Syntax Classification of Verbs#
| Syntax Classification | Verb Terminology |
|---|---|
| School Grammar (for Native Speakers) | Godan Verbs, Ichidan Verbs, Ka- and Sa- Irregular Verbs |
| Education Grammar (for Foreigners) | Type I Verbs, Type II Verbs, Type III Verbs |
Personally, I prefer School Grammar because it is easier to remember.
Related notes: Godan Verbs, Ka- and Sa- Irregular Verbs
Ichidan Verbs#
Ichidan verbs have simpler conjugations compared to Godan verbs.
They only need to satisfy one condition: end with "い段 (i-dan)" or "え段 (e-dan)" + る.
Verb Conjugation: Remove る (with pronunciation change) and add the appropriate ending. (Godan verbs require changes to the word stem.)
Conjugation Table for School Grammar (Ichidan Verbs)#
Using "起き (ki)" as an example:
| Conjugation | Representative Form | Meaning | Pronunciation Change | Ending | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Conjugation | Negative Form | Indicates negation | Remove る | ない | 起きない (oki nai) |
| Second Conjugation | Continuative Form | Polite, past tense, hope... | Remove る | ます，た，て，たい... | 起きます (okimasu) |
| Third Conjugation | Terminal Form | Indicates termination | Remove る | 。 | 起き。 (oki.) |
| Fourth Conjugation | Attributive Form | Modifies nouns | Remove る | Noun (こと，とき...) | 起き XX (oki XX) |
| Fifth Conjugation | Hypothetical Form | Indicates hypothesis, condition | Remove る | れば | 起きれば (okireba) |
| Sixth Conjugation | Imperative Form | Indicates command | Remove る | ろ | 起きろ (okiro) |
| Seventh Conjugation | Volitional Form | Indicates intention | Remove る | よう | 起きよう (okiyō) |
The table may not be complete, for other meanings, please refer to the following:
Premise: Remove る
- First Conjugation:
- Negative Form: Verb Stem + ない
- Causative Form: Verb Stem + せる
- Passive Form: Verb Stem + せる
- Causative Passive Form: Verb Stem + せられる
- Second Conjugation:
- Masu Form: Verb Stem + ます・ません (polite form)
- Tai Form: Verb Stem + たい (desire)
- Fifth Conjugation:
- Potential Form: Verb Stem + られる (ability)
- Conditional Form / Realis Form / Hypothetical Form: Verb Stem + れば (condition)
In fact, when comparing the pronunciation changes between Ichidan verbs and Godan verbs, they are almost the same. After all, language is spoken by people, and there are always patterns.
For example, in the passive voice (passive form) of Godan verbs, the pronunciation change is "U → A, and the corresponding verb conjugation is to add 「れる」". In the passive voice (passive form) of Ichidan verbs, the pronunciation change is "Remove る (U), and then add 「られる」". Did you notice? The 「ら」 in 「られる」 is equal to the "る (U-dan) changing to ら (A-dan)" in Godan verbs, right?
Except for the four verbs "得る (to obtain)", "出る (to go out)", "寝る (to lie down)", and "経る (to pass through)", all other verbs with a kanji character followed by る are Godan verbs.
Special: In Japanese, there are 26 verbs that completely satisfy the characteristics of Ichidan verbs, but they are actually Godan verbs.
Recommended Reading:#
This article is based on learning from 【時雨の町】.