer of an action when followed by the verb yagaru: koroshiyagaru: "to kill (as a hated or contemptible person)". (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 honorifics such as o tsukai kudasai: "Please use this".
- In conjunctions in formal writing.
For some verbs, the i form also forms part of related words in ways that are not governed by any general rules. For example:
- The i form of taberu (to eat) can prefix mono to form tabemono (food). Similarly with nomu.
- The i form of kakeru (to bet) is a word on its own: kake, which means "a bet".
- hanasu (to separate) can be suffixed to the i form of kiru (to cut) to form kirihanasu (to cut off).
Imperative
Most of the imperative forms are characterized by the final u becoming e.
| Type | Becomes | Examples | Imperative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irregular verbs | |||
| するsuru | しろshiro せよseyo |
勘弁kanben suru | 勘弁しろkanben shiro 勘弁せよkanben seyo |
| 来るkuru | 来いkoi | ||
| るru (polite verbs) | いi | いらっしゃるirassharu なさるnasaru |
いらっしゃいirasshai なさいnasai |
| くれるkureru | くれkure | ||
| masu stem | ませmase | いらっしゃいますirasshaimasu (come, go) | いらっしゃいませirasshaimase |
| だda (copula) | であれde are | ||
| Regular verbs | |||
| うu | えe | 使うtsukau (use) | 使えtsukae |
| くku | けke | 焼くyaku (burn) | 焼けyake |
| ぐgu | げge | 泳ぐoyogu (swim) | 泳げoyoge |
| すsu | せse | しめすshimesu (show) | しめせshimese |
| つtsu | てte | 待つmatsu (wait) | 待てmate |
| ぬnu | ねne | 死ぬshinu (die) | 死ねshine |
| ぶbu | べbe | 呼ぶyobu (call) | 呼べyobe |
| むmu | めme | 読むyomu (read) | 読めyome |
| るru (consonant stem) | れre | 走るhashiru (run) | 走れhashire |
| いるiru, えるeru (vowel stem) | いろiro, いよiyo, えろero, えよeyo | 着替えるkigaeru (change clothes) | 着替えろkigaero 着替えよkigaeyo |
- 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 textbook exercises,
- in set phrases such as nani shiro: "no matter what".
- in reported speech, where a polite request may be reported using a plain imperative: kashite kudasai (direct) kase to iwareta (he told me to lend it to him).
Negative
The basic pattern is u becomes anai.
| Type | Negative | Examples | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irregular verbs | |||
| suru | shinai | benkyō suru | benkyō shinai |
| kuru | konai | ||
| aru | nai | ||
| da | de wa nai ja nai |
||
| masu stem | masen | ikimasu (go, polite) | ikimasen |
| Regular verbs | |||
| u | wanai | tsukau (use) | tsukawanai |
| ku | kanai | yaku (burn) | yakanai |
| gu | ganai | oyogu (swim) | oyoganai |
| su | sanai | shimesu (show) | shimesanai |
| tsu | tanai | matsu (wait) | matanai |
| nu | nanai | shinu (die) | shinanai |
| bu | banai | yobu (call) | yobanai |
| mu | manai | yomu (read) | yomanai |
| ru (consonant stem) | ranai | hashiru (run) | hashiranai |
| iru, eru (vowel stem) | inai, enai | kigaeru (change clothes) | kigaenai |
| Adjectives | |||
| i adjectives | ku nai | itai (painful) | itakunai |
| na adjectives | de wa nai ja nai |
kantan | kantan de wa nai kantan ja nai |
- The nai ending conjugates in two ways.
- As an i adjective. For example the past tense of tabenai is tabenakatta and the te form is tabenakute.
- There is a special te form made by adding de. For example, tabenaide. This is used, for example, in tabenaide kudasai: "Please don't eat (this)".
Passive
The general pattern for the passive voice is u becomes areru.
| Type | Passive | Examples | Passive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irregular verbs | |||
| suru | sareru | benkyō suru | benkyō sareru |
| kuru | korareru | ||
| Regular verbs | |||
| u | wareru | tsukau (use) | tsukawareru |
| ku | kareru | yaku (burn) | yakareru |
| gu | gareru | oyogu (swim) | oyogareru |
| su | sareru | shimesu (show) | shimesareru |
| tsu | tareru | matsu (wait) | matareru |
| nu | nareru | shinu (die) | shinareru |
| bu | bareru | yobu (call) | yobareru |
| mu | mareru | yomu (read) | yomareru |
| ru (consonant stem) | rareru | hashiru (run) | hashirareru |
| iru, eru (vowel stem) | irareru, erareru | kigaeru (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.
- For the masu form, the masu is added to the passive of the plain verb.
Usage
The passive is used
- as a passive: kono terebi wa Toshiba ni tsukurareta: "This TV was made by Toshiba",
- as a suffering passive, indicating that a regrettable thing was done to someone, and
- as a form of honorific.
Past tense
The past tense is very similar in conjugation to the te form. Most of the past tenses are formed by replacing "te" with "ta". The only exceptions are the adjective forms.
| Type | Past | Examples | Past |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irregular verbs | |||
| する suru | shita | suru | shita |
| kuru | kita | ||
| iku (go) | itta | ||
| irassharu (polite) | irasshatta | ||
| masu stem | mashita | akemasu | akemashita |
| Regular verbs | |||
| u | tta | tsukau (use) | tsukatta |
| ku | ita | yaku (burn) | yaita |
| gu | ida | oyogu (swim) | oyoida |
| su | shita | shimesu (show) | shimeshita |
| tsu | tta | matsu (wait) | matta |
| nu | nda | shinu (die) | shinda |
| bu | nda | yobu (call) | yonda |
| mu | nda | yomu (read) | yonda |
| ru (consonant stem) | tta | hashiru (run) | hashitta |
| iru, eru (vowel stem) | ita, eta | taberu | tabeta |
| Adjectives | |||
| i adjective | katta | yasui (cheap) | yasukatta |
| na adjective | datta | kantan (simple) | kantan datta |
Usage
Using the past tense follows the same pattern as the present and future tense. For example, nihon ni iku (I am going to go to Japan) becomes nihon ni itta (I went to Japan).
Potential
The general pattern is u becomes eru.
| Type | Potential | Examples | Potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irregular verbs | |||
| する suru | dekiru seru (in compounds) |
benkyō suru 愛するaisuru |
benkyō dekiru aiseru |
| 来るkuru | korareru | ||
| Regular verbs | |||
| u | eru | tsukau (use) | tsukaeru |
| ku | keru | yaku (burn) | yakeru |
| gu | geru | oyogu (swim) | oyogeru |
| su | seru | shimesu (show) | shimeseru |
| tsu | teru | matsu (wait) | materu |
| nu | neru | shinu (die) | shineru |
| bu | beru | yobu (call) | yoberu |
| mu | meru | yomu (read) | yomeru |
| ru (consonant stem) | reru | hashiru (run) | hashireru |
| iru, eru (vowel stem) | irareru, erareru ireru, ereru (*) |
kigaeru (change clothes) | kigaerareru (*) kigaereru |
(*) The longer rareru form is common in writing but rarely heard these days.
Usage
The potential is used to express that one has the ability to do something. Direct objects are marked with the particle ga instead of wo. For example nihongo ga yomeru: "I can read Japanese".
It is also used to request some action from someone, in the exact sense of the English "Can you ... ?" For example "koohii kaeru?" "コーヒー買える?": "Can you buy some coffee? However, sometimes in English we use "Will you...?" and "Can you ... ?" interchangeably to make requests. Though you can do this in Japanese, "koohii kau?" "コーヒー買う?", it is very casual and might also mean simply "Are you buying/Will you buy coffee?" in very dry factual sense.
Unlike in English, the potential is not often used to express permission (as in the sentence "Can I eat this apple?") as it is almost always understood to mean "Do I have the ability to eat this apple?": "Kono ringo wo tabereru?" "このリンゴを食べれる？". And 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 asking (in this case) if the apple is edible. So, to seek 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 like "Is eating this apple OK?" "Kono ringo wo tabete mo ii desu ka?" "このリンゴを食べてもいいですか？" or "Kono ringo wo tabete ii?" "このリンゴを食べていい？".
The potential ru ending conjugates as a vowel stem verb.
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 example, through the context, or via words that convey the time). The non-past form of a verb is the same as its dictionary form; no conjugation needs to be done. For example:
- kaimono wo suru: "I shop", or "I will shop".
- ashita benkyou suru: "Tomorrow, I will study".
In most cases, the non-past tense cannot be used to indicate one's current state, such as in the English sentence "I am shopping". Rather, it can only be used to express habit or other actions that are expected to continue into the future, such as in "I shop". To convey the former, the te form with iru must be used.
Te form
The te form of a Japanese verb is used when the verb has some kind of connection to the following words. The conjugation of the te form is similar to the conjugation of the past tense.
| Type | Becomes | Examples | Te form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irregular verbs | |||
| するsuru | してshite | 愛するaisuru | 愛してaishite |
| 来るkuru | 来てkite | ||
| 行くiku (go) | 行ってitte | ||
| いらっしゃるirassharu (polite) | いらっしゃってirasshatte | ||
| masu stem | ましてmashite | 開けますakemasu | 開けてakemashite |
| Regular verbs | |||
| u | tte | 使うtsukau (use) | 使ってtsukatte |
| ku | いてite | 焼くyaku (burn) | 焼いてyaite |
| gu | ide | 泳ぐoyogu (swim) | 泳いでoyoide |
| su | shite | しめすshimesu (show) | しめしてshimeshite |
| tsu | tte | 待つmatsu (wait) | 待ってmatte |
| nu | nde | 死ぬshinu (die) | 死んでshinde |
| bu | nde | 呼ぶyobu (call) | 呼んでyonde |
| mu | nde | 読むyomu (read) | 読んでyonde |
| ru (consonant stem) | tte | 走るhashiru (run) | 走ってhashitte |
| iru, eru (vowel stem) | ite, ete | 食べるtaberu (eat) | 食べてtabete |
| Adjectives | |||
| i adjective | kute | 安いyasui (cheap) | 安くてyasukute |
| na adjective | de | 簡単kantan (simple) | 簡単でkantan de |
Usage
- In requests with kure and kudasai.
- With the verbs
- iru: It means "to be doing". For example: matte iru: "I am waiting". This is also used in some situations where the English equivalent does not use "to be doing". For example: shitte iru: "I know", motte iru: "I have", koko ni sunde iru: "I live here". Colloquially, in this form the "i" often disappears, so matte iru becomes matteru and shitte iru becomes shitteru.
- oku: It means "to do in advance". o-bentō o tsukutte oita: "I've made a boxed lunch (for later)". Colloquially, in this form the "e" often disappears, so tsukutte oita becomes tsukuttoita
- aru: This forms a kind of passive when used with a transitive verb. Koko ni moji ga kaite aru: "There are some characters written here". It shows that something was left in a certain state. Contrast to "Kaite iru", "I am writing", which applies to the person doing the writing rather than what is written.
- shimau: This implies something is completed or done, usually unintentionally or accidentally or unexpectedly and sometimes expressing that the action is contrary to right or correct action: katazukete shimatta: "I have finished tidying". It can also suggest a regrettable situation: watashi no kagi ga kiete shimatta: "My keys have disappeared".
The form te shimau is shortened to the very very commonly used and casual chimau or chau with the same consonant doubling as the te form. For example, "I forgot my mobile phone!": "Keitai wasurechatta!" "携帯忘れちゃった！" The de shimau form is shortened to jau or jimau in colloquial speech.
- miru: It means "to try doing".
- iku: Can express continuous action or a change of state.
- kuru: Can express continuous action or a change of state.
- To combine clauses or adjectives, as if by the English conjunction "and". For example:
- yakkyoku e itte, kusuri wo kau: "(I am going to) go to the pharmacy and buy medicine."
- ano hito wa shinsetsu de, atama ga yokute, wakariyasui: "That person is kind, smart, and easy to understand."
- yasukute ii ne: "It's good that it's cheap." (lit. "It's cheap and good.")
- With particles in formations such as
- te wa ikenai: "You must not ...". For example, tabete wa ikenai: "You must not eat this". (Other words of prohibition, such as dame, can be substituted for ikenai.)
- te mo ii: "You may do/It's ok if you do". For example, tabete mo ii: "You may eat it".
- te mo kamawanai: "You may do/I don't mind if you do"
- te hoshii: "I want you to do (for me)"
- te sumimasen: "I'm sorry for doing"
Volitional
| Type | Volitional | Examples | Volitional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irregular verbs | |||
| suru | shiyō seyō |
benkyō suru | benkyō shiyō benkyō seyō |
| kuru | koyō | ||
| da | darō | ||
| masu stem | mashō | ikimasu (go, polite) | ikimashō |
| Regular verbs | |||
| u | ō | tsukau (use) | tsukaō |
| ku | kō | yaku (burn) | yakō |
| gu | gō | oyogu (swim) | oyogō |
| su | sō | shimesu (show) | shimesō |
| tsu | tō | matsu (wait) | matō |
| nu | nō | shinu (die) | shinō |
| bu | bō | yobu (call) | yobō |
| mu | mō | yomu (read) | yomō |
| ru (consonant stem) | rō | hashiru (run) | hashirō |
| iru, eru (vowel stem) | iyō, eyō | kigaeru (change clothes) | kigaeyō |
Usage
In general, the volitional form expresses intention, such as in these cases:
- In volitional ("let's" or "I shall") statements: benkyō shiyō: "Let's study" or "I shall study".
- To ask volitional ("shall we") questions: ikō ka: "Shall (we) go?"
- To express what one is thinking of doing, via omou: kaō to omou: "(I) am thinking of buying (it)".
- In the form shiyō to suru: be about to or be trying to. Inu ga shinō to shite iru: "The dog is dying."