Japanese Verb Conjugation: Te Form, Ta Form and More

Japanese verb conjugation is far more regular than most learners expect. There are only three groups, and two of them contain a handful of verbs between them. Once you can sort a verb into its group, the rest follows a fixed recipe.

This guide covers the groups, the two forms that matter most, and the patterns that sit on top of them.

The three verb groups

Every Japanese verb belongs to one of three groups. Sorting the verb is the first step of every conjugation.

• Group 1 — u verbs such as nomu, kaku, and hanasu
• Group 2 — ru verbs such as taberu and miru
• Group 3 — only suru and kuru

Group 3 is irregular, although it contains just two verbs. Therefore you can simply memorise them and move on.

The polite form

Start here, because it is safe in almost every situation. Group 2 verbs drop ru and add masu. Group 1 verbs change the final u sound to an i sound, then add masu.

For example, taberu becomes tabemasu, while nomu becomes nomimasu. Similarly, the past is tabemashita and nomimashita.

The te form is the key to everything

The te form does more work than any other form in Japanese verb conjugation. It links clauses, makes requests, and builds the progressive.

Group 2 is easy: drop ru, add te. Group 1 depends on the final sound.

• u, tsu, ru → tte
• mu, bu, nu → nde
• ku → ite, and gu → ide
• su → shite

Drill this until it is instant. Because dozens of later patterns attach to the te form, hesitation here slows everything down.

The ta form follows the same rules

Good news: the ta form uses exactly the same endings with t instead of te. So nonde becomes nonda, and kaite becomes kaita.

As a result, learning one form gives you the other for free.

Patterns built on these forms

Once the forms are solid, the patterns come quickly.

• ~te kudasai — please do
• ~te imasu — is doing
• ~te mo ii — may do
• ~ta koto ga aru — have done before
• ~ta hou ga ii — had better do

Negative and potential forms

The plain negative ends in nai. The potential form says you can do something. For instance, taberareru means "can eat", whereas nomeru means "can drink".

These appear from N4 onward. See our JLPT N4 grammar list for where they sit in the exam.

How to practise Japanese verb conjugation

Conjugation is a speed skill. Therefore, practise against a clock rather than slowly.

• Write ten verbs. Conjugate each into polite, te, and ta forms.
• Time yourself, then repeat tomorrow.
• Say each form aloud as you write it.

Our grammar quizzes drill conjugation directly, and every entry in the grammar library shows the form inside a full sentence. For the wider picture, see Japanese sentence structure.