Guide to Japanese Conjugation
By Hei Kin Wong | May 27th 2021
Are you interested in Japanese conjugation but find it difficult to remember different forms? Maybe you forgot how certain forms conjugate. Or maybe you just want to talk to native speakers effectively. Well, we’ve got you covered! This guide is for people who want to learn about all the different forms of conjugation you’ll use in real life. It is also for those who are learning Japanese conjugation and want a quick revision on different conjugation forms. We have also compiled some tips and tricks that will help you improve your learning/revision process!
This article is a part of our extensive series on Learning Japanese through Online Japanese lessons.
Do I really need to learn Japanese conjugation?
The short answer would be a simple “YES”. Similar to English, Japanese conjugation is the cornerstone of speaking fluent Japanese and being able to express the correct ideas. Knowing the right amount of verbs and conjugating them effectively will make your life so much easier in Japan. While learning Japanese conjugation can be intimidating, this guide will help you memorize all the conjugation forms better and gives you some tips on how you can improve your Japanese conjugation.
What are the different Japanese conjugation forms?
While there are quite a few conjugations to remember, a lot of them are actually easier to memorize than you think! This guide will introduce to you 11 (well, there are a few more or a few less depending on how you count them) of the most used conjugation forms. These can be divided based on the level of proficiency you want to achieve:
|
Beginner Level |
Intermidiate Level |
|
ます形 (Masukei) - The Polite Form |
仮定形 (Kateikei) - The Conditional Form |
|
辞書形 (Jishokei) - The Plain Form |
意志形 (Ishikei) - The Volitional Form |
|
ない形 (Naikei) - The Negative Form |
命令形(Meireikei) - The Imperative Form |
|
過去形 (Kakokei) - The Plain Past Affirmative Form |
受身形(Ukemikei) - The Passive Form |
|
て形 (Tekei) - The Conjunction Form |
可能形 (Kanōkei) - Potential Form |
|
使役形 (Shiekikei) - Causative Form |
Feeling overwhelmed? Check out our Top 20 Japanese Study Tips!
What are the 3 verb groups and how to tell the difference?
Japanese verbs can be divided into three groups: V3, V2, and V1. This is one of the official ways Japanese textbooks used to label different verb groups. While it creates a standard that all Japanese learners can refer to, a name like that it is not easy to memorize. So we often refer to them as irregular/exception verbs(V3), Ru-verbs (一段 / いちだん / ichidan verbs) and u-verbs (五段 / ごだん godan verbs).
Irregular verbs/V3 Verbs
While the irregular form gives off a difficult image, it is actually quite an easy form to memorize. The most common irregular verbs are する suru (to do) and 来る kuru (to come). This is a big relief for people who have trouble memorizing all the conjugation forms. Not only because a lot of combination verbs like 勉強する benkyō suru (to study) uses する at the end of the verb, meaning that for these verbs you only have to memorize the conjugation once.
Ru-verbs/V2 verbs
Have you ever wonder why Ru-verbs are also called 一段 Ichidan verbs? Well, it's because there is only one-way ru-verbs conjugate to. The next verb group is the Ru-verbs. As the name denotes, these are verbs that end in る(ru) at the end of the verb. In general V2 verbs includes any verbs that end in the い(i) / え(e) column + る(ru). This is also the easiest verb group to conjugate as it only requires you to take out the る and replace it with a new conjugation ending. Here are some examples of ru-verbs:
今日映画を見る ?
Kyō eiga o miru?
Want to watch a movie today?
醤油ラーメンを食べますが?
Shōyu rāmen o tabemasuga?
Do you eat soy sauce ramen?
何時に寝ますか?
Nanji ni nemasu ka?
What time do you go to bed?
U-verbs/V1 verbs
The last of the verb groups is the u-verbs or 五段 godan verbs. As the name suggests, these are verbs that ended with う, く(ku), ぐ(gu), す(su), む (mu), ぬ (nu),ぶ(bu), う(u), つ(tsu), る(ru). U-verbs are called 五段 godan verbs because it uses the five vowel sound in its conjugation form. For example:
|
Vowel sound |
Form |
Example |
|
あ |
Negative |
持たない motanai |
|
い |
Polite/ます |
持ちます mochimasu |
|
う |
Plain |
持つmotsu |
|
え |
Conditional |
持てる moteru |
|
お |
Volitional |
持とう motou |
But how do you tell them apart?
Having trouble telling which verb group a verb belongs to? Here’s a simple method you can use to identify a verb and which verb group it is. When you cannot identify a verb, start asking yourself: Is it a する suru or 来る kuru? If the answer is yes, then it is a group 3/irregular verb. If the answer is no, then we move on to the second question: Does the verb end with “eru” or “iru”? If it’s a yes, then it's a group 2/ru-verb; If it's a no, then it's a group 1 verb/u-verb. Let’s try it with a sample verb:
泳ぐ oyogu (to swim) in plain form
Is it a する suru or 来る kuru? No, so not a irregular verb
Does it end with “eru” or “iru”? No, not a ru-verb either
Since it is neither a irregular verb nor a ru-verb verb, it must be a u-verb
Of course, there will always be exceptions to this rule. However, using this method should help you identify verbs a bit better than just memorizing them.
For an in-depth guide, check out our Ultimate Guide to Japanese Verbs
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Beginner level Japanese conjugation
ます形 Masukei - The Polite Form
The polite form, more commonly known as ます masu form is the form that you hear the most. This is the form that native speakers use when talking to a new face. The masu form can be considered one of the main forms Japanese speakers use to communicate with each other. Whether it's Japanese textbooks or language learning apps, masu form is always the first form to be taught when it comes to Japanese conjugation.
|
Verb Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example Verb 1 |
Example Verb 2 |
|
u-verb |
Change the u part of the last vowel sound to their respective i vowel and add ます masu |
読む yomu ►読みます Yomimasu (to read) |
買う kau ►買いますkaimasu (to buy) |
|
ru-verb |
Remove る ru (making it a verb stem) and add ます |
食べる taberu ►食べますtabemasu (to eat) |
着る kiru ►着ますkimasu (to wear) |
|
irregular |
Add ます masu to the verb stem |
くる kuru►きます kimasu (to come) |
する suru ►します shimasu (to do) |
The negative ます masu form is very similar to the affirmative form, except instead of adding ます masu we will add ません masen to the verb stem:
Example u-verb: 持つ motsu ►持ちません mochimasen
Example ru-verb: 見る miru ►見ません mimasen
Examples irregular verb: くる kuru ►きません kimasen する suru ►しません shimasen
And for the past affirmative and negative ます masu form, we will use ました mashita and ませんでした masendeshita to conjugate the verbs respectively:
|
Verb Group |
Example Verb |
Past affimitive |
Past negative |
|
u-verb |
書くkaku (to write) |
書きました kakimashita |
書きませんでした kakimasendeshita |
|
ru-verb |
起きる okiru (to wake up) |
起きました okimashita |
起きませんでした okimasendeshita |
|
irregular verb |
くる kuru する suru |
きました kimashita しました shimashita |
来ませんでした kimasendeshita しませんでした shimasendeshita |
While the polite form is one of the most important forms to memorize, there are more basic forms you will need to know if you wish to master beginner-level conjugation. This brings us to:
辞書 / じしょ 形 Jishokei - The Plain Form
The plain form is called the dictionary form (辞書形 jishokei) because this is the form you will find in a dictionary. It is also the informal/casual present affirmative form of a verb. You will hear this just as much as the polite form since native speakers use this form between family and friends. See the example verbs we used above? We use the plain form as the base because it will help you find out the verb’s group and its stem. Let’s look at some example besides the one listed above:
|
Verb Group |
Plain form examples |
|
u-verb |
呼ぶ yobu (to call) 話す hanasu (to speak) 立つ tatsu (to stand) 知るshiru (to know) |
|
ru-verb |
いる iru (to exist) 答える kotaeru (to answer) できる dekiru (to be able to) |
|
irregular verb |
くる suru する kuru |
Other than the informal way of speaking, the plain form also has other uses. You will often see the plain form being used in newspaper articles and academic papers. Writing that does not address its audience directly will be written in plain form. Plain form (and masu form) also has another usage. Grammatically the Japanese language does not have a future tense. However, plain forms and masu forms are often used to address future actions. Take a look at the following examples:
私はサッカーをする。
Watashi wa sakkā o suru.
I play soccer.
私の飛行機は8時に出発[しゅっぱつ]します。
Watashi no hikōki wa 8-ji ni shuppatsu shimasu.
My plane departs at 8 o'clock.
Based on the context of your sentence. It can also be used to address actions in the future:
私はサッカーをする。
I will play soccer.
私の飛行機は8時に出発します。
My plane will depart at 8 o'clock.
ない形 Naikei - The Negative Form
Think of the ない form as the negative plain form. It basically adds “not” to the sentence/verb. This is the form when you want to make a negative statement in an informal/plain way.
|
Verb Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example Verb 1 |
Example Verb 2 |
|
u-verb |
Rule 1. Change the u part of the last vowel sound to their respective a vowel and add ない Rule 2. Verbs that ends with the hiragana う will change to わ instead |
読む yomu ►読まない yomanai |
買う kau ►買わない kawanai |
|
ru-verb |
Add ない to the verb stem |
食べる taberu ►食べない tabenai |
着る kiru ►着ない kinai |
|
irregular |
Change くる kuru to こない konai Change する suru to しない shinai |
くる kuru ►こない konai |
する suru►しない shinai |
Example sentences:
テストをわからない人は先生に聞いてください。
Tesuto o wakaranai hito wa sensei ni kiitekudasai.
If you don't understand the test, ask your teacher.
テレビゲームをしないでください。
Terebigēmu o shinaide kudasai.
Please do not play video games.
過去形 Kakokei - The Plain Past Affirmative Form
As the name suggests, the ta form is used to express things that happened in the past in plain form. The rules are a bit more complicated for the ta form, so here’s a table to help you visualize them better:
|
Verb Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example Verb 1 |
Example Verb 2 |
|
u-verb |
If verb ends in the hiragana う,つ,る, then add った to the verb stem |
持つ motsu ►持った Motta (to carry) |
買うkau ►買った katta |
|
If verb ends in the hiragana む, ぶ, ぬ, then add んだ to the verb stem |
学ぶ manabu►学んだ mananda (to learn) |
読む yomu ►読んだ yonda (to read) |
|
|
If the verbs end in the hiragana く, then add いた to the verb stem |
書くkaku ►書いた kaita (to write) |
聞くkiku ►聞いた (to listen) |
|
|
If the verbs end in the hiragana ぐ, then add いだ to the verb stem |
泳ぐ oyogu ►泳いだ oyoida |
急ぐ isogu ►急いだ isoida (to hurry) |
|
|
If the verbs end in the hiragana す, then add した to the verb stem |
写す utsusu ►写した utsushita (to copy) |
出す dasu ►出した dashita (to take out) |
|
|
Ru-verb |
Add た to the verb stem |
起きる okiru ►起きた okita |
見る miru ►見た mita |
|
Irregular verbs |
Change くる kuru to きた kita Change するsuru to した shita |
くる kuru ►きた kita |
する suru ►した shita |
Example sentences:
私はあの映画を見た。
Watashi wa ano eiga o mita.
I saw that movie (already).
もうテストを勉強した。
Mō tesuto o benkyō shita
I have already studied for the test.
That sums it up for the past affirmative plain form. However, we have yet to talk about the past negative plain form yet. This is basically the “did not” form in Japanese. Don’t worry! It's very similar to the normal plain negative form. Here is a simple table to show you the rules and a few examples:
|
Verb Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example Verb 1 |
Example Verb 2 |
|
u-verb |
Rule 1. Change the u part of the last vowel sound to their respective a vowel and add なかった nakatta Rule 2. Verbs that ends with the hiragana う will change to わ instead |
読む yomu ►読まなかった Yomanakatta |
買う kau ►買わなかった kawanakatta |
|
ru-verb |
Add なかった nakatta to the verb stem |
食べる taberu ►食べなかった tabenakatta |
着る kiru ►着なかった kinakatta |
|
irregular |
Change くる kuru to 来なかった konakatta Change する suru to しなかった shinakatta |
くる kuru ►来なかった konakatta |
する suru ►しなかった shinakatta |
Example sentences:
朝ご飯を食べなかった。
Asa gohan o tabenakatta.
I didn't eat breakfast.
教科書を読まなかった。
Kyōkasho o yomanakatta.
I did not read the textbook.
て形 Te-kei - The Conjunction Form
While the form has many functions in the Japanese language, one major use is being the “and” form of Japanese. It can connect different verb sentences and clauses. It can also be used to connect things done in succession. For example:
朝[あさ]ご飯を食べて、学校[がっこう]へいきました。
Asa gohan o tabete, gakkō e ikimashita
I ate my breakfast and went to school.
図書館[としょかん]に行って、宿題[しゅくだい]を書きました。
Toshokan ni itte shukudai o kakimashita.
I went to the library and wrote my homework.
ジョギングしてシャワーを浴[あ]びた。
Jogingu shite shawā o abita.
I jogged and showered. / I jogged then showered.
So let’s take a look at how to make te form from our dictionary form:
|
Verb Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example Verb 1 |
Example Verb 2 |
|
u-verb |
If verb ends in the hiragana う,つ,る, then add って to the verb stem |
持つ motsu ►持って Motte |
買う kau ►買って Katte |
|
If verb ends in the hiragana む, ぶ, ぬ, then add んで to the verb stem |
学ぶ manabu ►学んで manande |
読む yomu ►読んで yonde |
|
|
If the verbs end in the hiragana く, then add いて to the verb stem |
書く kaku ►書いて kaite |
聞く kiku ►聞いて kiite |
|
|
If the verbs end in the hiragana ぐ, then add いで to the verb stem |
泳ぐ oyogu ►泳いで oyoide |
急ぐ isogu ►急いで isoide |
|
|
If the verbs end in the hiragana す, then add して to the verb stem |
写す utsusu ►写して utsushite |
出す dasu ►出して dashite |
|
|
Ru-verb |
Add てto the verb stem |
起きる okiru ►起きてokite |
見る miru ►見て mite |
|
Irregular verbs |
Change くる kuru to きて kite Change する suru to して shite |
くる kuru ►きて kite |
する suru ►してshite |
The negative te form works similarly to the ない form, but with a twist:
|
Verb Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example Verb 1 |
Example Verb 2 |
|
u-verb |
Take the ない form as base, remove the い and add くて |
読む►読まない►読まなくて yomu ► yomanai ► yomanakute |
買う►買わない► 買わなくて Kau ► kawanai ► kawanakute |
|
ru-verb |
Add ないで to the verb stem |
食べる taberu ►食べないで tabenai de |
着る kiru ►着ないで kinaide |
|
irregular |
Add ないで to the verb stem |
くる kuru ►こないで konaide |
する suru ►しないで shinaide |
Example sentance:
朝ご飯を食べないで学校に着きました。
Asa gohan o tabenaide gakkō ni tsukimashita.
I arrived at school without eating breakfast.
疲れたから、お風呂を入らないて、寝た。
Tsukaretakara, o furo o hairanaite, neta.
I was tired, so I didn't take a bath and went to bed.
Other uses of the て te-form
Aside from serving as the “and” of a sentence, te form can also be used in other ways. For example, using te form on its own can be seen as a command or request:
起きて。
Okite
Wake up.
It can also be combine with the polite from to make a more formal request:
宿題を書いてください 。
Shukudai o kaite kudasai.
Please write your report.
There is also another causal use of the te form. Native speakers would often use it to make an implied sentence for a cause:
A: 宿題は?
B: 昨日一日中ゲームをして.....
Kinō ichinichijū gēmu o shite.
I played games for a whole day yesterday so…… (implying the homework is not done)
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Intermediate level Japanese conjugation
So far we’ve discussed the most basic forms of conjugation. Let’s take a step further and learn something more complicated.
仮定形 Kateikei - The Conditional Form
The simplest way to explain this form is to think of it as the “if” form. However, there are four ways that Japanese people can use to say “if”. These are very complicated forms that can be used in various conditions. We will not dive too deep into all its uses here, so treat this as an entry point for you to learn all about the conditional form. Let’s look at them one by one:
1st Conditional - The ばba形
This is used when we want to say: “When X is true, Y will happen.”
時間があればレポートを書きます。
Jikan ga areba repōto o kakimasu.
I will write a report if I have time.
台風が来れば外出できません。
Taifū ga kureba gaishutsu dekimasen.
You cannot go out if a typhoon comes.
|
Verb Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example Verb 1 |
Example Verb 2 |
|
u-verb |
Change the u part of the last vowel sound to eba in the verb stem |
読む yomu ►読めば yomeba |
買う kau ►買えばkaeba |
|
ru-verb |
Example Verb 3 |
Example Verb 4 |
|
|
irregular |
持つ motsu ►持てば moteba |
する suru ►すれば sureba |
Since we are in the intermediate level, it would be fitting to talk about how adjustive conjugate in this form as well:
|
Adjuective Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example adjestive 1 |
Example adjestive 2 |
|
I-adjectives |
Change the last い with ければ kereba |
若い►若ければ Wakai ► wakakereba |
かわいい►かわいければ Kawaī ► kawaikereba |
|
Na-adjectives |
Add であれば deareba |
元気►元気であれば Genki ► genkideareba |
有名►有名であれば Yūmei ► yūmeideareba |
2nd Conditional- The とto形
The と conjugation is applicable to events that would happen no matter what if the condition is reached. For example:
夏[なつ]になると暑[あつ]くなります。
Natsu ni naru to atsuku narimasu.
If it becomes summer, it gets hot.
The conjugation is also quite simple, it is just the dictionary form of a verb + と.
3rd Conditional- たらtara形
たら has similar usage to the two conditional mentioned above. It basically took the past-tense of た form and change it to たら in order to connect causes together.
暇[ひま]だったら、遊[あそ]びに行きます。
Himadattara, asobi ni ikimasu.
If I have free time, I will go play.
4th Conditional - ならnara形
This is also called the Contextual Conditions form because it is used based on a given context:
Context: お菓子[かし]たくさん買いました。
Okashi takusan kaimashita.
► I bought a lot of sweets.
Answer: たくさん作ったなら私わたしにもください。
Takusan tsukuttanara watashi watashi ni mo kudasai.
►If you’ve made a lot of sweets, please give me some, too.
To conjugate into this conditional form simply attach なら to the dictionary form or the ta-form of a verb.
意志形 Ishikei - The Volitional Form
The volitional form has a few uses, the main ones we will talk about are the suggestive uses and trying to express your own intention. The essence of volitional form is to express the will of yourself or someone else. For example:
散歩[さんぽ]しよう。
Sanpo shiyou.
Let's take a walk.
どのレストランに行こうかな～
Dono resutoran ni ikou ka na～
Which restaurant should I go to?
お手伝[てつだ]いしましょうか?
Otetsudai shimashou ka?
May I help you?
Here’s how verbs can be conjugated to volitional form:
|
Verb Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example Verb 1 |
Example Verb 2 |
|
u-verb |
Change the u part of the last vowel sound to their respective o vowel and add う |
読む yomu ►読もう yomou |
買う kau ►買おう kaou |
|
ru-verb |
Add よう to the verb stem |
食べる taberu ►食べよう tabeyou |
着る kiru ►着ようkiyou |
|
irregular |
Add よう to the verb stem |
くる kuru ►こようkoyou |
する suru ►しようshiyou |
命令形 Meireikei - The Imperative Form
One of the least used forms by native speakers, this form is reserved only for authority figures, like the police or higher political figures. Suffice to say, this is a form that you only need to know about. If it is to be used, it should only be in extreme situations where an order needs to be given.
|
Verb Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example Verb 1 |
Example Verb 2 |
|
u-verb |
Change the u part of the last vowel sound to their respective e vowel |
読む yomu ►読め yome |
買う kau ►買え kae |
|
ru-verb |
る in the dictionary form becomesろ |
食べる taberu ►食べろ tabero |
着る kiru ►着ろ kiro |
|
irregular |
For くる, it has a unique irregular form For する, change the る in するintoろ |
くる kuru ►こい koi |
する suru ►しろ shiro |
Some examples of imperative form you might hear in daily life:
時間を守れ！
Jikan o mamore!
Be punctual!
ちゃんと報告見ろ！
Chanto hōkoku miro!
Look at the report seriously!
受身形 Ukemikei - The Passive Form
The passive form is just that, conjugating a verb to make it passive. When you conjugate a verb into the passive form it means that said verb was done to something or someone. This is considered by many native speakers to be a more polite way of saying things and it is more commonly used by Japanese than you might imagine. So let’s look at how it is conjugated!
|
Verb Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example Verb 1 |
Example Verb 2 |
|
u-verb |
Change the u part of the last vowel sound to their respective a vowel and add れる |
聞く kiku ►聞かれる kikareru |
持つ motsu ►持たれる motareru |
|
ru-verb |
Add られる to the verb stem |
食べる taberu ►食べられる taberareru |
答える kotaeru ►答えられる kotae rareru |
|
irregular |
For くる, add られる to its stem For する, its changed to される |
くる kuru ►こられる korareru |
する suru ►される sareru |
Example sentences:
彼女が私に誕生日を忘れられた。
Kanojo ga watashi ni tanjōbi o wasure rareta.
I had forgotten my girlfriend’s birthday.
部屋はちゃんと掃除されました。
Heya wa chanto sōji sa remashita.
The room was cleaned properly.
使役形 Shiekikei - Causative Form
Similar to english, the causative form is used when you want to express an action that someone/something makes happen. The idea is to make someone do something or let someone do something:
納豆（なっとう）全部食べさせた。
Nattō zenbu tabe saseta.
Made(someone) eat all the natto.
子供[こども]にビールを飲ませません。
Kodomo ni bīru o noma semasen.
Don't let children drink beer.
Let’s look at how we can conjugate different verb groups into the causative form:
|
Verb Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example Verb 1 |
Example Verb 2 |
|
u-verb |
Change the u part of the last vowel sound to their respective a vowel and add せる |
会う au ►会わせる awaseru |
学ぶ manabu ►学ばせる manaba seru |
|
ru-verb |
Add させる saseru to the verb stem |
起きる okiru ►起きさせる okisaseru |
答える kotaeru ►答えさせる kotaesaseru |
|
irregular |
For くる, add させる to its stem
For する, its changed to させる |
くる kuru ►こさせる kosaseru |
する suru ►させる saseru |
可能形 Kanōkei - Potential Form
Think of the potential form as the English equivalent of “can”, where conjugation of a verb could express one’s ability to do something. An interesting fact about the potential form is that all verbs will become ru-verbs after the conjugation:
|
Verb Group |
Conjugation Rule |
Example Verb 1 |
Example Verb 2 |
|
u-verb |
Change the u part of the last vowel sound to their respective e vowel and add る |
書く kaku ►書ける kakeru |
写す utsusu ►写せる utsuseru |
|
ru-verb |
Add られる to the verb stem |
起きる okiru ►起きられるokirareru |
答える kotaeru ►答えられる kotaerareru |
|
irregular |
For くる, add られる to its stem For する, its changed to できる |
くる kuru ►こられる korareru |
する suru ►できる dekiru |
Example sentences:
私辛料理は食べられますよ。
Watashi karashi ryōri wa tabe raremasu yo.
I can eat spicy food.
フランス語は話せますか。
Furansugo wa hanasemasu ka.
Can you speak french？
So that about wraps it up for all the main conjugation forms you will need to remember! These are all important tools that you need in order to achieve better fluency. The key here is to master them one by one. Start with the masu form or the plain form and move on from there. Just like me when I first started to learn Japanese conjugation, you might still find it challenging to learn, remember and effectively use all the different forms. So let’s look at a few tips on how you can improve your learning efficiency!
Tips on memorizing and practicing Japanese conjugation
Japan Switch - blogs and programs
If you have a burning passion to learn all there is about Japanese conjugation, Why not try out our in-person or online Japanese lessons at Japan Switch? They are perfect for people who would thrive in a classroom setting and you will get to learn Japanese with other foreigners!
Here at Japan Switch, we offer affordable Japanese language private lessons for around 3000 yen for 50 minutes. If you think a group environment helps you learn better you can also take our group classes for about 1500 yen for 50 minutes. Classes can be either online or in-person in our Shinjuku office and it would be a great opportunity for you to enjoy Japanese learning with other students!
Which are the best textbooks for learning Japanese conjugation ?
If you have watched other blogs about Japanese learning on Japan Switch, then you will know the first book we would recommend is the Survival Japanese Conversation for Beginners. It’s cheap, covers the basics of Japanese conjugation in interesting ways, and tells you how to apply different conjugation forms you have learned through realistic examples. This book is perfect for both self-learning and classes. Give it a look!
If you want more suggestions on what textbooks are good for learning Japanese conjugation, then I’d suggest you check out the Ultimate Guide To Japanese Textbooks on BFF Tokyo. It provides a great list of Japanese textbooks from the beginning level all the way to advanced level Japanese.
What other tools can you use to improve your Japanese conjugation?
You most likely have heard of the interactive language learning app Duolingo. you might even be using it to learn Japanese right now. This is a great learning (and in my opinion) a great refreshing tool for people who are currently learning Japanese conjugation. The exercises are clear and should not take you more than 10 minutes, making it a fantastic tool for Japanese learners like us to reinforce our knowledge of Japanese grammar. If you encountered a new verb and are not sure how it should be conjugated, try out this verb conjugator online! Just type in the dictionary form of a Japanese verb then it should tell you how that verb is conjugated in different forms.
Another great spot to learn all about Japanese conjugation is Youtube! There are many channels and videos that explain different forms of conjugation in a simple way. Check out this guide on “How to Learn Japanese through YouTube” to learn more!
Final Thoughts
I hope you have learned a thing or two from this article. I know that Japanese conjugation (and to some extent, Japanese grammar) can be difficult to memorize at first, but once you are able to get the basics down then you should have no problem using them. If you forgot how certain forms are conjugated later down the line, you can always come back to this page! My additional recommendation for learning Japanese conjugation would be to make your own notes on how different forms conjugate. It not only helps you remember them a bit better but also gives you notes to review at a later date.
I have talked briefly about Japanese verbs at the beginning of this article. Learning more about Japanese verbs will help you study Japanese conjugation a lot better! Here at Japan Switch, we have a guide on Japanese verbs that you can check out! Oh, and if you are learning Japanese with the goal of talking to native speakers, we also have some tips on Japanese communication!
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