Japanese Verbs: Indicatives

* * * * So... this isn't meant to be a reliable summary or anything, it's mostly meant to be like a chart to remind me of some stuff so I figured why not post it? Also I apologize for romanizing most of it, it's a hassle to type the kana in my current computer.

So the verbs can be categorized into three different groups depending in which kana their root ends.  The first group made of verbs that end in "u sound", the second of those who end in "ru" but the kana before it isn't an "i sound" kana and the third is made of compound verbs with "suru" and irregular ones.  We'll call the first one the U verbs and the second one the RU verbs.

Here's a few examples.

U verbs:

To drink_____-_____のむ_____-_____no - mu

To buy   _____-_____まつ_____-_____ka - u

To wait  _____-_____かう_____-_____ma - tsu

See? they end in U.  Of course not exactly the same kana, it's the sound of the kana which is U.

Ru verbs:


To eat     _____-______たべる     ____-_____tabe - ru

To see     _____-_____みる         _____-_____mi - ru

To think  _____-_____かんがえる_____-_____kangae - ru

Suru:

To do_____-_____する

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Now, conjugations.  Those up there are informal / present indicative / affirmative.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Informal * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Informal / Past Indicative / Affirmative 

* * * U verbs: This one is a handful.. change the last kana and add TA or DA

• If the U kana is SU then change the SU for the I kana (SHI) and add TA.

___________(To speak) Hanasu -----> Hana + shi + ta (hanashita)

•  If ends in KU change it for I (NOT KI, I) and add TA

___________(To write) Kaku -----> Ka + i + ta (kaita) 

•  If ends in GU change it for I and add DA

 ___________(To swim) Oyogu -----> Oyo + i + da (oyoida)

• If ends in MU, BU or NU change it for N and add DA

 ___________(To play) Asobu -----> Aso + n + da (asonda)

•  If ends in RU, U or TSU remove them and add TTA (small tsu + TA) 

 ___________(To win) Katsu -----> Ka + tta (katta)

   

* * * Ru verbs: Remove the RU and add TA. (piece of cake!!)

___________(To Eat) Taberu -----> Tabe + ta (Tabeta)

Informal / Present Indicative / Negative

• U verbs: The "U sound" kana is changed into the corresponding "A suond" kana, adding NAI after it.

___________(To Drink) Nomu -----> No + ma + nai  (Nomanai)

• Ru verbs: Remove the RU and add NAI.

___________(To Eat) Taberu -----> Tabe + nai (Tabenai)

* * * Past AND Negative: Drop the I from NAI and add KATTA
Nomanai -----> Nomamakatta
Tabenai  -----> Tabenakatta

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Formal * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Formal / Present Indicative / Affirmative

• U verbs: The "U sound kana" is changed into the corresponding "I sound kana", adding MASU after it.

___________(To Drink) Nomu -----> No + mi + masu  (Nomimasu)

• Ru verbs: Remove the RU and add MASU.

___________(To Eat) Taberu -----> Tabe + masu (Tabemasu)

* * * Negative: It's pretty much the same, change MASU with MASEN
Nomimasu -----> Nomimasen
Tabemasu  -----> Tabemasen


* * * Past: Change MASU with MASHITA
Nomimasu -----> Nomimashita
Tabemasu  -----> Tabemashita


* * * Past AND Negative: Change MASU with MASEN and add DESHITA
Nomimasu -----> Nomimasendeshita
Tabemasu  -----> Tabemasendeshita