Basics of Japanese: Top 15 Verbs
Knowing a few verbs in Japanese can suddenly open many conversation possibilities to you. When you speak Japanese, you rarely mention the subject or topic of the sentence because it’s usually obvious from context. Although this might seem like it’d be confusing, from a speaking stand-point it’s very convenient. From a learning stand-point, it means less work for you as a new Japanese speaker! Saying “tabemasu,” for instance, can mean “I eat” but also “you/he/she/they/sensei/the dog/etc eats” as well. It will vary by context.
These 15 verbs are some of the most important ones to know. They represent very basic actions that you likely do every single day, multiple times a day, or they help you to express important pieces of conversation. For instance, in Japan a good conversation starter is to talk about the weather. But how do you say it’s raining or snowing? Read on to find out!
And, as you’ll remember from Lesson 10, particles are important. As such, we’ve divided these verbs up based on the particle they most often use.
Verbs that often use Wo
The main particle for these verbs is を or wo (pronounced the same as ‘o’). The vast majority of verbs are verbs that use this particle to show the relationship between the verb and the main noun (known as the ‘direct object’) of the sentence.
Eat
たべます / tabemasu
- すし を たべます / sushi wo tabemasu
- I eat sushi
Drink
のみます / nomimasu
- みず を のみます / mizu wo nomimasu
- I drink water
Do or Play (a game)
します / shimasu
- しゅくだい を します / shukudai wo shimasu
- I do my homework
- サッカー を します / sakkaa wo shimasu
- I play soccer
Read
よみます / yomimasu
- ほん を よみます / hon wo yomimasu
- I read books
Write
かきます / kakimasu
- なまえ を かきます / namae wo kakimasu
- I write my name
Speak
はなします / hanashimasu
- えいご を はなします / eigo wo hanashimasu
- I speak English
Study
べんきょうします / benkyou shimasu
- にほんご を べんきょうします / nihongo wo benkyou shimasu
- I study Japanese
Leave
でます / demasu
- いえ を でます / ie wo demasu
- I leave the house
Verbs that often use Ni
These verbs mainly use the particle に (ni). They use ni to show that the verb is an action that has a direction of doing something toward a location.
Enter
はいります / hairimasu
- いえ に はいります / ie ni hairimasu
- I enter the house
Go
いきます / ikimasu
- がっこう に いきます / gakkou ni ikimasu
- I go to school
Come
きます / kimasu
- にほん に きます / nihon ni kimasu
- He will come to Japan
Meet
あいます / aimasu
- ともだち に あいます / tomodachi ni aimasu
- I meet my friend
Verbs that often use Ga
These verbs all use the particle が (ga). These verbs are considered “static” verbs because they’re more describing a certain state of being (state of existing, being owned, or falling from the sky) so they use ga instead of wo.
Exist/Have (for inanimate objects like plants or chairs)
あります / arimasu
- いす が あります / isu ga arimasu
- There is (exists) a chair
- おかね が あります / okane ga arimasu
- I have the money
Exist/Have (for animate objects like dogs or people)
います / imasu
- さんにん の おんな が います / sannin no onna ga imasu
- There are (exists) three women
- かれし が います / kareshi ga imasu
- I have a boyfriend
Fall (for rain or snow)
ふります / furimasu
- あめ が ふります / ame ga furimasu
- It rains
- ゆき が ふります / yuki ga furimasu
- It snows
Want to know more?
Can you think of other important verbs that should be added to this list? Is there a particular verb you’ve always wanted to know how to say in Japanese but haven’t quite figured it out? Ask in our forums and we’ll give you your answers!