Conjugations

How verbs and adjectives change form, one form per entry, with the form for every model verb built by rule, how often it’s heard, and grammar patterns that attach to those forms.

123 forms and patterns in 30 chunks, ordered into four stages that run alongside the main list’s stages. Each chunk is a short page; use Next at the bottom of each page. Cuts lists the 12 candidates left out. The data is 26-list-conjugations.json.

Stages

Stage 1 · 57 forms and patterns57 forms and patterns in 15 chunks: verb forms, adjectives and the copula, grammar patterns.

Stage 2 · 16 forms and patterns16 forms and patterns in 4 chunks: verb forms, grammar patterns.

Stage 3 · 25 forms and patterns25 forms and patterns in 5 chunks: grammar patterns.

Stage 4 · 25 forms and patterns25 forms and patterns in 6 chunks: verb forms, grammar patterns.

Topics

Verb forms

1. How verbs workStage 1ichidan, godan, suru, kuru Every verb is in one of three groups, and the group decides how it changes.kaka-, kaki-, kake-, kako- Godan verbs shift their last vowel to a, i, e or o to fit the ending.-te / -ta Godan verbs change sound before -te and -ta, depending on their last syllable.suru, kuru, iku, aru, ii The few verbs (plus the adjective ii) that break the patterns.
2. Now and notStage 1-u / -ru Plain present and future: I do, I will do.-masu Polite present and future: I do, I will do.-nai Plain negative: I don't, I won't.-masen Polite negative: I don't, I won't.
3. The pastStage 1-ta Plain past: I did.-mashita Polite past: I did.-nakatta Plain negative past: I didn't.-masen deshita Polite negative past: I didn't.
4. The te-formStage 1-te Links actions (and then), gives a reason, or on its own asks someone to do something.-te kudasai Please do...-naide (kudasai) Don't...; also 'without doing'.
5. Ongoing and doneStage 1-teru / -te iru Is doing, or is in a state (is married, knows, lives somewhere).-teta / -te ita Was doing, or had been in a state.-tenai / -te inai Isn't doing; or hasn't done (yet).
6. Wanting and invitingStage 1-tai Want to do.-ou / -you Let's...; with to omou, I think I'll...-mashou (ka) Let's...; with ka, shall we...? or shall I...?-masen ka Won't you...? Would you like to...?
7. If and whenStage 1-tara If..., or when (once)..., then something happens.-ba If... (a general condition).-u to Whenever or if X happens, Y follows naturally.nara If that's the case; if you're going to...
8. Must and don't have toStage 1-nakya / -nakereba Have to, must.-nakute Not ... and; because (it's) not ...; with mo ii, don't have to.-te mo ii It's OK to...; can I...?-cha dame Mustn't, don't.
9. Can, be done, make doStage 1-eru / -rareru Says someone can or can't do something.-areru / -rareru Something is done to someone, often with a feeling of 'it happened to me'.-aseru / -saseru Makes or lets someone do something.-asareru / -saserareru Being made to do something you didn't want to.
10. Helper verbs after -teStage 1-chau / -te shimau Did it completely, or did it by accident and regret it.-toku / -te oku Do it now, ready for later; or leave it as it is.-te miru Try doing it and see how it goes.-temo Even if / even though.
11. Looks, too much, easyStage 1-sou Looks like it's about to happen.-sugiru Doing something too much.-yasui / -nikui Easy to do / hard to do.
12. Spoken shortcutsStage 1-nnai In fast speech, -ranai and -ru before n turn into n.-nakya, -teru, -chau The squeezed sounds of fast casual speech.
13. Doing two thingsStage 2-tari ... -tari Doing things like A and B, among other things.-nagara Doing one thing while doing another (same person).-zu ni Without doing it.
14. CommandsStage 4-e / -ro A blunt order: do it!-u na A blunt 'don't!'.-nasai A firm instruction, the way a parent or teacher gives it.-te kure Do it (for me): a blunt request.

Adjectives and the copula

1. Adjectives and the copulaStage 1-i / da / desu Says something is X, casually or politely.-katta / datta Was X.-kunai / ja nai Is not X.-kunakatta / ja nakatta Was not X.deshou / darou Probably; or, said rising, 'right?'.
2. Adjectives that link and changeStage 1-kute / de Links descriptions (X and Y), or gives a reason.-ku naru / ni naru Becomes X; the -ku / ni part is also the adverb form.-i / na / no + noun Describes a noun directly: an X thing.-kereba / -kattara / nara If it's X.-sou Looks X, judging by appearance.

Grammar patterns

1. Deciding and arrangingStage 1-koto ni naru it's been decided that; end up doing-koto ni suru decide to-you ni iu tell someone to; ask someone to-you ni suru make a point of; try to (as a habit)
2. Quoting and referringStage 2-ka dou ka whether or not-toori just as; the way (said, planned, shown)-to ieba speaking of; when you think of-to iu koto da it means that; I hear that-ni yoru to according to
3. Even thoughStage 2-kuse ni even though (critical); and yet-kara tte just because-ni shite mo even if; even so; still-ni shite wa for a; considering (it's)-to itte mo although; that said; though it's only
4. Casual emphasisStage 2-makuru do like crazy; keep on doing-tteba I said!; come on! (insisting)-mon ka as if I would!; no way
5. Credit and blameStage 3-okage de thanks to-no sei de because of (blaming)-no sei ni suru blame it on-mon dakara because, you see (giving an excuse)-kara koso precisely because; it's because ... that
6. Pretending and tryingStage 3-furi o suru pretend to; act as if-ou to suru try to; be about to-ki wa nai have no intention of; don't feel like-te goran try doing (said to a child or junior)
7. Can, must and needn'tStage 3-te wa ikenai must not; not allowed to-koto ga dekiru can; be able to-koto wa nai there's no need to-wake ni wa ikanai can't very well; can't just-beki da should; ought to
8. When it happensStage 3-ru koto ga aru sometimes does; there are times when-tabi ni every time; whenever-te irai since; ever since-to omottara just when I thought; no sooner ... than-saichuu ni in the middle of; right while-ta totan the moment that; as soon as
9. Ifs and hopesStage 3-to shitara if; supposing; if it's true that-to ii I hope; it would be good if-kagiri as long as; as far as-shidai depending on; as soon as-sae areba as long as there's; all you need is
10. Very polite speechStage 4gozaimasu is; there is, we have (very polite)-te itadakeru could you (kindly)-te kudasaru kindly do (for me), said of someone above you-sasete itadaku humbly do; allow me to
11. Seeming and sureStage 4-you na like; such as; a kind of-you da it seems; it looks like-to wa kagiranai not necessarily; not always-ni chigai nai must be; no doubt
12. Even and let aloneStage 4-dokoro ka far from; let alone-dake de naku not only ... but also-to iu yori rather than; or rather; more like-de sae even
13. Point of viewStage 4-to shite as (a role); in the capacity of-ni totte for; to (from someone's point of view)-ni taishite toward; against; in contrast to-ni kanshite about; concerning; regarding-muke aimed at; made for
14. Noun add-onsStage 4-kei -type; -style; kind of-goto and all, including; every (-goto ni)-nashi de without-gokko playing at; make-believe

Reading an entry

• Make it says how to build the form for each verb group; the table shows it for 13 model verbs (or takai, ii, kirei and a noun).
• Heard is how often the form came up in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles, as a share of all verbs or adjectives.
• Main list links the versatility-list entry that teaches the form as a word.