Nihongo Mastery | Japanese Verb Conjugator

Study Tool

Verb Mastery

Browse common Japanese verbs and see all conjugation forms instantly. Master Group 1, Group 2, and Irregular patterns.

Polite

Negative

Te-form

Potential

Volitional

Passive

Verb study helper

Review core Japanese verb patterns

Try common beginner searches like , , , or . Start with dictionary form, polite form, negative form, and te-form before moving into advanced conjugations.

The Complete Guide to Japanese Verb Conjugation

Welcome to the Nihongo Mastery Verb Conjugator. Unlike English, Japanese verbs do not conjugate based on the subject (I, you, he, they). Instead, they conjugate based on politeness, tense (past/non-past), and form (negative, potential, te-form, etc.). To conjugate any verb, you must first know which of the three Verb Groups it belongs to.

Group 1 (Godan)

Verbs ending in 'u' sounds (ku, su, tsu, nu, mu, ru, bu, gu, u). To conjugate to polite form, drop the 'u' sound and add 'i' + masu.

Example: Kaku → Kakimasu

Group 2 (Ichidan)

Verbs ending in 'eru' or 'iru'. These are the easiest to conjugate! Simply drop the final 'ru' and attach the ending.

Example: Taberu → Tabemasu

Group 3 (Irregular)

There are only two irregular verbs in Japanese: Suru (to do) and Kuru (to come). You simply have to memorize them.

Example: Suru → Shimasu

Common Verb Examples (Click to Listen)

Here are the most common N5 verbs in their polite (masu) form.

たべます

Tabemasu

To eat (Grp 2)

のみます

Nomimasu

To drink (Grp 1)

いきます

Ikimasu

To go (Grp 1)

きます

Kimasu

To come (Grp 3)

みます

Mimasu

To see/watch (Grp 2)

します

Shimasu

To do (Grp 3)

Common Mistakes: The "Ru" Trap

Not all verbs that end in "ru" belong to Group 2! This is the most common mistake beginners make.

❌ The Mistake

かえる (Kaeru - to return home)

Because it ends in "eru", many assume it is a Group 2 verb and conjugate it to "Kaemasu". This is WRONG.

✅ The Correction

かえります (Kaerimasu)

Kaeru is an exception! It is a Group 1 verb. Therefore, we drop the "u", add "i", and attach masu: Kaer-i-masu.

Verb Practice Quiz

Test your ability to conjugate common verbs into polite form.

1. How do you say "I drink" politely? (Dictionary form: のむ - Nomu)

✅ Correct! Drop 'u', add 'i' -> Nomi + masu. ❌ Incorrect. Remember, for Group 1 verbs, change the 'u' sound to 'i' before adding masu.

2. How do you say "I watch" politely? (Dictionary form: みる - Miru, Group 2)

✅ Correct! For Group 2, just drop 'ru' and add masu. ❌ Incorrect. Mirimasu would be correct if it was Group 1, but Miru is Group 2, so you just drop 'ru'.