Verb Conjugation by Form

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1. Dictionary Form (基本形)

Casual present/future / Habitual action / Foundation for other rules

Ru-Verb (る動詞)

食べる taberu to eat

U-Verb (う動詞)

飲む nomu to drink

Irregular (する)

する suru to do

Irregular (くる)

来る kuru to come

2. Masu Form (ます形)

Polite present/future / Safe to use with strangers and teachers

-masu (Drop る)

食べます tabemasu eat / will eat

-imasu (u -> i)

飲みます nomimasu drink / will drink

Irregular (する)

します shimasu do / will do

Irregular (くる)

来ます kimasu come / will come

3. Te Form (て形)

Requests (-te kudasai) / Connecting actions (and then) / Present continuous (-te imasu)

-te (Drop る)

食べて tabete eat and...

-nde (mu -> nde)

飲んで nonde drink and...

Irregular (する)

して shite do and...

Irregular (くる)

来て kite come and...

4. Nai Form (ない形)

Casual negative / "Please don't" (-nai de kudasai) / "Must do" (-nakereba narimasen)

-nai (Drop る)

食べない tabenai do not eat

-anai (u -> a)

飲まない nomanai do not drink

Irregular (する)

しない shinai do not do

Irregular (くる)

来ない konai do not come

5. Ta Form (た形)

Casual Past tense / "Have experienced" (-ta koto ga arimasu)

-ta (Drop る)

食べた tabeta ate

-nda (mu -> nda)

飲んだ nonda drank

Irregular (する)

した shita did

Irregular (くる)

来た kita came

6. Potential Form (可能形)

"Can do" or "Are able to do" an action

-rareru (Drop る)

食べられる taberareru can eat

-eru (u -> e)

飲める nomeru can drink

Irregular (する)

できる dekiru can do

Irregular (くる)

来られる korareru can come

7. Provisional Conditional (~eba 形)

"If..." / Logical consequence or requirement

-reba (Drop る)

食べれば tabereba if (I) eat

-eba (u -> e)

飲めば nomeba if (I) drink

Irregular (する)

すれば sureba if (I) do

Irregular (くる)

来れば kureba if (I) come

8. Conditional (~tara 形)

"If..." / "When..." / Most versatile conditional form

-tara (From Ta-form)

食べたら tabetara if/when (I) eat

-dara (From Ta-form)

飲んだら nondara if/when (I) drink

Irregular (する)

したら shitara if/when (I) do

Irregular (くる)

来たら kitara if/when (I) come

9. Passive (受身形)

"To be [verb]-ed" / Used for actions happening to you

-rareru (Drop る)

食べられる taberareru to be eaten

-areru (u -> a)

飲まれる nomareru to be drunk

Irregular (する)

される sareru to be done

Irregular (くる)

来られる korareru to be come

10. Causative (使役形)

"To make/let someone do..."

-saseru (Drop る)

食べさせる tabesaseru make (someone) eat

-aseru (u -> a)

飲ませる nomaseru make (someone) drink

Irregular (する)

させる saseru make (someone) do

Irregular (くる)

来させる kosaseru make (someone) come

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