Verbs Conjugation (ru-verb and u-verb)

Let's look at how to use verbs in Japanese.
Verbs by itself is called the dictionary form.
We can conjugate it to turn it into present affirmative and present negative.
(note: there are still many other forms, which we will look at other time)

All in all, verbs are divided into 3 groups:

1. ru - verbs
2. u - verbs
3. irregular verbs

Other examples of ru-verbs, its present affirmative and negative forms:
to sleep: 寝る (neru) --> 寝ます (nemasu) --> 寝ません (nemasen)

to wake: 起きる(okiru) --> 起きます (okimasu) --> 起きません (okimasen)

to stop: 止める (yameru) --> 止めます (yamemasu) --> 止めません (yamemasen)

to see: 見る(miru) --> 見ます (mimasu) --> 見ません (mimasen)

to run: 逃げる(nigeru) --> 逃げます (nigemasu) ---> 逃げません (nigemasen)

 

Other examples of u-verbs, its present affirmative and negative forms:
to drink: 飲む (nomu) -->　飲みます (nomimasu) -->　飲みません (nomimasen)

to read: 読む (yomu) -->　読みます (yomimasu) -->　読みません (yomimasen)

to speak: 話す (hanasu) -->　話します (hanashimasu) -->　話しません (hanashimasen)

to listen: 聞く (kiku) -->　聞きます (kikimasu) -->　聞きません (kikimasen)

to return: 帰る (kaeru) -->　帰ります (kaerimasu) -->　帰りません (kaerimasen)

There are only 2 irregular verbs in Japanese which is shown above.
する(suru) is usually use to form compound verbs, for example:

勉強 + する = 勉強する (benkyou + suru)
study + to do = to study

It is recommended to memorize each Japanese verbs which group they belongs to (by memorizing in a set: dictionary, present +ve, present -ve). However, there is a pattern:

IF it is "a" or "o" or "u" before final る ==> it is definitely a u-verb

example:
to swim: 泳ぐ (oyogu) -->　泳ぎます (oyogimasu)
to board: 乗る (noru) --> 　乗ります (norimasu)

However, if it is "i" or "e" before final る ==> it can be either ru-verb or u-verb

example:
to return: 帰る (kaeru) --> 帰ります (kaerimasu)  u-verb
to sleep: 寝る (neru) --> 寝ます (nemasu) ru-verb

As you can see from the patterns above, it is slightly unreliable as compare to memorizing the verbs.



Notes:
- dictionary form is also considered a present affirmative form as well. It is just that by adding the "masu", it become a more polite form.
- present tense in Japanese can also be a future tense (we will investigate on this next time)