The 3 Japanese Verb Groups
Every Japanese verb belongs to one of three groups. Categorizing them correctly is the master key to unlocking all verb conjugations.
Why Verb Groups Matter
In Japanese, verbs change their endings (conjugate) depending on what you want to sayโlike making it polite, past tense, or negative. However, the rule for changing the ending depends entirely on which 'Group' the verb belongs to.
If you misidentify a verb's group, you will conjugate it incorrectly. For example, if you treat the Group 1 verb 'kaeru' (to return) as a Group 2 verb, you will say it wrong.
The good news? There are only three groups, and the rules to identify them are very straightforward.
How to Identify Verb Groups
Group 1 Exceptions (The 'Fake' Group 2s)
Teacher's Advice
Don't try to memorize all the exceptions at once. Focus on the core rules. When you encounter an exception like 'kaeru' (to return), just make a mental note: 'Ah, this is a tricky Group 1 verb!' Over time, your brain will naturally categorize them.
Not sure if a ~ru verb is Group 1 or 2? Try the negative. Group 2 drops ใ and adds ใชใ (้ฃในใ โ ้ฃในใชใ). Group 1 changes ใ to ใใชใ (ๅธฐใ โ ๅธฐใใชใ). If you have ever heard the verb used in the negative โ from anime, songs, or conversation โ your ear already knows the answer. ๅธฐใใชใ sounds right; ๅธฐใชใ does not exist.
Every conjugation you will ever learn โ te-form, potential form, negative, volitional โ branches on the verb group first. Students who skip this step keep making the same mistakes in every new grammar point. Master group identification now and every later chapter becomes twice as fast.
How this is tested in JLPT N5
- โขConjugation questions will test if you know a verb is Group 1 or 2.
- โขExceptions like ๅธฐใ (kaeru), ๅใ (kiru), and ่ตฐใ (hashiru) are frequently tested to trick you.
- โขYou must know these groups perfectly to answer listening questions quickly.
- โขSame-sound pairs ๅใ/็ใ and ่ฆใ/ใใ appear in kanji-reading and context questions (N5)
- โขGroup 3 (ใใใปใใ) compounds like ๅๅผทใใ conjugate as suru โ tested in every N5 grammar section
Related Grammar
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