50 Most Common Japanese Verbs (with Masu Form & Group)

🇯🇵 Japanese · 50 cards · A1 · by Haruka Sato

These are the fifty verbs I hear in almost every beginner conversation, so learn them before anything else. Each card gives you the dictionary form in kanji and kana, the romaji, the polite ます form, and the group: Group 1 (u-verbs), Group 2 (ru-verbs), Group 3 (the irregulars する and 来る). Learn the group together with the word — that is how conjugation stops being guesswork later.

Watch 帰る, 入る, 走る, 知る and 切る: they end in -る but conjugate as Group 1. ある has the irregular negative ない, and 知る almost always lives as 知っている in speech. The examples are plain, casual Japanese — read them out loud.

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Flip through the cards, then switch to Quiz. Tap the play button on any row to hear it. The full table below is there to read, print or copy into your own flashcard app.

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All 50 cards

#JapanesePronunciationEnglishExampleAudio
1する
Group 3 (irregular) · ます form: します. Attaches to nouns: 勉強する, 電話する, 掃除する.
suruto do
日曜日は何をする？
What are you doing on Sunday?
2ある
Group 1 · ます form: あります. Negative is irregular: ない (never あらない). Used for objects, plants and abstract things: 時間がある.
aruto be, to exist (things), to have
冷蔵庫にビールがあるよ。
There's beer in the fridge.
3いる
Group 2 · ます form: います. Use いる for living things that move, ある for everything else.
iruto be, to exist (people, animals)
部屋に猫がいる。
There's a cat in the room.
4行く（いく）
Group 1 · ます form: 行きます. Irregular te-form 行って (not 行いて).
ikuto go
明日、東京へ行く。
I'm going to Tokyo tomorrow.
5来る（くる）
Group 3 (irregular) · ます form: 来ます (kimasu). The stem changes: 来ない (konai), 来て (kite).
kuruto come
友だちがうちに来る。
A friend is coming over to my place.
6見る（みる）
Group 2 · ます form: 見ます.
miruto see, to watch, to look at
夜はよくドラマを見る。
I often watch dramas at night.
7聞く（きく）
Group 1 · ます form: 聞きます. 先生に聞く = to ask the teacher.
kikuto listen, to hear; to ask
電車で音楽を聞く。
I listen to music on the train.
8食べる（たべる）
Group 2 · ます form: 食べます.
taberuto eat
朝ごはんはパンを食べる。
I eat bread for breakfast.
9飲む（のむ）
Group 1 · ます form: 飲みます. 薬を飲む = to take medicine.
nomuto drink; to take (medicine)
毎朝コーヒーを飲む。
I drink coffee every morning.
10話す（はなす）
Group 1 · ます form: 話します. 〜と話す = to talk with someone.
hanasuto speak, to talk
母とよく電話で話す。
I talk with my mum on the phone a lot.
11読む（よむ）
Group 1 · ます form: 読みます.
yomuto read
寝る前に少し本を読む。
I read a bit before going to bed.
12書く（かく）
Group 1 · ます form: 書きます. Drawing a picture is the same reading but a different kanji: 絵を描く（かく）.
kakuto write
毎日日記を書く。
I write in my diary every day.
13買う（かう）
Group 1 · ます form: 買います.
kauto buy
帰りにパンを買う。
I'll buy bread on the way home.
14会う（あう）
Group 1 · ます form: 会います. Takes に, not を: 人に会う.
auto meet, to see (a person)
駅で友だちに会う。
I'm meeting a friend at the station.
15言う（いう）
Group 1 · ます form: 言います. Written いう but pronounced "yū". 何て言う is the casual form of 何と言う.
iuto say, to tell
これ、日本語で何て言う？
How do you say this in Japanese?
16思う（おもう）
Group 1 · ます form: 思います. The thought comes before と: 〜と思う.
omouto think, to feel
それはいい考えだと思う。
I think that's a good idea.
17分かる（わかる）
Group 1 · ます form: 分かります. Takes が, not を.
wakaruto understand, to know
この漢字の読み方が分かる？
Do you know how to read this kanji?
18知る（しる）
Group 1 · ます form: 知ります. In practice say 知っている／知ってる for "I know", and 知らない for "I don't know".
shiruto know, to find out
その店なら知ってるよ。
Oh, I know that shop.
19帰る（かえる）
Group 1 despite the -る ending · ます form: 帰ります (not 帰ます). te-form 帰って.
kaeruto go home, to return
そろそろ帰るね。
I should head home soon.
20起きる（おきる）
Group 2 · ます form: 起きます. Also means "to happen": 事故が起きる.
okiruto get up, to wake up
いつも六時に起きる。
I always get up at six.
21寝る（ねる）
Group 2 · ます form: 寝ます.
neruto sleep, to go to bed
もう眠いから寝る。
I'm sleepy, so I'm going to bed.
22待つ（まつ）
Group 1 · ます form: 待ちます. te-form 待って.
matsuto wait
ここで待つね。
I'll wait here.
23使う（つかう）
Group 1 · ます form: 使います.
tsukauto use
仕事で英語を使う。
I use English at work.
24作る（つくる）
Group 1 · ます form: 作ります.
tsukuruto make, to cook
今夜はカレーを作る。
I'm making curry tonight.
25持つ（もつ）
Group 1 · ます form: 持ちます. 持っている = to own, or to have something with you.
motsuto hold, to carry; to have
荷物、持つよ。
I'll carry your bag.
26取る（とる）
Group 1 · ます form: 取ります. Same reading as 撮る (to take a photo).
toruto take, to get, to pick up
明日は休みを取る。
I'm taking the day off tomorrow.
27入る（はいる）
Group 1 despite the -る ending · ます form: 入ります. Takes に. The transitive partner is 入れる (to put in).
hairuto enter, to go in
毎晩お風呂に入る。
I take a bath every night.
28出る（でる）
Group 2 · ます form: 出ます. The place you leave takes を: 家を出る.
deruto leave, to go out; to appear
八時に家を出る。
I leave the house at eight.
29乗る（のる）
Group 1 · ます form: 乗ります. Takes に: 電車に乗る.
noruto get on, to ride
ここでバスに乗る。
We get on the bus here.
30降りる（おりる）
Group 2 · ます form: 降ります. Don't confuse it with 降る (ふる, to rain/snow).
oriruto get off, to get down
次の駅で降りる。
I'm getting off at the next station.
31歩く（あるく）
Group 1 · ます form: 歩きます.
arukuto walk
天気がいいから歩く。
The weather's nice, so I'll walk.
32走る（はしる）
Group 1 despite the -る ending · ます form: 走ります. The route or area you run takes を.
hashiruto run
朝、公園を走る。
I run in the park in the morning.
33立つ（たつ）
Group 1 · ます form: 立ちます. For "be standing" (a state) use 立っている. Transitive partner: 立てる (to stand something up).
tatsuto stand, to stand up
バスでは立つことが多い。
I usually end up standing on the bus.
34座る（すわる）
Group 1 · ます form: 座ります. The place takes に: いすに座る.
suwaruto sit down
窓側の席に座る。
I'll sit in the window seat.
35働く（はたらく）
Group 1 · ます form: 働きます. About working as an activity; 仕事をする is also common.
hatarakuto work
土曜日も働くの？
Do you work on Saturdays too?
36休む（やすむ）
Group 1 · ます form: 休みます. The place you're absent from takes を: 会社を休む.
yasumuto rest; to take time off, to be absent
風邪で学校を休む。
I'm taking the day off school with a cold.
37勉強する（べんきょうする）
Group 3 (noun + する) · ます form: 勉強します. 習う = to learn from a teacher.
benkyō suruto study
カフェで日本語を勉強する。
I study Japanese at a café.
38教える（おしえる）
Group 2 · ます form: 教えます. Also for phone numbers and directions: 住所を教えて.
oshieruto teach; to tell (information)
日本語を教えるのが好きだ。
I love teaching Japanese.
39覚える（おぼえる）
Group 2 · ます form: 覚えます. 覚えている = to still remember something.
oboeruto memorise, to learn, to remember
漢字を覚えるのは大変だ。
Memorising kanji is hard work.
40忘れる（わすれる）
Group 2 · ます form: 忘れます. 電車に傘を忘れる = to leave an umbrella on the train.
wasureruto forget; to leave behind
人の名前をよく忘れる。
I often forget people's names.
41開ける（あける）
Group 2 · ます form: 開けます. Transitive; the intransitive pair is 開く (あく), "it opens".
akeruto open (something)
ちょっとドアを開けるね。
I'll open the door a little.
42閉める（しめる）
Group 2 · ます form: 閉めます. Intransitive pair: 閉まる (しまる), "it closes".
shimeruto close, to shut (something)
風が強いから窓を閉める。
The wind is strong, so I'll shut the window.
43始める（はじめる）
Group 2 · ます form: 始めます. Intransitive pair: 始まる (映画が始まる).
hajimeruto start, to begin (something)
来月からヨガを始める。
I'm starting yoga next month.
44終わる（おわる）
Group 1 · ます form: 終わります. Intransitive: 仕事が終わる. To finish something yourself: 終える or 終わらせる.
owaruto end, to finish
授業は三時に終わる。
Class finishes at three.
45送る（おくる）
Group 1 · ます form: 送ります. 駅まで送る = to walk or drive someone to the station.
okuruto send; to see someone off
あとで写真を送るね。
I'll send you the photos later.
46借りる（かりる）
Group 2 · ます form: 借ります. The lender takes に or から: 友だちに借りる.
kariruto borrow, to rent
図書館で本を借りる。
I borrow books at the library.
47貸す（かす）
Group 1 · ます form: 貸します. Opposite of 借りる — mixing these two is the classic beginner mistake.
kasuto lend, to rent out
ペンを貸すよ。
I'll lend you a pen.
48洗う（あらう）
Group 1 · ます form: 洗います.
arauto wash
ごはんの前に手を洗う。
I wash my hands before meals.
49着る（きる）
Group 2 · ます form: 着ます. Trousers and shoes take はく, hats かぶる. Note 切る (to cut) is Group 1: 切ります.
kiruto wear, to put on (upper body)
今日はコートを着る。
I'll wear a coat today.
50遊ぶ（あそぶ）
Group 1 · ます form: 遊びます. Adults use it too — it means socialising, not just children's play.
asobuto play, to hang out, to have fun
週末は友だちと遊ぶ。
I hang out with friends at the weekend.
Haruka Sato
Native Japanese · Speaks English, Korean

Osaka-born, Tokyo-based. I help English speakers get past hiragana into real conversation. Every card has kanji, kana and romaji, because you need all three at the start.

Published

Questions about this deck

How do I tell if a Japanese verb is Group 1 or Group 2?
Group 2 (ru-verbs) end in -iru or -eru, like 食べる (taberu) and 起きる (okiru); drop る and add ます. Everything else is Group 1 (u-verbs): change the final -u to -i and add ます, so 飲む→飲みます, 書く→書きます. The trap is verbs that look Group 2 but are Group 1: in this deck 帰る (帰ります), 入る (入ります), 走る (走ります), 知る (知ります) and 切る (切ります). する and 来る are Group 3 and must be memorised: します, 来ます (kimasu).
Should I learn the dictionary form or the ます form first?
Learn both together, which is why every card here shows both. The ます form is what you actually say to strangers, shop staff and teachers. The dictionary form is what grammar hangs off: 〜ことができる, 〜前に, 〜つもり, casual speech with friends, and it is the form you look up in a dictionary. Since the ます form is built from the dictionary form, storing the dictionary form plus the group gives you everything else.
When do I use ある and when do I use いる?
いる is for things that move by themselves — people, animals, insects: 妹がいる, 犬がいる. ある is for objects, plants, buildings and abstract things: 時間がある, 駅がある. Both mean "there is" and both mark the subject with が. Note that ある has an irregular negative: ない / ありません, never あらない.
Why do some verbs come in pairs like 開ける and 開く?
Japanese pairs a transitive verb (you do it to something, object marked with を) with an intransitive one (it happens by itself, subject marked with が). 窓を開ける = I open the window; 窓が開く = the window opens. This deck has the transitive 開ける, 閉める, 始める and the intransitive 入る, 終わる; their partners are 開く (あく), 閉まる (しまる), 始まる, 入れる and 終える. Learn them as pairs from the start — Japanese uses the intransitive side far more often than English does.
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