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Japanese Verb List You Must Remember! (50 Verbs) : Hey, everyone! It’s time for another day of vocabulary expansion. Today, we have a list of 50 essential verbs that you simply cannot live without! We’ve ordered them alphabetically by English translation, so we recommend that you cover up the English side and memorize the Japanese. At the end, there will be a multiple choice quiz, so study hard and good luck! (The answers will be at the very bottom followed by an English translation.)

About the Japanese Verbs

While some of the translations are self-explanatory, be careful of a few of them. For example, the Japanese “to be” has two words: いる (iru) and ある (aru). いる is used for living things, and ある is used for non-living things. 

鳥がいる。
Tori ga iru.　
There is a bird.

携帯がある。
Keitai ga aru.
There is a cell phone.

Also, take note that the word “play” has two different meanings. 遊ぶ (asobu) is used for children playing or adults hanging out, and 弾く (hiku) is used for playing an instrument. Don’t confuse the two! 

Also, be aware that certain verbs have transitive and intransitive forms. For example, the word for “close” is both 閉める (shimeru) and 閉まる (shimaru). 閉める is a transitive verb, meaning it needs to take a direct object, and this is done by using the particle を (wo). 閉まる, on the other hand, is an intransitive verb, meaning it doesn’t take a direct object. In the below example, 閉める is used because someone is performing an action, and 閉まる is used because the sentence is stating a mere fact without anyone performing an action. 

彼は７時に店を閉める。
Kare wa shichi-ji ni mise wo shimeru.
He will close the shop at 7.

店は７時に閉まる。
Mise wa shichi-ji ni shimaru.
The shop closes at 7.

And, finally, the word 動く (ugoku) means “to move” in a general sense. It does NOT mean “to move to a different address.” That word is 引っ越す (hikkosu). Also, it’s common for Japanese people to use the word 会う when talking about meeting up with friends, family members, etc. 

私は友達と会いました。
Watashi wa tomodachi to aimashita.
I met up with my friends.

50 VERBS YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER

Quiz

a)彼は私のスーツケースを＿＿＿＿＿＿。Kare wa watashi no suutsu keesu wo _.

1. 吹いたfuita
2. 運んだhakonda
3. 遊んだasonda

b)彼女は部屋に_。Kanojo wa heya ni .

1. 入ったhaitta
2. 払ったharatta
3. 終わったowatta

c)キムさんは友達と.Kimu-san wa tomodachi to __.

1. 切りますkirimasu
2. なりますnarimasu
3. 会いますaimasu.

d)トムは毎日ギターを＿＿＿＿＿＿。Tomu wa mainichi gitaa wo _.

1. 遊びますasobimasu
2. 咲きますsakimasu
3. 弾きますhikimasu

e)あの人は日本に＿＿＿＿＿＿＿。Ano hito wa Nihon ni _.

1. 住んでいますsunde imasu
2. 始めていますhajimete imasu
3. 貰っていますmoratte imasu

f)あのドアが＿＿＿＿＿＿＿。Ano doa ga _.

1. 磨いていますmigaite imasu.
2. 開いていますaite imasu
3. 開けていますakete imasu.

g)高橋さんは９時に仕事を＿＿＿＿＿＿＿。Takahashi-san wa ku-ji ni shigoto wo _.

1. 手伝いますtetsudaimasu
2. 終わりますowarimasu
3. 終えますoemasu

h)ボビーはスーパーに＿＿＿＿＿＿＿。Bobii wa suupaa ni _.

1. あるaru
2. 笑うwarau
3. いるiru

i)パーティーは７時半に＿＿＿＿＿＿＿。Paatii wa shichi-ji han ni _.

1. 始まるhajimaru
2. 始めるhajimeru
3. 探すsagasu

j)窓が＿＿＿＿＿＿＿。Mado ga _.

1. 習っていますnaratte imasu
2. 壊れていますkowarete imasu
3. 壊しますkowashimasu

Well, how did you do? Did you ace it? Did you miss a few? Even if you didn’t do well, there is always room for improvement. After all, we learn the most from our mistakes! Just go back, review your answers, see what you did wrong, and it will be a great learning experience! 

Happy studying!

Answers:

a). 2

b). 1

c). 3

d). 3

e). 1

f). 2

g). 2

h). 3

i). 1

j). 2

Answer translations:

a)He carried a suitcase.
b)She went into the room.
c)Kim will meet up with his friend.
d)Tom plays the guitar everyday.
e)That person lives in Japan.
f)That door is open.
g)Takahashi will finish his work at 9:00.
h)Bobby is at the supermarket.
i)The party will start at 7:30.
j)The window is broken.

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