A short list of verbs carries a disproportionate share of Japanese daily speech. Frequency studies of spoken Japanese corpora consistently find that a few dozen verbs cover the majority of verb tokens in ordinary conversation, and that the top one hundred cover almost everything most beginners want to say. Learning these verbs in order of frequency, along with their group classification and basic conjugations, produces fast, visible progress in the early months of study.
This reference lists the one hundred most common Japanese verbs with their dictionary form, reading, group classification (U-verb, RU-verb, or irregular), polite non-past form, polite past form, and English meaning. The verbs are grouped by semantic field for easier memorization: essential irregulars, motion and movement, eating and drinking, perception, communication, states and existence, daily activities, and emotion and thought. Example sentences accompany key verbs.
The three verb groups are reviewed briefly below. For complete conjugation tables across all forms and tenses, see the dedicated articles on verb conjugation linked at the end of this reference.
Verb Groups Review
Japanese verbs divide into three groups that determine how they conjugate:
- Group 1 (U-verbs / godan): End in any u-sound syllable. Stem-changing pattern.
- Group 2 (RU-verbs / ichidan): End in -iru or -eru. Simply drop -ru for most conjugations.
- Group 3 (Irregular): Only する (suru, to do) and くる (kuru, to come).
The polite form (masu form) is created differently for each group:
| Group | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | u-sound to i-sound + masu | のむ to のみます |
| Group 2 | drop ru, add masu | たべる to たべます |
| Group 3 | irregular | する to します, くる to きます |
Learning tip: The polite non-past (e.g., 食べます) is the safest form for beginners and the default for this reference's conjugation column. Plain form is used in close conversation, writing, and when a verb is embedded inside a larger grammatical structure.
Essential Irregular and Copula Verbs
| Dictionary | Reading | Group | Polite | Past Polite | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| する | suru | 3 | します | しました | to do |
| 来る | kuru | 3 | 来ます (きます) | 来ました | to come |
| ある | aru | 1 (special) | あります | ありました | to exist (inanimate) |
| いる | iru | 2 | います | いました | to exist (animate) |
| だ | da | copula | です | でした | to be (copula) |
The verb ある is technically Group 1 but has an irregular negative form: ない / ありません (not あらない). All other conjugations follow Group 1 rules.
Motion and Movement
| Dictionary | Reading | Group | Polite | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 行く | iku | 1 | 行きます | to go |
| 帰る | kaeru | 1 | 帰ります | to return home |
| 戻る | modoru | 1 | 戻ります | to return |
| 歩く | aruku | 1 | 歩きます | to walk |
| 走る | hashiru | 1 | 走ります | to run |
| 登る | noboru | 1 | 登ります | to climb |
| 下りる | oriru | 2 | 下ります | to get off / descend |
| 乗る | noru | 1 | 乗ります | to ride / board |
| 出る | deru | 2 | 出ます | to leave / exit |
| 入る | hairu | 1 | 入ります | to enter |
| 着く | tsuku | 1 | 着きます | to arrive |
| 通る | tooru | 1 | 通ります | to pass through |
| 渡る | wataru | 1 | 渡ります | to cross |
| 飛ぶ | tobu | 1 | 飛びます | to fly |
| 泳ぐ | oyogu | 1 | 泳ぎます | to swim |
Example:
- 毎朝、駅まで歩きます (maiasa, eki made arukimasu) - every morning I walk to the station.
- 明日、東京に行きます (ashita, toukyou ni ikimasu) - tomorrow I will go to Tokyo.
Trap verb alert: 帰る (kaeru) ends in -eru but is Group 1, not Group 2. Its polite form is 帰ります, not 帰えます. Similarly 入る (hairu), 走る (hashiru), 知る (shiru), and 切る (kiru, to cut) are all Group 1 despite ending in -iru or -eru.
Eating, Drinking, and Consumption
| Dictionary | Reading | Group | Polite | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 食べる | taberu | 2 | 食べます | to eat |
| 飲む | nomu | 1 | 飲みます | to drink |
| 吸う | suu | 1 | 吸います | to inhale / smoke |
| 味わう | ajiwau | 1 | 味わいます | to taste |
| 作る | tsukuru | 1 | 作ります | to make |
| 料理する | ryouri suru | 3 | 料理します | to cook |
The verb 吸う covers inhaling air and smoking cigarettes: タバコを吸います (tabako wo suimasu, I smoke cigarettes).
Perception and the Senses
| Dictionary | Reading | Group | Polite | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 見る | miru | 2 | 見ます | to see / watch |
| 見える | mieru | 2 | 見えます | to be visible |
| 聞く | kiku | 1 | 聞きます | to listen / ask |
| 聞こえる | kikoeru | 2 | 聞こえます | to be audible |
| 感じる | kanjiru | 2 | 感じます | to feel |
| 匂う | niou | 1 | 匂います | to smell |
| 触る | sawaru | 1 | 触ります | to touch |
The pair 見る / 見える and 聞く / 聞こえる distinguishes deliberate action (I look, I listen) from passive perception (I can see, I can hear). This distinction is grammaticalized in Japanese and cannot be flattened into a single pair of English verbs.
Communication
| Dictionary | Reading | Group | Polite | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 話す | hanasu | 1 | 話します | to speak |
| 言う | iu | 1 | 言います | to say |
| 喋る | shaberu | 1 | 喋ります | to chatter |
| 答える | kotaeru | 2 | 答えます | to answer |
| 尋ねる | tazuneru | 2 | 尋ねます | to inquire |
| 呼ぶ | yobu | 1 | 呼びます | to call |
| 読む | yomu | 1 | 読みます | to read |
| 書く | kaku | 1 | 書きます | to write |
| 教える | oshieru | 2 | 教えます | to teach |
| 習う | narau | 1 | 習います | to learn (from a teacher) |
| 覚える | oboeru | 2 | 覚えます | to memorize / remember |
| 忘れる | wasureru | 2 | 忘れます | to forget |
| 考える | kangaeru | 2 | 考えます | to think (consider) |
| 思う | omou | 1 | 思います | to think (believe) |
| 知る | shiru | 1 | 知ります | to know |
| 理解する | rikai suru | 3 | 理解します | to understand |
| 分かる | wakaru | 1 | 分かります | to understand |
Example:
- 日本語を話します (nihongo wo hanashimasu) - I speak Japanese.
- 本を読むのが好きです (hon wo yomu no ga suki desu) - I like reading books.
Grammar note: 分かる and 知る both translate as "know" in many contexts, but 分かる refers to understanding that emerges within the speaker, while 知る refers to acquiring or possessing information. The polite ongoing form 知っています is used for "I know"; 知ります means "I come to know".
Daily Activities
| Dictionary | Reading | Group | Polite | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 起きる | okiru | 2 | 起きます | to wake up |
| 寝る | neru | 2 | 寝ます | to sleep |
| 着る | kiru | 2 | 着ます | to wear (upper body) |
| 履く | haku | 1 | 履きます | to wear (lower body / shoes) |
| 脱ぐ | nugu | 1 | 脱ぎます | to remove clothes |
| 洗う | arau | 1 | 洗います | to wash |
| 入る | hairu | 1 | 入ります | to take (a bath), to enter |
| 浴びる | abiru | 2 | 浴びます | to shower |
| 磨く | migaku | 1 | 磨きます | to brush / polish |
| 買う | kau | 1 | 買います | to buy |
| 売る | uru | 1 | 売ります | to sell |
| 払う | harau | 1 | 払います | to pay |
| 使う | tsukau | 1 | 使います | to use |
| 働く | hataraku | 1 | 働きます | to work |
| 勉強する | benkyou suru | 3 | 勉強します | to study |
| 遊ぶ | asobu | 1 | 遊びます | to play |
| 休む | yasumu | 1 | 休みます | to rest |
| 待つ | matsu | 1 | 待ちます | to wait |
| 始める | hajimeru | 2 | 始めます | to begin |
| 終わる | owaru | 1 | 終わります | to end |
Clothing verbs illustrate the body-region distinction: シャツを着ます (shatsu wo kimasu, I put on a shirt) but ズボンを履きます (zubon wo hakimasu, I put on pants). Hats use かぶる: 帽子をかぶります (boushi wo kaburimasu).
Giving, Receiving, and Helping
| Dictionary | Reading | Group | Polite | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 上げる | ageru | 2 | 上げます | to give (to equal/inferior) |
| 貰う | morau | 1 | 貰います | to receive |
| 貸す | kasu | 1 | 貸します | to lend |
| 借りる | kariru | 2 | 借ります | to borrow |
| 手伝う | tetsudau | 1 | 手伝います | to help |
| 助ける | tasukeru | 2 | 助けます | to rescue / save |
| 持つ | motsu | 1 | 持ちます | to hold / have |
| 取る | toru | 1 | 取ります | to take |
| 渡す | watasu | 1 | 渡します | to hand over |
| 返す | kaesu | 1 | 返します | to return (an item) |
The giving and receiving verbs in Japanese are a whole subsystem that encodes the social relationship of the giver and receiver. 上げる, 差し上げる, くれる, 貰う, and 頂く form a network of four basic directions (out-group giving, in-group giving, etc.) with humble and polite variants.
Emotion and Feeling
| Dictionary | Reading | Group | Polite | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 好く | suku | 1 | 好きます | to like (rarely used verbal form) |
| 愛する | ai suru | 3 | 愛します | to love |
| 嫌がる | iyagaru | 1 | 嫌がります | to dislike / be reluctant |
| 泣く | naku | 1 | 泣きます | to cry |
| 笑う | warau | 1 | 笑います | to laugh |
| 怒る | okoru | 1 | 怒ります | to get angry |
| 喜ぶ | yorokobu | 1 | 喜びます | to rejoice |
| 悲しむ | kanashimu | 1 | 悲しみます | to grieve |
| 驚く | odoroku | 1 | 驚きます | to be surprised |
| 心配する | shinpai suru | 3 | 心配します | to worry |
Most preference in Japanese is expressed with the na-adjective 好き (suki, like) rather than a verb: 犬が好きです (inu ga suki desu, I like dogs). The verb 好く is grammatical but rare in modern conversation.
States, Existence, and Change
| Dictionary | Reading | Group | Polite | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| なる | naru | 1 | なります | to become |
| する | suru | 3 | します | to do / make into |
| 変わる | kawaru | 1 | 変わります | to change (intransitive) |
| 変える | kaeru | 2 | 変えます | to change (transitive) |
| 開く | aku | 1 | 開きます | to open (intransitive) |
| 開ける | akeru | 2 | 開けます | to open (transitive) |
| 閉まる | shimaru | 1 | 閉まります | to close (intransitive) |
| 閉める | shimeru | 2 | 閉めます | to close (transitive) |
| 止まる | tomaru | 1 | 止まります | to stop (intransitive) |
| 止める | tomeru | 2 | 止めます | to stop (transitive) |
| 増える | fueru | 2 | 増えます | to increase (intransitive) |
| 増やす | fuyasu | 1 | 増やします | to increase (transitive) |
| 減る | heru | 1 | 減ります | to decrease (intransitive) |
| 減らす | herasu | 1 | 減らします | to decrease (transitive) |
Transitive and intransitive verb pairs are a major feature of Japanese grammar. The intransitive member (e.g., 開く aku, "opens on its own") and the transitive member (e.g., 開ける akeru, "X opens it") share a root but differ in conjugation group and in the particle that marks the argument (が for intransitive, を for transitive).
Grammar note: 変わる is intransitive: "the weather changes" 天気が変わる. 変える is transitive: "I change my mind" 気持ちを変える. Mixing them is a classic beginner mistake.
Other High-Frequency Verbs
| Dictionary | Reading | Group | Polite | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 思い出す | omoidasu | 1 | 思い出します | to recall |
| 探す | sagasu | 1 | 探します | to search |
| 見つける | mitsukeru | 2 | 見つけます | to find |
| 失う | ushinau | 1 | 失います | to lose |
| 無くす | nakusu | 1 | 無くします | to lose (an item) |
| 選ぶ | erabu | 1 | 選びます | to choose |
| 続ける | tsuzukeru | 2 | 続けます | to continue |
| 止める | yameru | 2 | 止めます | to quit / stop doing |
| 頑張る | ganbaru | 1 | 頑張ります | to try one's best |
| 運ぶ | hakobu | 1 | 運びます | to carry |
| 切る | kiru | 1 | 切ります | to cut |
| 叩く | tataku | 1 | 叩きます | to hit / knock |
| 押す | osu | 1 | 押します | to push |
| 引く | hiku | 1 | 引きます | to pull |
| 投げる | nageru | 2 | 投げます | to throw |
The verb 頑張る is culturally weighted. It is the most common word of encouragement in Japanese and appears in expressions such as 頑張って (ganbatte, "do your best") shouted at athletes, friends before exams, and oneself during difficult work.
Conjugation Summary Table
A reminder of what the three groups produce across the main forms:
| Form | Group 1 (のむ) | Group 2 (たべる) | Irregular (する) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | のむ | たべる | する |
| Polite | のみます | たべます | します |
| Polite negative | のみません | たべません | しません |
| Polite past | のみました | たべました | しました |
| Polite past negative | のみませんでした | たべませんでした | しませんでした |
| Te-form | のんで | たべて | して |
| Plain negative | のまない | たべない | しない |
| Plain past | のんだ | たべた | した |
Common Mistakes
- Mis-grouping 帰る, 入る, 走る. These end in -iru or -eru but are Group 1, not Group 2.
- Using 着る for pants. 着る covers upper body only. Pants, skirts, socks, and shoes use 履く.
- Confusing 分かる and 知る. 分かる for "understand"; 知っています for "know".
- Dropping the copula. Japanese sentences that end with a noun or na-adjective require です (polite) or だ (plain) to complete them.
- Treating する as a standalone verb always. It often attaches to a noun: 勉強する, 料理する, 運動する. Alone, it most often means "to do".
- Forgetting transitivity. 開く (aku, opens) and 開ける (akeru, opens it) are not interchangeable.
Quick Reference
- to do: する (suru)
- to go: 行く (iku)
- to come: 来る (kuru)
- to eat: 食べる (taberu)
- to drink: 飲む (nomu)
- to see: 見る (miru)
- to hear: 聞く (kiku)
- to speak: 話す (hanasu)
- to write: 書く (kaku)
- to read: 読む (yomu)
- to buy: 買う (kau)
- to work: 働く (hataraku)
- to study: 勉強する (benkyou suru)
- to wait: 待つ (matsu)
- to become: なる (naru)
See Also
- Japanese Verb Conjugation: Beginner's Guide
- Japanese Verb Conjugation: U-Verbs, RU-Verbs, Irregular Reference
- Japanese Grammar Particles: Complete Guide
- Japanese Particles wa, ga, o, ni, de, to
- Japanese Keigo: Honorific Language Reference
- Hiragana Complete Guide
- Japanese Common Phrases: Daily Conversation Reference
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which group a Japanese verb belongs to?
Group 3 has only two verbs: する (suru) and くる (kuru). Group 2 verbs end in -iru or -eru (with some exceptions). All other verbs are Group 1. The exception verbs that end in -iru or -eru but belong to Group 1 must be memorized; common examples include 帰る (kaeru, to return home) and 入る (hairu, to enter).
Which verbs are absolutely essential for beginners?
The first ten to learn are する (to do), です / だ (copula), 行く (to go), 来る (to come), 食べる (to eat), 飲む (to drink), 見る (to see), 聞く (to listen), 話す (to speak), 読む (to read), and 書く (to write). Learning these covers a large share of basic sentence production.
Why do dictionaries list verbs in dictionary form?
The dictionary form (the plain, non-past form) is the base from which all other conjugations are derived. It also ends in a vowel sound (u-row), which makes it a stable unit for indexing. The polite masu form is not used in dictionaries because it carries social information on top of the lexical meaning.
How do I negate a Japanese verb in polite form?
Replace -ます with -ません for non-past negative, and -ました with -ませんでした for past negative. 食べます (tabemasu) becomes 食べません (tabemasen) for 'do not eat' and 食べませんでした (tabemasen deshita) for 'did not eat'.
What does する attach to, and how does it work?
する (suru, 'to do') attaches to many nouns, especially Sino-Japanese compounds, to create verbs: 勉強する (benkyou suru, to study), 運動する (undou suru, to exercise), 料理する (ryouri suru, to cook). This makes する one of the most productive verbs in the language.
Are there different words for 'to wear' in Japanese?
Yes. Japanese distinguishes clothing verbs by body region. 着る (kiru) is for upper-body garments. 履く (haku) is for pants, skirts, and footwear. かぶる (kaburu) is for hats and head coverings. はめる (hameru) is for rings, bracelets, and gloves. These are obligatory distinctions.
How do Japanese verbs express future tense?
Japanese has no separate future tense. The non-past form covers both present and future. Context, time expressions (明日 ashita 'tomorrow', 来週 raishuu 'next week'), and sentence structure clarify when the action occurs.
