Syntax Classification of Verbs#
| Syntax Classification | Verb Terminology |
|---|---|
| School Grammar (for native speakers) | 五段动词、一段动词、カ变・サ变动词 |
| Educational Grammar (for foreigners) | I 类动词、II 类动词、III 类动词 |
Personally, I prefer school grammar because it is easier to remember.
Related notes: 一段动词, サ行、カ行变格动词
五段动词 (Godan Verbs)#
Any of the following three conditions can be met:
- The verb base form does not end with "る".
- The verb base form ends with a "う" sound (う・く・す・つ・ぬ・む・う・ぐ・ぶ).
- The verb base form ends with "る", but the vowel before "る" is "ア段音 (a), ウ段音 (u), オ段音 (o)".
- 「O ある」
- 「O うる」
- 「O おる」
Japanese Class I verbs are called Godan verbs because they have five types of endings. These five verb endings are used in different sentence patterns, and in beginner Japanese, the most commonly used are the affirmative, interrogative, and negative masu forms.
School Grammar Conjugation Table (Godan Verbs)#
Using " 飲む (mu)" as an example:
| Conjugation | Representative Form | Meaning | Ending Change | Continuation | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Conjugation | Negative Form | Indicates negation | 飲ま (ma) | ない | 飲まない |
| Second Conjugation | Continuative Form | Polite, past, hopeful... | 飲み (mi) | ます，た，て，たい... | 飲みます |
| Third Conjugation | Terminal Form | Indicates termination | 飲む (mu) | 。 | 飲む。 |
| Fourth Conjugation | Attributive Form | Modifies nouns | 飲む (mu) | Nouns (こと，とき...) | 飲む XX |
| Fifth Conjugation | Hypothetical Form | Indicates hypothesis, if | 飲め (me) | ば | 飲めば |
| Sixth Conjugation | Imperative Form | Indicates command | 飲め (me) | 。 | 飲め |
| Seventh Conjugation | Volitional Form | Indicates intention | 飲も (mo) | う | 飲もう |
Educational Grammar Conjugation Table (Class I Verbs)#
Correction for the table "key4 - 使役受身形（第一变化）": Verb Ending + せられる
Summary of Conjugations#
Among them, the te-form and ta-form#
Will have different sound changes depending on the verb ending
- Ending in 【う、つ、る】: Will undergo a gemination sound change, remove the verb ending, and add the gemination sound "っ".
- If there is "て" before "る", the gemination sound "っ" is not added.
- If there is "え" before "る", the gemination sound "っ" is not added.
| Base Form | Te-form | Ta-form |
|---|---|---|
| 買う | 買って | 買った |
| 待つ | 待って | 待った |
| 乗る | 乗って | 乗った |
- Ending in 【ぬ、ぶ、む】: Will undergo a nasal sound change, remove the verb ending, and add the nasal sound "ん". Additionally, "て" and "た" will undergo a gemination sound change to "で" and "だ".
| Base Form | Te-form | Ta-form |
|---|---|---|
| 死ぬ | 死んで | 死んだ |
| 呼ぶ | 呼んで | 呼んだ |
| 読む | 読んで | 読んだ |
- Ending in 【く、ぐ】: Will undergo an i-sound change, remove the verb ending, and add "い".
- If the original verb ending is a voiced sound 【ぐ】, "て" and "た" will undergo a voiced sound change to "で" and "だ".
| Base Form | Te-form | Ta-form |
|---|---|---|
| 書く | 書いて | 書いた |
| 稼ぐ | 稼いで | 稼いだ |
Exception: The verb 行く (iku) does not undergo an i-sound change in the te-form and ta-form. (行く：行きます、行って)
- Insulting words are 痴 (chi): うるつ becomes っ
- Not angry eyes are 恩 (on): ぶぬむ becomes ん
- Lonely one person: ぐくイ人
This text is borrowed and learned from 【時雨の町】.