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Essential Japanese verbs

Browse verbs in romaji and Japanese script, then open a complete conjugation table or find example sentences. Use the filters to focus on a verb class or the most useful beginner-level verbs.

Romaji	Japanese	English meaning	Class	Conjugation	Examples
tasu	たす足す	add	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kotaeru	こたえる答える	answer	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tsuku	つく着く	arrive	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
abiru	あびる浴びる	bathe, take a shower	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
iru	いる居る	be	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
dekiru	できる出来る	be able	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
umareru	うまれる生まれる	be born	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
naoru	なおる直る	be cured, healed	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
makeru	まける負ける	be defeated, lose a game	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
chigau	ちがう違う	be different, wrong	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tariru	たりる足りる	be enough, suffient	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
mitsukaru	みつかる見つかる	be found	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
yorokobu	喜ぶ	be glad, pleased	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
komaru	こまる困る	be in trouble	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
nakunaru	なくなる無くなる	be missing, vanish	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
mieru	みえる見える	be visible, able to see	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
naru	なる	become	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
komu	こむ込む	become crowded	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
nureru	ぬれる濡れる	become wet	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
hajimeru	はじめる始める	begin	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
hajimaru	はじまる始まる	begin	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
saku	さく咲く	bloom	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
fuku	ふく吹く	blow, wipe	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
noru	のる乗る	board, ride on	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kariru	かりる借りる	borrow, rent	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tateru	たてる立てる	build	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kau	かう買う	buy	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
yobu	よぶ呼ぶ	call	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
shiraberu	しらべる調べる	check, investigate	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
erabu	えらぶ選ぶ	choose, select	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
hareru	はれる晴れる	clear up, tidy up	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
noboru	のぼる登る	climb	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
shimaru	しまる閉まる	close, be closed	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kuru	くる来る	come	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
mairu	まいる参る	come/go (humble)	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tsuzuku	つづく続く	continue, follow	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tsuzukeru	つづける続ける	continue, proceed	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
wataru	わたる渡る	cross	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
naku	なく泣く	cry	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kiru	きる切る	cut	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kimeru	決める	decide, choose	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
shinu	しぬ死ぬ	die	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
yaru	やる	do, give	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
suru	する	do, make	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
nomu	のむ飲む	drink	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
taberu	たべる食べる	eat	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
owaru	おわる終わる	end	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tanoshimu	たのしむ楽しむ	enjoy, have fun	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
hairu	はいる入る	enter	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
torikaeru	とりかえる取り換える	exchange	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
dasu	だす出す	extract, take out	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
taoreru	たおれる倒れる	fall down, collapse	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
furu	ふる降る	fall from the sky	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
sagaru	さがる下がる	fall, drop, hang	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
mitsukeru	みつける見つける	find	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tsuru	つる釣る	fish	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
wasureru	わすれる忘れる	forget	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
narabu	ならぶ並ぶ	form a line, equal	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
oriru	おりる降りる	get off, go down	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tsukareru	つかれる疲れる	get tired	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
okiru	おきる起きる	get up	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
ageru	あげるあげる	give	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kaesu	かえす返す	give back, return (something to someone)	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
iku	いく行く	go	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
susumu	すすむ進む	go forward, advance	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
deru	でる出る	go out	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
dekakeru	でかける出かける	go out, leave home	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
mawaru	まわる回る	go round	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
agaru	あがる上がる	go up, rise	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
mukaeru	むかえる迎える	greet, meet, welcome	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
watasu	わたす渡す	hand over	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kakeru	かける掛ける	hang, sit, telephone, risk	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
aru	ある有る	have, exist	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
motsu	もつ持つ	have, hold, own	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tasukeru	たすける助ける	help	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
suu	すう吸う	inhale, sip, smoke	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tobu	とぶ飛ぶ	jump, fly	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
shiru	しる知る	know	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
warau	わらう笑う	laugh	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tsureru	つれる連れる	lead	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
narau	ならう習う	learn	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kasu	かす貸す	lend	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
naraberu	ならべる並べる	line up, list, arrange in order	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kiku	きく聞く	listen	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
sumu	すむ住む	live, reside	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
miru	みる見る	look	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
sageru	さげる下げる	lower, hang	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
machigaeru	まちがえる間違える	make a mistake	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
sawagu	さわぐ騒ぐ	make a noise, be rowdy	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tsukuru	つくる作る	make, build, create	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
au	あう会う	meet	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
iru	いる要る	need	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
shiraseru	しらせる知らせる	notify	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
akeru	あける開ける	open	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
aku	あく開く	open, become vacant	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
nuru	ぬる塗る	paint	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
wakareru	わかれる別れる	part, separate from, be divided, divorced	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
sugiru	すぎる過ぎる	pass, exceed	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
harau	はらう払う	pay	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
asobu	あそぶ遊ぶ	play	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
sasu	さす刺す	point out, sting, stab	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
migaku	みがく磨く	polish	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
homeru	ほめる褒める	praise	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
hiku	ひく引く	pull	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
osu	おす押す	push, press	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
ireru	いれる入れる	put in, let in	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
haku	はく履く	put on, wear (on feet or legs - trousers/shoes etc)	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
oku	おく置く	put, place	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
yomu	よむ読む	read	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
morau	もらう貰う	receive, get	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
oboeru	おぼえる覚える	remember, learn	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
naosu	なおす直す	repair, cure	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tanomu	たのむ頼む	request, order, ask favour	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
yasumu	やすむ休む	rest, sleep	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kaeru	かえる帰る	return, go home	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
hashiru	はしる走る	run	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kakeru	かける	run, canter, gallop	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
iu	いう言う	say	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
shikaru	しかる叱る	scold, tell off	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
sagasu	さがす探す	search for	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
uru	うる売る	sell	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
okuru	おくる送る	send, see off	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
miseru	みせる見せる	show	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
shimeru	しめる閉める	shut	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
utau	うたう歌う	sing	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
suwaru	すわる座る	sit	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
neru	ねる寝る	sleep, go to bed	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
suberu	すべる滑る	slip	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
hanasu	はなす話す	speak	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tatsu	立つ	stand up	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
nusumu	ぬすむ盗む	steal	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
haru	はる張る	stick, put something on	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tomaru	とまる止まる	stop	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tomeru	とめる止める	stop, fasten	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
yameru	やめる止める	stop, give up, resign	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
oyogu	およぐ泳ぐ	swim	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
nugu	ぬぐ脱ぐ	take off, remove (shoes, clothes)	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kakaru	かかる掛かる	take, begin, be hanging	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
toru	とる取る	take, steal	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
oshieru	おしえる教える	teach, show	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
omou	おもう思う	think	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
nageru	なげる投げる	throw away	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
suteru	すてる捨てる	throw away	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
sodateru	そだてる育てる	to rear, to bring up	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
sawaru	さわる触る	touch or feel (with hands)	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kesu	けす消す	turn off, erase	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tsukeru	つける点ける	turn on, light	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
magaru	まがる曲がる	turn, bend	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
wakaru	わかる分かる	understand	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tsukau	つかう使う	use, operate	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kieru	きえる消える	vanish, go out, be extinguished	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
matsu	まつ待つ	wait	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
aruku	あるく歩く	walk	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
arau	あらう洗う	wash	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kiru	きる着る	wear	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kaburu	かぶる被る	wear (on your head), put on	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
hataraku	はたらく働く	work	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tsutomeru	つとめる勤める	work for	Ichidan (2)	View conjugations	Example sentences
tsutsumu	つつむ包む	wrap	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences
kaku	かく書く	write	Godan (1)	View conjugations	Example sentences

Essential Japanese verbs

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