Verb Groups (U / Ru / Irregular)
Core / Verbs
👀 Layer A: Visual Guide (直感理解)
📝 Quick Summary (まとめ)
日本語の動詞(どうし)は3つのチームに分かれます。これを知らないと、「ます形(けい)」が作れません！
Japanese verbs are divided into 3 Groups. This determines how they conjugate into “Masu-form”.
- G1 (U-Verbs): End in u, ku, su, tsu, nu, bu, mu, ru. (Requires change: u → i).
- G2 (Ru-Verbs): End in -iru or -eru. (Drop ‘ru’, add ‘masu’).
- G3 (Irregular): Only two! “Suru” and “Kuru”.
🔍 Layer B: Deepening (深掘り)
💡 Raya’s Hack (攻略法)
「る (ru)」で 終(お)わる 動詞(どうし)の、前(まえ)の 音(おと)を 見(み)て！
「イ(i)」か「エ(e)」の 段(だん)ならグループ2（そのままカット）！
「ア(a)・ウ(u)・オ(o)」ならグループ1（変化(へんか)する）だよ！
Look at the sound BEFORE “ru”. If it’s an “i” or “e” sound (Tabe-ru, Mi-ru), it’s usually Group 2. If it’s “a, u, o” (Nobo-ru, Tsukur-u), it’s Group 1!
🚧 Joy’s Mistake (よくある間違い)
Scene: Joy adding ‘masu’ to ‘Yomu’ (Read).
Joy: 「よむ ます」
(Yomumasu)
❌ Wrong!
Why?
「読む (Yomu)」はグループ1です。「u」を「i」に変(か)えてください。「読みます (Yomimasu)」が正解(せいかい)！
Yomu is Group 1. You must shift the ‘u’ sound to ‘i’. Yomu → Yomi-masu.
🔥 Layer C: Practice Loop
Now it’s time to test your learning through the next 10 practice drills!
Level 1: Basic (Identify the Group)
Q1. Tabe-ru (Eat) – ends in ‘e-ru’
(Tabe-masu)
Q2. Nom-u (Drink) – ends in ‘mu’
(Nom-i-masu)
Q3. Mi-ru (Watch) – ends in ‘i-ru’
(Mi-masu)
Q4. Ik-u (Go) – ends in ‘ku’
(Ik-i-masu)
Q5. Suru (Do) – Special!
(Shimasu)
Level 2: Advanced (Conjugate to Masu)
Q6. Kaku (Write) → ?
(Group 1: ku → ki)
Q7. Okiru (Wake up) → ?
(Group 2: Drop ‘ru’, add ‘masu’)
Q8. Hanasu (Speak) → ?
(Group 1: su → shi)
Q9. Kuru (Come) → ?
(Group 3: Irregular)
Q10. Kaeru (Return) – [Exception Alert!] → ?
(Exception: Looks like Group 2, but it is Group 1. Kaeru → Kaerimasu)
