RECOGNIZING VERB GROUPS

• The irregular group only has 2 verbs!
• The rest are not too difficult to master
• Verbs are fun! Well sort of...

KEY SENTENCE: Please repeat several times:

NOTE: The た ta form is the simple past for all verbs. In order to understand which group the verbs are from, we look at their respective dictionary forms. These 3 verbs represent the 3 types of verbs:

来る kuru (irregular verbs)
見る miru (~ru verbs)
勝つ katsu (~u verbs)

- Keep this in mind and move on!

Don't worry TOO much about memorizing long complicated lists and rules. Just try to get a FEEL for how the verbs work.
It may seem very confusing now, BUT when you get a FEEL for the verbs you WILL KNOW when a verb is wrong! Just like in English we KNOW that, "I goed to the store." is wrong, you will get a feel for what's correct in Japanese in time.

NOTE: There are only 3 basic verb groups. Learn to recognize them by repeating them...

1) The ~u Group (group 1 verbs): In the dictionary form they all end with a -u sound but NOT a ~ru sound

書く kaku - (to write) ENDS IN kU
話す hanasu - (to speak) ENDS IN sU
泳ぐ oyogu - (to swim) ENDS IN gU
買う kau - (to buy) ENDS IN U

This is the 勝った katta 勝つ katsu group!

2) The ~ru Group (group 2 verbs): In the dictionary form they all end with a -ru sound. This is the most regular of the three.

見る miru - (to see) ENDS IN RU
食べる taberu - (to eat) ENDS IN RU
教える oshieru - (to teach) ENDS IN RU

This is the 見た mita 見る miru group!

3) The irregular Group (group 3 verbs): There are ONLY 2 verbs for the beginner to worry about.

する   suru - (to do) This is the most important verb! But, alas, another day.
来る kuru - (to come) Another very useful verb!

This is the 来た kita 来る kuru group!