Definition of Verbs
Verbs are words that indicate actions, movements, or existence. These are words that, according to the dictionary, end in the 'う' (u) sound in their dictionary form and change form following words like 'です' (desu) and 'ます' (masu).
Example: Writing letters, crossing a bridge.
List of Verbs Here are some examples of Japanese verbs:
休む、踊る、泣く、行く、来る、着く、歩く、過ぎる、登る、飾る、見つめる、待つ、読む、降る、試みる、見える、迎える、脱出する、揺れる、歌う、飲む、食べる、騙す、起きる、咲く、終わる、誘う、降りる、泳ぐ
Example Sentences with Verbs Here are some example sentences with verbs. A helpful tip for identifying verbs is to remember that the plain form ends with a 'う' (u) sound.
ごみを捨てる。 道を間違えてしまった。 あの角まで行けばゴールは近い。
How to Use Verbs
Next, let's look at how to use verbs. Where are verbs used in a sentence, and what words do they modify?
Verbs change their forms to function as subjects, predicates, or modifiers in various parts of a sentence. A key point is that they can function as predicates.
Usage of Verbs (1) As a Predicate
Let's save the rest for later. Brushed my teeth and prepared.
Usage of Verbs (2) As a Subject
When a verb functions as a subject, it is followed by particles such as 'の' (no), 'が' (ga), 'は' (wa), 'も' (mo), etc.
Leaving the house is also troublesome. Winning was thanks to him.
Usage of Verbs (3) As a Modifier
Go out to buy ingredients. Developed a habit of persevering until the end.
Intransitive Verbs and Transitive Verbs
Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs express an action or state of the subject. They do not require a direct object. This means that the action affects the subject itself.
Examples: 湯がわく (The water boils), 弟が起きる (The younger brother wakes up), 目がさめる (The eyes open), 火が消える (The fire goes out), 車が止まる (The car stops)
In these examples, the action affects each respective subject (water, younger brother, eyes, fire, car).
Transitive Verbs
Transitive verbs express an action that affects another object or person. They require a direct object, usually accompanied by the particle 'を' (wo).
Examples: 湯を沸かす (Boil the water), 弟を起こす (Wake up the younger brother), 目をさます (Open the eyes), 火を消す (Put out the fire), 車を止める (Stop the car)
In these examples, the action affects the respective objects (water, younger brother, eyes, fire, car).
Ambitransitive Verbs
Some verbs can be used as either intransitive or transitive depending on the context. These verbs are called ambitransitive verbs.
Example: 「工事が再開する」(The construction resumes - intransitive), 「工事を再開する」(Resume the construction - transitive)
The key difference is the presence or absence of a direct object. Intransitive verbs do not have a direct object, while transitive verbs require one.
Essential Components of Verbs
When learning Japanese, choosing the correct particle can be challenging. For example, in English, when using the verb 'eat,' one may wonder whether the appropriate preposition is 'of' or 'at.' This confusion arises because the learner has not yet fully understood the appropriate prepositions to pair with the verb.
Native Japanese speakers automatically know the correct use of particles like 'てにをは,' but beginners may use the wrong particle, leading to misunderstandings.
Understanding the essential components of a verb and being able to appropriately omit them will enable you to construct natural sentences in Japanese.
Having this knowledge will help Japanese language learners understand the differences between intransitive and transitive verbs, learn the correct usage of particles, and create natural Japanese sentences.
Verb Conjugation and Verb Change
One characteristic of Japanese verbs is that they undergo conjugation.
Conjugation (活用, かつよう) refers to the change in the form of the word ending.
For example, the ending of a noun like "本" (book) or an adverb like "すっかり" (completely) does not change, but the ending of a verb can change into various forms.
If you are not preparing for an exam, it is okay to skim over this conjugation part, but if you need it for a school exam or any other formal assessment, you need to memorize the conjugation forms.
Stem and Conjugation Ending of Verbs When conjugating, the part that does not change is called the stem, and the part that changes is called the conjugation ending. For example, in the case of "書く" (to write), even when conjugated, the "書" part does not change, but the other part, "く," changes in forms like "書かない" (do not write), "書けます" (can write), etc.
For Japanese language learners, understanding verb conjugation is crucial for forming different tenses and expressing various meanings.
Knowing the stem and conjugation ending of verbs is essential for mastering the conjugation of Japanese verbs. By recognizing which part of the verb changes and which part remains the same, learners can more easily conjugate verbs in different contexts.
The Six Conjugation Forms of Verbs
When you change the ending of "書く" (to write), it becomes as follows:
Mizenkei (未然形): 書かない (not write) Renyoukei (連用形): 書きます (write), 書いた (wrote) Shuushikei (終止形): 書く (write) Rentaikei (連体形): 書くとき (when writing) Kateikei (仮定形): 書けば (if write) Meireikei (命令形): 書け (write! - imperative)
Thus, verbs are conjugated into six forms based on the words that follow them: mizenkei, renyoukei, shuushikei, rentaikei, kateikei, and meireikei.
Mizenkei (未然形): Form that precedes "〜ない" or "〜う" or "よう" (e.g., 起きない - not wake up) Renyoukei (連用形): Form that precedes "〜ます" or "〜た" (e.g., 起きた - woke up, 起きます - wake up) Shuushikei (終止形): Decisive form (e.g., 起きる - wake up) Rentaikei (連体形): Form that precedes noun-like expressions such as "〜とき" (e.g., 起きるとき - when waking up) Kateikei (仮定形): Form that precedes "〜ば" (e.g., 起きれば - if wake up) Meireikei (命令形): Decisive form with an imperative meaning (e.g., 起きろ - wake up! - imperative)
For Japanese language learners, it is essential to understand these six conjugation forms of verbs as they help express various meanings and tenses in different contexts. Mastering these conjugation forms will enable learners to express themselves more precisely and naturally in Japanese.
Types of Verb Conjugation
Based on the type of conjugation, verbs can be classified into the following five categories:
- Godan Katsuyou (五段活用)
- Kami-Ichidan Katsuyou (上一段活用)
- Shimo-Ichidan Katsuyou (下一段活用)
- Ka-Gyou Henkaku Katsuyou (カ行変格活用)
- Sa-Gyou Henkaku Katsuyou (サ行変格活用)
- Godan Katsuyou (五段活用) This is a pattern where the conjugation ending changes across the five vowel levels: 'あ', 'い', 'う', 'え', 'お'. Example: 動かない (don't move)
- Kami-Ichidan Katsuyou (上一段活用) This is where the conjugation ending changes on the 'い' vowel level. Example: 起きない (don't wake up)
- Shimo-Ichidan Katsuyou (下一段活用) This is where the conjugation ending changes on the 'え' vowel level. Example: 受けない (don't receive)
- Ka-Gyou Henkaku Katsuyou (カ行変格活用) This is a special conjugation type applicable only to the verb '来る' (to come).
- Sa-Gyou Henkaku Katsuyou (サ行変格活用) This is a special conjugation type applicable only to the verb 'する' (to do) and verbs ending with '〜する'.
Verb Conjugation Table
The conjugation of verbs explained so far can be summarized in the following table:
Godan Katsuyou (五段活用), Kami-Ichidan Katsuyou (上一段活用), Shimo-Ichidan Katsuyou (下一段活用) Conjugation Table:
| Conjugation Type | Godan Katsuyou (五段活用) | Kami-Ichidan Katsuyou (上一段活用) | Shimo-Ichidan Katsuyou (下一段活用) | |----------------------|--------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------| | Mizenkei (未然形) | ka, ko | ki | ke | | Renyoukei (連用形) | ki, i | ki | ke | | Shuushikei (終止形) | ku | kiru | keru | | Rentaikei (連体形) | ku | kiru | keru | | Kateikei (仮定形) | ke | kire | kere | | Meireikei (命令形) | ke | kiro, kiyo | kero, keyo |
Ka-Gyou Henkaku Katsuyou (カ行変格活用), Sa-Gyou Henkaku Katsuyou (サ行変格活用) Conjugation Table:
| Conjugation Type | Ka-Gyou Henkaku Katsuyou (カ行変格活用) | Sa-Gyou Henkaku Katsuyou (サ行変格活用) | |----------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------| | Mizenkei (未然形) | ko | sa, se, shi | | Renyoukei (連用形) | ki | shi | | Shuushikei (終止形) | kuru | suru | | Rentaikei (連体形) | kuru | suru | | Kateikei (仮定形) | kure | sure | | Meireikei (命令形) | koi | seyo, shiro |
This table is a handy reference for Japanese language learners to understand and memorize the conjugation patterns of various verbs. Mastering these conjugation patterns is crucial for expressing oneself accurately and naturally in different contexts.
Potential Verbs
In Japanese, a subset of verbs can express the ability to do something, and these are referred to as potential verbs.
Only verbs with 'godan' (五段) conjugation can be transformed into potential verbs. To create a potential verb, a 'godan' verb is transformed into 'ichi-dan' (一段) conjugation, and it does not have a command form.
Example: あと5分並べば、買える。 この距離なら飛べるだろう。 彼なら1人で行けるだろう。
Examples of Potential Verbs: Here are some examples of potential verbs:
Verb Potential Verb
iku (行く) ikeru (行ける) utsu (打つ) uteru (打てる) tobu (飛ぶ) toberu (飛べる) kau (買う) kaeru (買える) au (会う) aeru (会える) tsuru (釣る) tsureru (釣れる) ugoku (動く) ugokeru (動ける) yomu (読む) yomeru (読める) kaku (書く) kakeru (書ける) tsukuru (作る) tsukureru (作れる) hashiru (走る) hashireru (走れる) oyogu (泳ぐ) oyogeru (泳げる)
Identifying Potential Verbs
The main characteristic of potential verbs is that they are formed by modifying 'godan' verbs.
Therefore, verbs with 'kami-ichidan' (上一段) conjugation (e.g., miru - to see, kiru - to wear) and 'shimo-ichidan' (下一段) conjugation (e.g., taberu - to eat, ukeru - to receive) cannot be transformed into potential verbs.
For example, "mieru" (見える) might at first glance seem like a potential verb, but unlike "omoeru" (思える) which changes to "omou" (思う), "mieru" cannot change to "miu" (見う).
Also, while potential verbs like "hashireru" (走れる) refer to actions that can be realized by one's own will, "mieru" refers to a state that naturally occurs, so it does not fit the category of potential verbs.
Auxiliary Verbs (or Formal Verbs)
Auxiliary verbs are verbs that have lost their original meaning and instead serve a supportive role. These are also referred to as formal verbs.
Examples:
大事なものは引き出しにしまっておく。 子は宝である。 だんだん分からなくなってきた。 先生には電話で伝えてある。 マラソンに挑戦してみる。
Identifying Auxiliary Verbs
The way to identify auxiliary verbs is to check if the form '〜て(で)' is present right before the verb.
In the examples above, notice that in 'しまっておく' and '宝である', the 'て' or 'で' appears right before the auxiliary (or formal) verb.
Key Point to Identify Auxiliary (or Formal) Verbs
The form '〜て(で)' appears right before the auxiliary verb.