Understanding the structure of Japanese verbs
Japanese verbs have a unique structure that makes conjugation easier. All Japanese verbs can be classified into three groups, all of which have particular conjugations. Also, Japanese verbs do not change depending on the grammatical person, which further simplifies the conjugation process.
The basic forms of Japanese verbs end in -u, and this form is often called the "dictionary form" because it is how you would find a verb in a dictionary.
The three groups of Japanese verbs
To conjugate verbs in Japanese, it is essential to become familiar with the three groups into which they are classified. The three groups and the characteristics that differentiate them are presented below:
- Group 1: Most verbs in Japanese belong to this group. To conjugate them, the last syllable is changed (kana) of the verb.
- Group 2: The verbs of this group end in -en and often have a vowel -u o -i before -en on the penultimate syllable. To conjugate them, remove -en and the corresponding suffix is added.
- Group 3: This group contains only two irregular verbs, which are 'suru' (Do and 'kuru' (come). These verbs do not follow the conjugation rules of the other two groups and must be memorized in their conjugated forms.
Fundamentals of Japanese Verb Conjugation
The conjugations in Japanese depend mainly on the tense of the action (present, past, future) and the politeness or formality of the situation you are in. Below are some of the common endings and suffixes used in conjugating Japanese verbs.
Numbers in Japanese and their translation into Spanish:
1. 一 (いち, ichi)
2. 二 (に, ni)
3. 三 (さん, san)
4. 四 (し/よん, shi/yon)
5. 五 (ご, go)
6. 六 (ろく, roku)
7. 七 (しち/なな, shichi/nana)
8. 八 (はち, hachi)
9. 九 (きゅう/く, kyuu/ku)
10. 十 (じゅう, juu)
Basic conjugations in present and past
Below are examples of conjugations for each group of verbs in present and past tense.
Group 1 (verbs -u):
- たべる (taberu) – to eat
- Present: たべます (tabemasu)
- Past: たべました (tabemashita)
Group 2 (verbs -iru/-eru):
- みる (miru) – to see
- Present: みます (mimasu)
- Past: みました (mimashita)
Group 3 (irregular verbs):
- する (suru) – to do
- Present: します (shimasu)
- Past: しました (shimashita)
- くる (kuru) – to come
- Present: きます (kimasu)
- Past: きました (kimashita)
Practice with Japanese verb conjugations
The best way to learn how to conjugate Japanese verbs is through constant practice and exposure to the language in real contexts. It is helpful to study and replicate sample dialogues and written texts, as well as practice with native Japanese speakers.
Remember that learning to conjugate Japanese verbs is just one of the many skills needed to truly master the language. Practicing and spending time studying daily can significantly improve your comprehension and Japanese speaking skills.
