The Most Important Verbs in Japanese

The heart of every language lies in its verbs. If you can correctly recognize and form verbs, you have already mastered the most important aspect of grammar.

To immediately start expressing a lot in Japanese, you only need five verbs in the beginning.

These are:

to have
to be
to go
can
to do

Learn these five Japanese verbs in the present tense in all six conjugated forms by heart: I go, you go, he/she/it goes, we go, you (plural) go, they go.

Also learn the past and future forms of the verbs to have, to be, to go, and to do.

First think of the solution. Then click the buttons to reveal the answers.

1
to have	ある / aru
I have	私はある / watashi wa aru
you have	あなたはある / anata wa aru
he has	彼はある / kare wa aru
we have	私たちはある / watashi tachi wa aru
you have	あなたたちはある / anata tachi wa aru
they have	彼らはある / karera wa aru

2
to be	いる / iru
I am	私はいる / watashi wa iru
you are	あなたはいる / anata wa iru
he is	彼はいる / kare wa iru
we are	私たちはいる / watashi tachi wa iru
you are	あなたたちはいる / anata tachi wa iru
they are	彼らはいる / karera wa iru

3
to go	行く / iku
I go	私は行く / watashi wa iku
you go	あなたは行く / anata wa iku
he goes	彼は行く / kare wa iku
we go	私たちは行く / watashi tachi wa iku
you go	あなたたちは行く / anata tachi wa iku
they go	彼らは行く / karera wa iku

4
can	できる / dekiru
I can	私はできる / watashi wa dekiru
you can	あなたはできる / amata wa dekiru
he can	彼はできる / kare wa dekiru
we can	私たちはできる / watashi tachi wa dekiru
you can	あなたたちはできる / anata tachi wa dekiru
they can	彼らはできる / karera wa dekiru

5
to do	する / suru
I do	私はする / watashi wa suru
you do	あなたはする / anata wa suru
he does	彼はする / kare wa suru
we do	私たちはする / watashi tachi wa suru
you do	あなたたちはする / anata tachi wa suru
they do	彼らはする / karera wa suru

6
I had	私はあった / watashi wa atta
you had	あなたはあった / anata wa atta
he had	彼はあった / kare wa atta
we had	私たちはあった / watashi tachi wa atta
you had	あなたたちはあった / anata tachi wa atta
they had	彼らはあった / karera wa atta

7
I was	私はいた / watashi wa ita
you were	あなたはいた / anata wa ita
he was	彼はいた / kare wa ita
we were	私たちはいた / watashi tachi wa ita
you were	あなたたちはいた / anata tachi wa ita
they were	彼らはいた / kare wa ita

8
I went	私は行った / watashi wa itta
you went	あなたは行った / anata wa itta
he went	彼は行った / kare wa itta
we went	私たちは行った / watashi tachi wa itta
you went	あなたたちは行った / anata tachi wa itta
they went	彼らは行った / karera wa itta

9
I did	私はした / watashi wa shita
you did	あなたはした / anata wa shita
he did	彼はした / kare wa shita
we did	私たちはした / watashi tachi wa shita
you did	あなたたちはした / anata tachi wa shita
they did	彼らはした / karera wa shita

10
I will have	私はある / watashi wa aru
you will have	あなたはある / anata wa aru
he will have	彼はある / kare wa aru
we will have	私たちはある / watashi tachi wa aru
you will have	あなたたちはある / anata tachi wa aru
they will have	彼らはある / karera wa aru

11
I will be	私はいる / watashi wa iru
you will be	あなたはいる / anata wa iru
he will be	彼はいる / kare wa iru
we will be	私たちはいる / watashi tachi wa iru
you will be	あなたたちはいる / anata tachi wa iru
they will be	彼らはいる / karera wa iru

12
I will go	私は行く / watashi wa iku
you will go	あなたは行く / anata wa iku
he will go	彼は行く / kare wa iku
we will go	私たちは行く / watashi tachi wa iku
you will go	あなたたちは行く / anata tachi wa iku
they will go	彼らは行くkarera wa iku

13
I will do	私はする / watashi wa suru
you will do	あなたはする / anata wa suru
he will do	彼はする / kare wa suru
we will do	私たちはする / watashi tachi wa suru
you will do	あなたたちはする / anata tachi wa suru
they will do	彼らはする / karera wa suru

14
Is there ... ?	...はありますか。 / ...wa ari masu ka.
May I ... ?	...てもいいですか。 / ...temo ii desu ka.
I need ...	...が必要です。 / ...ga hitsuyou desu.
Where is ... ?	...はどこですか。 / ...wa doko desu ka.
What is ... ?	...は何ですか。 / ... wa nan desu ka.
How much is ... ?	...はいくらですか。 / ... wa ikura desu ka.
I would like to have ...	...をください。 / ...o kudasai.
Can you ... ?	...くれる。 / ...kureru.

The verb forms will also be taught to you in the language course from Sprachenlernen24 right in the first few days with the help of a verb trainer, as they are essential in any language.

If you learn just 100 words in addition to these verbs at the beginning, you can already have basic conversations after only about three hours of study time.

Learn Japanese »

	Recommended learning time: only a quick 17 minutes per day. At any time – any place – on any device.
	With the award-winning long-term memory learning method, you'll always remember Japanese.
	With the novel superlearning technology, you'll learn 32% faster and become particularly receptive.
	Learning Japanese has never been easier: All exercises are automatically presented to you by the course every day. As a result, you learn Japanese with a natural flow.
	A vast variety of learning methods guarantees fun and success while learning and motivates you to continue learning Japanese every day.

The Most Important Verbs in Japanese

“Teaches you Japanese so much faster than with regular learning methods – in only 17 minutes per day!”

Free Japanese trial version