What are the verb groups in Japanese?

In Japanese, all verbs belong to one of three verb groups:

• Ru-verbs (or “Ichidan verbs”) → all end with る (transcribed ru)

• U-verbs (or “Godan verbs”) → mostly do not end with る (transcribed ru)

• Irregular verbs

A verb’s group will tell you about how it is conjugated, or put into different forms to show formality or tense. Compare the endings in these two examples:

In this post, we’ll teach you the rules for creating the most basic forms of Japanese verbs in these different categories and direct you towards resources where you can learn about more Japanese conjugation rules. Ready to have a look? Let’s have a look at these three Japanese verb groups!

In Japanese, ru-verbs are a group of verbs that all have a plain form ending in る (transcribed ru). For example:

All ru-verbs end in る (transcribed ru), but not all verbs that end in る (transcribed ru) are ru-verbs! Some u-verbs also take this ending.

Can you tell which verbs that end in る (transcribed ru) are actually ru-verbs? Usually. If the pronunciation ends in “iru” or “eru”, you can usually guess it’s a ru-verb. Be careful though, since there are some exceptions, like 帰る (transcribed kaeru, meaning “to return”) and 入る (transcribed hairu, meaning “to enter”)!

U-verbs are the second major group of Japanese verbs, which always end with a “u” sound. This can mean that they end with the hiragana う (transcribed u), but they can also be spelled using other characters, even る (transcribed ru) — it’s the sound of the ending that matters! Here are a few examples.

With u-verbs, it’s best to look at the pronunciation. The following will usually be u-verbs:

• Verbs that end in “-u” but not “-ru”

• Verbs that end in “-aru,” “-uru,” or “-oru”

A few verbs ending in “-iru” or “-eru” can also be u-verbs!

In Japanese, there are two main verbs that don’t follow either of the verb patterns above. We call these the irregular verbs. The two irregular Japanese verbs are する (transcribed suru, meaning “to do”) and 来る (transcribed kuru, meaning “to come”). You’ll have to memorize these, so let’s have a look!

In the sections above, we’ve looked only at the most basic forms for Japanese verbs, but a verb’s group matters in a lot of other verb forms as well. For example, you’ll need the verb group to correctly form:

• The ta-form → broadly, the past tense

• The te-form → a form used to link two sentences, a little like verb + “and”

• The conditional form → the Japanese form used in “if” + verb

• The potential form → the Japanese equivalent of “can” + verb

• The passive form → the Japanese equivalent of “be” + verbed

And more! Follow the links above to find out more about each of these verb forms!

Here are the main take-aways to remember about Japanese verb groups:

• Japanese has three verb groups:

  • Ru-verbs (or “Ichidan verbs”) → all end with る (transcribed ru)

  • U-verbs (or “Godan verbs”) → mostly do not end with る (transcribed ru)

  • Irregular verbs → する (transcribed suru) and 来る (transcribed kuru)

• These are the most basic forms of each verb:

  • Plain form → The form from a dictionary. Negate this form by replacing the ending with "-(a)nai".

  • Polite form → A form used for polite interactions which ends in "-(i)masu". Negate this form by replacing the ending with "-(i)masen".

Ready to practice? Check out these Japanese verb group activities to test your skills! Happy learning!