Learn Japanese with Bri 日本語をブリと学ぼう
必須 · The Essentials

Verb Conjugation 動詞活用

Every Japanese verb falls into one of three groups, and each group follows a fixed set of rules. Master the patterns once, and you can conjugate any verb you meet. Click 🔊 on any form to hear it.

The three verb groups

Group 1
五段動詞
U-verbs (godan)

End in any う-row sound: う, く, ぐ, す, つ, ぬ, ぶ, む, or る. The final syllable shifts through five vowel rows (あ・い・う・え・お) — hence the name godan ("five-step").

書く 飲む 買う 話す

⚠ Some る-ending verbs (帰る, 入る, 走る, 切る, 知る) look like Group 2 but are actually Group 1. Memorise these traps.

Group 2
一段動詞
Ru-verbs (ichidan)

End in る where the preceding kana is in the い-row or え-row. Conjugation is simple: drop the る, then attach the ending.

食べる 見る 寝る 起きる

✓ Cleaner pattern than Group 1 — once you can spot the い/え before る, you're set.

Group 3
不規則動詞
Irregular

Only two true irregulars: する (to do) and 来る (to come). Every noun + する compound (勉強する, 結婚する, …) conjugates like する.

する 来る 勉強する

✓ Just two patterns to memorise — but they're everywhere, so they're worth drilling.

Conjugation forms — rules & examples

Each form below shows the rule for each group plus a worked example. The same rules drive every verb in the library further down the page.

Verb library — full conjugation tables

Click a verb to expand its full conjugation table. Every form has a 🔊 button.

Practice drill

Pick the correct conjugation. The drill mixes verbs and forms — restart any time.