Japanese Verb Conjugation Practice & Chart: Master All 13 Forms

1. Te-form (て形 · te-kei)

The te-form (て形) is a key Japanese conjugation used to link clauses in sequence, make polite requests, and create continuous tenses. Its rules depend on verb endings: -う/-つ/-る verbs become って, while -む/-ぶ/-ぬ verbs change to んで.

In daily speech, the te-form smoothly connects actions. It's used for polite requests (e.g., ～てください) and forms ongoing actions with いる (e.g., 食べている – "is eating"). Paired with ～てみる, it implies trying an action—for example, 「この寿司を食べてみる」(kono sushi o tabetemiru) means "I'll try eating this sushi."

Polite Form to Te Form

Converting from the polite form (masu form) to te-form follows specific patterns. Rather than adding to the polite form, we remove the "masu" ending and add the appropriate te-form ending.

When converting from polite form to te-form, remember that you need to remove the ます (masu) ending first, then apply the appropriate te-form ending based on the final sound of the verb stem. For example, 話します comes from Group I 話す and becomes 話して, while Group II 食べます becomes 食べて. The masu form alone does not always show the verb group, so check the dictionary form: Group II 起きます (起きる) becomes 起きて, not 起いて. Watch out for the exception 行く (iku), which becomes 行って (itte) rather than 行いて.

2. Ta-form (た形 · ta-kei)

The ta-form (た形) is used to express plain past tense in Japanese and follows patterns very similar to the te-form. This form is essential for discussing completed actions, experiences, and past events. The good news is that if you've learned the te-form, the ta-form follows almost identical conjugation rules.

The ta-form is used to express:

• Past actions: 食べた (tabeta) - I ate
• Past experiences (～たことがある): 日本に行ったことが有る (Nihon ni itta koto ga aru) - I have been to Japan
• Giving advice (～た方がいい): 早く寝た方がいい (Hayaku neta hou ga ii) - You should go to bed early
• Completed states & discoveries: 窓が開いた (Mado ga aita - The window opened) / あ、切れた！ (A, kireta! - Oh, it broke!)

Notice that the ta-form follows the same pattern as the te-form, but replaces the て/で with た/だ. Just like in the te-form, 行く (iku) is an exception and becomes 行った (itta).

3. Nai-form (ない形 · nai-kei)

The nai-form (ない形) is used to create plain negative statements in Japanese. This conjugation is essential for expressing what you don't do or won't do, and serves as the base for many negative grammar patterns.

Common uses of the nai-form include:

• Plain negation: 食べない (tabenai) - I don't eat / won't eat
• Negative requests (～ないでください): 食べないでください (tabenaide kudasai) - Please don't eat
• Obligation ("must" — ～なくてはいけません / ～なければならない): 行かなければならない (ikanakereba naranai) - Must go

For Group I verbs (u-verbs), the last kana changes to its あ-row equivalent before adding ない—except う, which becomes わ (買わない, not 買あない), and the verb ある (aru), whose negative is simply ない (nai). For Group II verbs (ru-verbs), drop る and add ない. Note that 来る (kuru) changes its reading from ku to ko (来ない / konai).

4. Polite Form / Masu-form (ます形 · masu-kei)

The polite form (masu-form / ます形) is the standard verb conjugation for everyday polite conversation with people outside your close circle, such as coworkers, strangers, teachers, and store staff. It expresses present habitual actions as well as future actions.

Common uses of the masu-form include:

• Polite present/future statements: 毎日コーヒーを飲みます (Mainichi koohii o nomimasu) - I drink coffee every day
• Building polite negatives and past forms: 飲みません (nomimasen - don't drink), 飲みました (nomimashita - drank)
• Using the masu-stem (without ます) for grammar patterns like 〜たい (want to do, e.g., 食べたい - tabetai) and 〜方 (kata) (how to do, e.g., 書き方 - kakikata)

Be careful with Group I verbs that end in -iru or -eru, such as 帰る (kaeru - to return home), 走る (hashiru - to run), and 入る (hairu - to enter). Although they look like Group II ru-verbs, they are Group I u-verbs and conjugate as 帰ります (kaerimasu), 走ります (hashirimasu), and 入ります (hairimasu).

5. Past Negative / Nakatta-form (なかった形 · nakatta-kei)

The nakatta-form (なかった形) is the plain past negative conjugation ("did not do"). It is the casual equivalent of 〜ませんでした (masen deshita) and is formed directly from the nai-form by conjugating the final ない like an i-adjective: drop い and add かった.

Common uses of the nakatta-form include:

• Casual past negation: 昨日は行かなかった (Kinou wa ikanakatta) - I didn't go yesterday
• Modifying nouns or clauses: 知らなかったこと (shiranakatta koto) - Something I didn't know
• Polite past negative alternative: 行かなかったです (ikanakatta desu) - I didn't go (common in spoken Japanese)

6. Potential Form / Can Do (可能形 · kanou-kei)

The potential form expresses the ability or possibility to do something ("can do" or "be able to do"). Once a verb is conjugated into the potential form, it becomes a Group II (ru-verb) itself—meaning it conjugates to ~ます, ~ない, or ~た by simply dropping the final る (e.g., 書ける → 書けます / 書けない).

Common uses and features of the potential form:

• Expressing ability: 漢字が読める (Kanji ga yomeru) - I can read kanji
• Expressing possibility: この水は飲める (Kono mizu wa nomeru) - This water is drinkable
• Particle note: The direct object particle を often changes to が with potential verbs (e.g., 日本語を話す → 日本語が話せる)

In casual spoken Japanese, Group II verbs often drop the ら (called ra-nuki kotoba), turning 食べられる into 食べれる. However, for JLPT exams and formal writing, always use the full 〜られる form. Also note that する (suru) becomes the special verb できる (dekiru), and わかる (wakaru) already expresses ability ("to understand") and does not have a potential form.

7. Volitional Form / Let's (意向形 · ikou-kei)

The volitional form is the casual equivalent of 〜ましょう (mashou). It is used to suggest doing something together ("let's do ~"), offer help ("shall I ~?"), or express personal intention when paired with と思う (to omou).

Common uses of the volitional form include:

• Casual invitations: 一緒に行こう！ (Issho ni ikou!) - Let's go together!
• Expressing plans/intentions: 来月、日本に行こうと思っている (Raigetsu, Nihon ni ikou to omotte iru) - I'm thinking of going to Japan next month
• Attempting an action (with とする): 電車に乗ろうとした (Densha ni norou to shita) - I tried to get on the train

8. Imperative Form / Command (命令形 · meirei-kei)

The imperative form is used to give a direct, forceful command ("Do it!"). Because it sounds blunt in direct conversation, it is mostly heard in emergencies, sports cheering, road signs, manga or anime dialogue, and indirect speech quoting an order.

Common contexts for the imperative form:

• Cheering or encouragement: 頑張れ！ (Ganbare!) - Do your best! / Hang in there!
• Road signs and warnings: 止まれ (Tomare) - Stop
• Urgent orders: 急げ！ (Isoge!) - Hurry up!

For Group I verbs, be careful not to add る after changing to the e-sound—adding る creates the potential form (書ける - can write), whereas stopping at the e-sound gives the command (書け - Write!). Also note the Group II exception くれる (kureru), whose imperative is くれ (kure) rather than くれろ.

9. Prohibitive Form / Don't! (禁止形 · kinshi-kei)

The prohibitive form is the negative counterpart to the imperative form, meaning "Don't do it!". It has the simplest conjugation rule in Japanese: attach な (na) directly to the dictionary form of any verb, regardless of group.

Common contexts for the prohibitive form:

• Urgent warnings: 触るな！ (Sawaru na!) - Don't touch!
• Reassurance or encouragement: 心配するな (Shinpai suru na) - Don't worry!
• Rules and signs: ここに入るな (Koko ni hairu na) - Do not enter here

In polite everyday conversation, use 〜ないでください (naide kudasai) instead of the prohibitive form so you don't sound overly harsh. Also note that 来るな (kuruna) keeps the dictionary reading ku.

10. Conditional -ba Form / If (ば形 · ba-kei)

The conditional -ba form expresses "if" or "provided that" in Japanese. For Group I verbs (u-verbs), change the final u-row kana to its e-row equivalent and add ば (ba). For Group II verbs (ru-verbs), drop る and add れば; する and 来る become すれば and くれば.

Common uses of the -ba conditional include:

• General truths and logical outcomes: 春になれば暖かくなる (Haru ni nareba atatakaku naru) - When/if spring comes, it gets warm
• Giving advice or asking what to do: どうすればいいですか？ (Dou sureba ii desu ka? - see 〜ばいい) - What should I do?
• "The more ~, the more ~" pattern: 聞けば聞くほど面白い (Kikeba kiku hodo omoshiroi) - The more I listen, the more interesting it gets

11. Passive Form (受身形 · ukemi-kei)

The passive form expresses that an action is done to someone or something ("be done"). In Japanese, it is used both for standard passive statements (e.g., "was praised by the teacher") and for the "suffering" (indirect) passive, where someone is inconvenienced by another person's action (e.g., "had my foot stepped on" or "it rained on me").

Common uses of the passive form include:

• Direct passive (person marked with に): 先生に褒められた (Sensei ni homerareta) - I was praised by the teacher
• Inconvenience / suffering passive: 電車で足を踏まれた (Densha de ashi o fumareta) - My foot was stepped on in the train
• General / impersonal statements: この本は多くの人に読まれている (Kono hon wa ooku no hito ni yomarete iru) - This book is read by many people

Notice that for Group II verbs (and 来る), the passive form 〜られる looks identical to the potential form (e.g., 食べられる can mean "can eat" or "is eaten"). Context and particles (like に marking the agent in passive sentences) make the meaning clear.

12. Causative Form / Make or Let Do (使役形 · shieki-kei)

The causative form expresses either making someone do something or letting / allowing someone do something. Whether it means "make" or "let" depends on the context: it usually reads as "let" when the person wanted to do the action and "make" when they did not, though the speaker's framing can shift it.

Common uses of the causative form include:

• Making someone do something: 母は子供に野菜を食べさせた (Haha wa kodomo ni yasai o tabesaseta) - The mother made her child eat vegetables
• Letting someone do something: 好きなことをやらせる (Sukina koto o yaraseru) - Let them do what they like
• Polite requests for permission (〜させてください): 私に払わせてください (Watashi ni harawasete kudasai) - Please let me pay

13. Causative-Passive Form / Be Made to Do (使役受身形 · shieki-ukemi-kei)

The causative-passive form combines the causative ("make do") and passive ("be done") to express "being made to do something" (usually against one's wishes or naturally triggered by an emotion). For Group I verbs (except those ending in す), a shorter contracted ending 〜される (sareru) is very common alongside the full 〜せられる (serareru) form.

Common uses of the causative-passive form:

• Being forced to do an unwanted task: 部長に遅くまで働かされた (Buchou ni osoku made hatarakasareta) - I was made to work late by my manager
• Being made to wait: 1時間も待たされた (Ichijikan mo matasareta) - I was made to wait for a whole hour
• Spontaneous mental/emotional reaction: その映画には考えさせられた (Sono eiga ni wa kangaesaserareta) - That movie really made me think

Both the full form (書かせられる) and the shorter contracted form (書かされる) are accepted in our practice tool for Group I verbs—except for verbs ending in す (like 話す), which never use the short form and always become 話させられる.