When I first started learning Japanese, I had no idea which verbs to learn. With that in mind, I have put together a list of 20 basic Japanese verbs to study.
For each verb, I have tried to give a brief overview of how they are used. This isn’t intended to be an in-depth guide, so if you want to learn more I recommend the resources listed at the end of this post.
The list below shows the verbs in the polite (-masu) form, but I have given the plain/dictionary form below. One good thing about Japanese is that there are very few irregular verbs (which all happen to be in this list!), and I have indicated these verbs below.
います imasu
Meaning: to be; exist (used for animate objects, ie. people and animals)
- Verb type: ichidan (て form -> いて ite)
- Plain/ dictionary form: いる iru
- Kanji?: 居る (note: the kanji is not often used and you will most likely see it in hiragana only)
- Often used with the particle を or に
Example sentences:
ねこはへやにいます。 neko wa heya ni imasu
The cat is in the room.
にわにいぬがいます。 niwa ni inu ga imasu
There is a dog in the garden.
あります arimasu
Meaning: to exist (used for inanimate objects, ie. those not ); to have
- Verb type: godan (て form -> あって atte)
- Plain/ dictionary form: ある aru
- Kanji?: 有る・在る (note: the kanji is not often used and you will most likely see it in hiragana only)
- Often used with the particle が or に (definitely not を!)
Example sentences:
ペンはつくえのうえにあります。 pen wa tsukue no ue ni arimasu
The pen is on top of the desk.
ほんがみっつあります。 hon ga mittsu arimasu
I have three books.
します shimasu
Meaning: to do
- Irregular verb
- Verb type: ichidan (て form -> して)
- Plain/ dictionary form: する suru
- Kanji?: none (always used with hiragana)
- Often used with the particle を
Example sentences:
きのう、ともだちとテニスをしました。 kinou, tomodachi to tenisu wo shimashita
I played tennis with my friends yesterday.
まいにちにほんごをべんきょうします。 mainichi nihongo wo benkyou shimasu
I study Japanese every day.
いきます ikimasu
Meaning: to go
- (Slightly) irregular verb; see て form conjugation
- Verb type: godan (て form -> いって itte)
- Plain/ dictionary form: いく iku
- Kanji?: 行く
- Often used with the particle に
Example sentences:
きょうがっこうにいきます。 kyou gakkou ni ikimasu
I am going to school today.
らいねんにほんにいきます。 rainen nihon ni ikimasu
I am going to Japan next year.
きます kimasu
Meaning: to come
- Irregular verb
- Verb type: godan (て form -> きて kite)
- Plain/ dictionary form: くる kuru
- Kanji?: 来る
- Often used with the particle に
Example sentences:
BABYMETALはよくアメリカにきます。 Babymetal wa yoku amerika ni kimasu
Babymetal often come to America.
ともだちがいえにきました。 tomodachi ga ie ni kimashita
A friend came to my house.
なります narimasu
Meaning: to become
- Verb type: godan (て form -> なって natte)
- Plain/ dictionary form: なる naru
- Kanji?: 成る (note: the kanji not often used and you will most likely see it in hiragana only)
- Often used with the particle に
Example sentences:
もうすぐはるになります。 mousugu haru ni narimasu
It will soon be(come) spring.
せんせいになりたいです。 sensei ni naritai desu
I want to become a teacher.
みます mimasu
Meaning: to see, look at
- Verb type: ichidan (て form -> みて mite)
- Plain/ dictionary form: みる miru
- Kanji?: 見る
- Often used with the particle を
Example sentences:
かのじょがテレビをみます。 watashi ga terebi wo mimasu
She watches TV.
しゃしんをみてください。 shashin wo mite kudasai
Please look at the photograph.
はなします hanashimasu
Meaning: to speak, to talk to
- Verb type: ichidan (て form -> はなして hanashite)
- Plain/ dictionary form: はなす hanasu
- Kanji?: 話す
- Often used with the particle を or と
Example sentences:
でんわでははとはなします。 denwa de haha to hanashimasu
I speak with my mom on the telephone.
えいごとスペインごをはなします。 eigo to supeingo wo hanashimasu
I speak English and Spanish.
あいます aimasu
Meaning: to meet
- Verb type: godan (て form -> あって atte)
- Plain/ dictionary form: あう au
- Kanji?: 会う
- Often used with the particle に
Example sentences:
あしたえきでともだちにあいます。 ashita eki de tomodachi ni aimasu
Tomorrow I will meet my friend at the train station.
らいしゅうかれにあいたいです。 raishuu kare ni aitai desu
I want to meet him next week.
つくります tsukurimasu
Meaning: to make
- Verb type: godan (て form -> つくって tsukutte)
- Plain/ dictionary form: つくる tsukuru
- Kanji?: 作る
- Often used with the particle を
Example sentences:
ばんごはんをつくります。 bangohan wo tsukurimasu
I make dinner.
ちちがわたしにドレスをつくりました。 chichi ga watashi ni doresu wo tsukurimashita
My dad made me a dress.
つかいます tsukaimasu
Meaning: to use
- Verb type: godan (て form -> つかって tsukatte)
- Plain/ dictionary form: つかう tsukau
- Kanji?: 使う
- Often used with the particle を
Example sentences:
せんせいのじしょをつかいます。 Sensei no jisho wo tsukaimasu
I use my teacher’s dictionary.
あねはくつにおかねをたくさんつかいます。 Ane ha kutsu ni okane wo takusan tsukaimasu
My older sister spends a lot of money on shoes.
わかります wakarimasu
Meaning: to know, understand
- Verb type: godan (て form -> わかって wakatte)
- Plain/ dictionary form: わかる wakaru
- Kanji?: 分かる (note: kanji is not often used, and you will most likely see it written in hiragana
- Often used with the particle を or が
Example sentences:
にほんごをすこしわかります。 nihongo wo sukoshi wakarimasu
I understand a bit of Japanese.
フランスごがわかりません。 furansugo wo wakarimasen
I don’t know/ understand French.
たべます tabemasu
Meaning: to eat
- Verb type: godan (て form -> たべて)
- Plain/ dictionary form: たべる taberu
- Kanji?: 食べる
- Often used with the particle を
Example sentences:
まいしゅうピザをたべます。 maishuu piza wo tabemasu
I eat pizza every week.
ゆうべラーメンをたべました。 yuube raamen wo tabemashita
I ate ramen yesterday evening.
のみます nomimasu
Meaning: to drink
- Verb type: godan (て form -> のんで nonde)
- Plain/ dictionary form: のむ nomu
- Kanji?: 飲む
- Often used with the particle を
Example sentences:
さけをのみません。 sake wo nomimasen
I do not drink alcohol.
まいあさ、みずをのみます。 maiasa mizu wo nomimasu
I drink water every morning.
かいます kaimasu
Meaning: to buy
- Verb type: godan (て form -> かって katte)
- Plain/ dictionary form: かう kau
- Kanji?: 買う
- Often used with the particle を
Example sentences:
スーパーでやさいをかいます。 suupaa de yasai wo kaimasu
I buy vegetables at the supermarket.
しんぶんをかいません。 shinbun wo kaimasen
I don’t buy newspapers.
かきます kakimasu
Meaning: to write
- Verb type: godan (て form -> かいて kaite)
- Plain/ dictionary form: かく kaku
- Kanji?: 書く
- Often used with the particle を
Example sentences:
まいしゅうかんじをかきます。 maishuu kanji wo kakimasu
I write kanji every week.
しょうせつをかいています。 shousetsu wo kaiteimasu
I am writing a novel.
ねます nemasu
Meaning: to sleep
- Verb type: ichidan (て form -> ねて nete)
- Plain/ dictionary form: ねる neru
- Kanji?: 寝る
- Often used with the particle を
Example sentences:
まいにち10じにねます。 mainichi juuji ni nemasu
I go to bed at 10 o’clock every day.
きのう7じにねました。 kinou shichi ji nemashita
Yesterday I went to bed at 7 o’clock
ききます kikimasu
Meaning: to listen to
- Verb type: godan (て form -> きいて kiite)
- Plain/ dictionary form: きく
- Kanji?: 聞く
- Often used with the particle を
Example sentences:
せいとはせんせいのしじにききます。 seito wa sensei no shiji ni kikimasu
The pupils listen to the teacher’s instructions.
おんがくをよくききます。 Ongaku wo yoku kikimasu
I often listen to music.
かえります kaerimasu
Meaning: to return home
- Verb type: godan (て form -> かえって kaette)
- Plain/ dictionary form: かえる kaeru
- Kanji?: 帰る
- Often used with the particle に
Example sentences:
あしたイギリスにかえります。 ashita igirusu ni kaerimasu
I will go back to the UK tomorrow.
きのうごご10じにうちにかえりました。 kinou gogo juuji ni uchi ni kaerimashita
I got home at 10 pm yesterday.
のります norimasu
Meaning: to get on, ride (eg. a vehicle)
- Verb type: godan (て form -> のって)
- Plain/ dictionary form: のる noru
- Kanji?: 乗る
- Often used with the particle に
Example sentences:
まいあさでんしゃにのります。 maiasa densha ni norimasu
I catch the train every morning.
どこでバスをのりますか。 doko de basu ni norimasu ka?
Where do you get on the bus?
So this is my list – choosing just 20 is tricky, but I think with the above you will be able to practice expressing a variety of things in Japanese.
If you are just starting your Japanese journey, I recommend looking at the following resources to learn more about the different types of Japanese verbs and how they are conjugated:
New to Japanese? You might find my Japanese Resources Masterpost and How to Start Learning Japanese pages useful 🙂
Like this:
Like Loading...