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Activities: What are the verb groups in Japanese?

By: Sachiko Dorsey

Exercise 1: Ru or U or Irregular?

Sort the verbs into the appropriate categories.

Sort the verbs into the appropriate categories.
Word BankChoose a word, then choose a blank. You can also drag.
U
Ru
Irregular

Exercise 2: Negative forms

Identify which group the verb belongs to and provide the negative form.
  1. 考える
    Transcription: kangaeru
    Translation: to think

    Verb group (Ru / U / Irregular):

    Negative:

  2. 出る
    Transcription: deru
    Translation: to exit

    Verb group (Ru / U / Irregular):

    Negative:

  3. 遊ぶ
    Transcription: asobu
    Translation: to play

    Verb group (Ru / U / Irregular):

    Negative:

  4. 泳ぐ
    Transcription: oyogu
    Translation: to swim

    Verb group (Ru / U / Irregular):

    Negative:

  5. 教える
    Transcription: oshieru
    Translation: to teach

    Verb group (Ru / U / Irregular):

    Negative:

  6. 急ぐ
    Transcription: isogu
    Translation: to hurry

    Verb group (Ru / U / Irregular):

    Negative:

Exercise 3: Suffixes

Plain/casual to masu:

  1. 食べる
    Transcription: taberu
    Translation: to eat
    Select your answer
  2. 話す
    Transcription: hanasu
    Translation: to speak
    Select your answer
  3. 帰る
    Transcription: kaeru
    Translation: to return
    Select your answer
  4. 来る
    Transcription: kuru
    Translation: to come
    Select your answer

Plain/casual affirmative to plain/casual negative:

  1. 行く
    Transcription: iku
    Translation: to go
    Select your answer
  2. 寝る
    Transcription: neru
    Translation: to sleep
    Select your answer
  3. 買う
    Transcription: kaku
    Translation: to buy
    Select your answer
  4. する
    Transcription: suru
    Translation: to do
    Select your answer

Exercise 4: Complete the stem

Match each stem (the unchanged part) with the right suffix! (There is only one possible suffix for each.)

  1. To do: し____ transcribed shi___

    Select your answer
  2. Not to eat: 食べ____ transcribed tabe___

    Select your answer
  3. To see: 見___ transcribed mi___

    Select your answer
  4. Not to write: 書____ transcribed ka___

    Select your answer