N5Chapter 10

Verb Conjugation: ます-form

Learning objectives

  • Understand the importance of the polite (ます) form in daily life.
  • Conjugate Group 2 (ru-verbs) by dropping る.
  • Conjugate Group 1 (u-verbs) by shifting the vowel to the 'i' row.
  • Master the polite forms of irregular verbs (する and くる).
N5 context

Every Japanese verb belongs to one of three groups, and the group decides exactly how a verb conjugates — for politeness, tense, and every form you’ll ever learn. Using the plain “dictionary form” (like taberu) with strangers, teachers, or superiors can sound too casual or even rude. To speak politely, we use the ます (masu) form: the standard polite way to talk about the present and future.

This chapter teaches you to recognize each group and conjugate its ます-form. Chapter 12 then goes deeper into classifying verbs and using the plain dictionary form.

Anime pixel-art illustration of Japanese verb groups transforming dictionary-form verbs into polite ます-form cards.

[!NOTE] Spotting the groups (quick version):

  • Group 2 (ru-verbs): end in る with an i or e sound before it — たべる (tabe-ru), みる (mi-ru).
  • Group 1 (u-verbs): every other verb — のむ, かく, はなす, and some る-verbs like かえる (to return).
  • Group 3 (irregular): only する and くる.

1. Group 2 (ru-verbs): The Easy Drop

Group 2 verbs (like taberu, miru) are the simplest to conjugate. You just remove the final る and replace it with ます.

Grammar文法
[Root] ＋ ます

means Polite Present Affirmative for Group 2.

Formation

Drop る + Add ます (Affirmative) / ません (Negative)

Examples

リンゴ を たべます。

Ringo o tabemasu.

I eat an apple.

テレビ を みます。

Terebi o mimasu.

I watch TV.

しちじ に おきます。

Shichi-ji ni okimasu.

I wake up at 7:00.

じゅうじ に ねます。

Juu-ji ni nemasu.

I go to sleep at 10:00.

2. Group 1 (u-verbs): The Vowel Shift

Group 1 verbs (like nomu, kaku) require a small change. You take the final character (which ends in an “u” sound) and change it to the corresponding character in the “i” row of the Hiragana chart. Then add ます.

Example: のむ (no-mu) ➔ のみ (no-mi) + ます ➔ のみます (nomimasu).

Grammar文法
[i-row shift] ＋ ます

means Polite Present Affirmative for Group 1.

Formation

Change final 'u' sound to 'i' sound + Add ます

Examples

みず を のみます。

Mizu o nomimasu.

I drink water.

てがみ を かきます。

Tegami o kakimasu.

I write a letter.

にほんご を はなします。

Nihongo o hanashimasu.

I speak Japanese.

ほん を よみます。

Hon o yomimasu.

I read a book.

うちに かえります。

Uchi ni kaerimasu.

I return home.

3. Group 3 (Irregular): Memorize!

There are only two irregular verbs, so just memorize their polite forms:

  • する (suru) ➔ します (shimasu) [to do]
  • くる (kuru) ➔ きます (kimasu) [to come]
Grammar文法
します ／ きます

means Polite forms of 'do' and 'come'.

Formation

Memorize: suru -> shimasu, kuru -> kimasu

Examples

べんきょう を します。

Benkyou o shimasu.

I study.

がっこう に きます。

Gakkou ni kimasu.

I come to school.

テニス を します。

Tenisu o shimasu.

I play tennis.

4. The Negative: 〜ません (masen)

To say you don’t do something, the rules for the root word stay exactly the same, but you use ません instead of ます.

Vocabulary語彙
4 terms

  • たべません

    Negative

    tabemasen

    Do not eat

  • のみません

    Negative

    nomimasen

    Do not drink

  • しません

    Negative

    shimasen

    Do not do

  • きません

    Negative

    kimasen

    Do not come

Conjugation活用

ます-form at a glance (one verb per group)

FormJapaneseMeaning
Group 2 — dictionaryたべるtaberuto eat (plain)
Group 2 — politeたべますtabemasueat (drop る + ます)
Group 2 — polite negativeたべませんtabemasendo not eat
Group 1 — dictionaryのむnomuto drink (plain)
Group 1 — politeのみますnomimasudrink (u-sound → i-sound + ます)
Group 1 — polite negativeのみませんnomimasendo not drink
Irregular — するしますshimasudo
Irregular — 来るきますkimasucome

The negative simply swaps ます → ません for every group.

5. Cultural Note: Desu/Masu vs. Plain Form

In Japan, the level of politeness you use depends on your relationship with the listener.

  • Polite (Desu/Masu): Used with people you don’t know well, teachers, bosses, and older people. It is the “safety” level—using it ensures you are never seen as rude.
  • Plain (Dictionary): Used with close friends, family, and younger people.
  • The Transition: Even if you become friends with someone, many Japanese people continue to use polite forms until an explicit or implicit agreement to use casual speech (tame-guchi) is reached. When in doubt, stick to ます!

Conversation Practice

Anime pixel-art illustration of daily routine and weekend plan dialogue practice with polite ます and ません verb cards.
Daily Routine会話
Alice

たなかさん、 毎日 何時 に おきます か。

Tanaka-san, mainichi nan-ji ni okimasu ka.

Mr. Tanaka, what time do you wake up every day?

Tanaka

わたし は 毎日 しちじ に おきます。

Watashi wa mainichi shichi-ji ni okimasu.

I wake up at 7:00 every day.

Alice

朝ごはん を たべます か。

Asagohan o tabemasu ka.

Do you eat breakfast?

Tanaka

はい、 たべます。 パン を たべます。 アリスさん は？

Hai, tabemasu. Pan o tabemasu. Arisu-san wa?

Yes, I do. I eat bread. How about you, Alice?

Alice

わたし は たべません。 コーヒー を のみます。

Watashi wa tabemasen. Koohii o nomimasu.

I don't eat. I drink coffee.
Weekend Plans会話
Ken

明日、 どこ へ いきます か。

Ashita, doko e ikimasu ka.

Where will you go tomorrow?

Yumi

としょかん へ いきます。 ほん を よみます。

Toshokan e ikimasu. Hon o yomimasu.

I'll go to the library. I'll read books.

Ken

テニス を します か。

Tenisu o shimasu ka.

Will you play tennis?

Yumi

いいえ、 しません。

Iie, shimasen.

No, I won't.

Chapter Summary

Key takeawaysまとめ
  • 1ます (masu) is the polite present/future form of a verb.
  • 2Group 2: Drop る and add ます (e.g., taberu -> tabemasu).
  • 3Group 1: Shift the final 'u' sound to 'i' and add ます (e.g., nomu -> nomimasu).
  • 4Irregular: する -> します, くる -> きます.
  • 5The negative form for all groups is 〜ません (masen).
  • 6Use polite speech (Desu/Masu) with strangers and superiors.

Knowledge Check

Test your conjugation skills!

Practice quiz
1 / 15

Which of the following is the polite form of 'たべる' (taberu)?

Applied review

Use what you learned

Focus: Polite verb forms. Try the task before revealing the model.

Guided practice練習

Produce the Japanese sentence, then compare it with the model answer.

  1. 1.Change 読む into polite affirmative and negative.

Reading practice読解

Polite verb forms in context

N5 mini-reading

Target: 1 minute
毎朝 新聞を 読みます。でも、日曜日は 読みません。
  1. When does the speaker not read the newspaper?