Godan verbs
Building block:う-verbs
Most Japanese verbs are godan verbs. Their last kana changes to a different vowel sound depending on the form, so 書く (to write) becomes 書きます, 書かない and 書こう.
How it works
- A godan verb ends in one of nine sounds: う, く, ぐ, す, つ, ぬ, ぶ, む or る.
- Most forms move that last kana to another sound in the same column of the kana table: its い-sound before ます, its あ-sound before ない, its え-sound for the potential and its お-sound for the volitional.
- A verb ending in う takes わ, not あ, before ない.
- The て-form and た-form use sound changes instead, which depend on the last kana.
- Every verb that does not end in る is godan. Verbs ending in る are godan too unless the sound before る is an い-sound or え-sound — and a few of those are godan as well, like 帰る (to go home).
Examples
書く(to write)書きます
書く(to write)書かない
書く(to write)書ける
書く(to write)書こう
ending in う
買う(to buy)買わないnot 買あない
looks ichidan
帰る(to go home)帰りますnot 帰ます