JLPT N5 Verbs: Dictionary and Masu Form (Complete List with Practice)

Cozykotobar | Naoki

Sep 20

9 min read

Every Japanese sentence ends with a verb, and on day one each verb shows you two faces:

dictionary form (辞書形, jishokei) the casual base you look up in a dictionary
the polite ます-form (masu-form) the friendly, polite shape you use with people you have just met, teachers, shopkeepers, and anyone you want to treat with a little respect.

Get comfortable switching between these two, and you can already say an enormous amount in Japanese.

This page gathers the essential N5 verbs in one place. Every verb is shown in both forms, grouped by meaning so they stick, and marked by verb type so you always know how to conjugate. There are quick checks along the way and a full practice section at the end, with every answer.

The two forms you meet first

Dictionary form (辞書形) is the base form. It always ends in an -u sound (う, く, ぐ, す, つ, ぬ, ぶ, む, る). It sounds casual and direct, and it is the form that every other conjugation is built from.

Polite ます-form adds ます to sound polite. This is the safe, warm default for most everyday conversations, and it is where we will spend our time today.

A rough rule of thumb: reach for the ます-form with strangers, customers, teachers, and in public. The dictionary form is fine with close friends and family, and it is the foundation you will keep building on later.

The three verb groups

To turn a dictionary-form verb into its ます-form, you first need to know which of three groups it belongs to.

Group 2 (ru-verbs). These end in -e + る or -i + る (たべる → ta-be-ru, みる → mi-ru). This is the easy group: just swap る for ます.

Group 1 (u-verbs). Everything else that ends in an -u sound (のむ, かく, はなす, かう). The final sound shifts to the matching -i sound before ます.

Group 3 (irregular). Just two members: する (do) and くる (come). Memorize these two.

Watch out: a few verbs look like Group 2 but are secretly Group 1 — かえる (return), はしる (run), はいる (enter), しる (know), and きる (to cut). Every tricky one is flagged in the list below.

How to make the ます-form

Group 2 — drop る, add ます.

たべる → たべますみる → みますねる → ねます

Group 1 — change the final -u sound to the matching -i sound, then add ます.

のむ → のみますかく → かきますはなす → はなしますかう → かいますまつ → まちます

Group 3 — memorize.

する → しますくる → きます

Once you have the ます-form, three everyday variations come almost for free:

Past: ました — たべました ("I ate")
Negative: ません — たべません ("I do not eat")
Past negative: ませんでした — たべませんでした ("I did not eat")

That is the whole engine. Now let us fill it with verbs.

The complete N5 verb list

Each entry reads: dictionary form (romaji) — English → ます-form(group).

1. Getting through the day

おきる (okiru) — wake up → おきます(Group 2)
ねる (neru) — sleep → ねます(Group 2)
やすむ (yasumu) — rest, take time off → やすみます(Group 1)
すむ (sumu) — live, reside → すみます(Group 1)
はたらく (hataraku) — work → はたらきます(Group 1)

Quick check

change to the ます-form: (1) おきる (2) はたらく Answers: (1) おきます (2) はたらきます

2. Eating and drinking

たべる (taberu) — eat → たべます(Group 2)
のむ (nomu) — drink → のみます(Group 1)
すう (suu) — smoke, breathe in → すいます(Group 1)

Quick check change to the ます-form: (1) たべる (2) のむ Answers: (1) たべます (2) のみます

3. Getting around

いく (iku) — go → いきます(Group 1)
くる (kuru) — come → きます(Group 3)
かえる (kaeru) — return, go home → かえります(Group 1 — looks like Group 2, but it is not)
あるく (aruku) — walk → あるきます(Group 1)
はしる (hashiru) — run → はしります(Group 1 — another tricky one)
およぐ (oyogu) — swim → およぎます(Group 1)
のる (noru) — ride, get on → のります(Group 1)
おりる (oriru) — get off → おります(Group 2)
はいる (hairu) — enter → はいります(Group 1 — tricky)
でる (deru) — leave, go out → でます(Group 2)
つく (tsuku) — arrive → つきます(Group 1)
とぶ (tobu) — jump, fly → とびます(Group 1)
わたる (wataru) — cross → わたります(Group 1)

Quick check change to the ます-form: (1) いく (2) かえる (3) くる

Answers: (1) いきます (2) かえります (3) きます

4. Talking and listening

はなす (hanasu) — speak → はなします(Group 1)
いう (iu) — say → いいます(Group 1)
きく (kiku) — listen, ask → ききます(Group 1)
こたえる (kotaeru) — answer → こたえます(Group 2)
よぶ (yobu) — call → よびます(Group 1)

Quick check — change to the ます-form: (1) はなす (2) きく

Answers: (1) はなします (2) ききます

5. Reading, writing, studying

よむ (yomu) — read → よみます(Group 1)
かく (kaku) — write → かきます(Group 1)
みる (miru) — see, watch → みます(Group 2)
ならう (narau) — learn → ならいます(Group 1)
おしえる (oshieru) — teach → おしえます(Group 2)
おぼえる (oboeru) — remember, memorize → おぼえます(Group 2)
わすれる (wasureru) — forget → わすれます(Group 2)
わかる (wakaru) — understand → わかります(Group 1)
しる (shiru) — know, find out → しります(Group 1 — tricky)

Quick check

change to the ます-form: (1) よむ (2) みる (3) しる

Answers: (1) よみます (2) みます (3) しります

6. Buying and money

かう (kau) — buy → かいます(Group 1)
うる (uru) — sell → うります(Group 1)
かす (kasu) — lend → かします(Group 1)
かりる (kariru) — borrow → かります(Group 2)
はらう (harau) — pay → はらいます(Group 1)

Quick check change to the ます-form: (1) かう (2) かりる Answers: (1) かいます (2) かります

7. Everyday hand actions

とる (toru) — take → とります(Group 1)
もつ (motsu) — hold, carry → もちます(Group 1)
おく (oku) — put, place → おきます(Group 1)
あける (akeru) — open → あけます(Group 2)
しめる (shimeru) — close → しめます(Group 2)
つける (tsukeru) — turn on → つけます(Group 2)
けす (kesu) — turn off, erase → けします(Group 1)
つかう (tsukau) — use → つかいます(Group 1)
あらう (arau) — wash → あらいます(Group 1)
おす (osu) — push → おします(Group 1)
ひく (hiku) — pull → ひきます(Group 1)
きる (kiru) — cut → きります(Group 1 — note: this is 切る "cut," a different verb from 着る "wear," which is Group 2)

Quick check change to the ます-form: (1) もつ (2) つける Answers: (1) もちます (2) つけます

8. Making and creating

つくる (tsukuru) — make → つくります(Group 1)
えがく (egaku) — draw → えがきます(Group 1)
うたう (utau) — sing → うたいます(Group 1)
おどる (odoru) — dance → おどります(Group 1)

Quick check change to the ます-form: (1) つくる (2) うたう Answers: (1) つくります (2) うたいます

9. Body and posture

すわる (suwaru) — sit down → すわります(Group 1)
たつ (tatsu) — stand up → たちます(Group 1)
まつ (matsu) — wait → まちます(Group 1)

Quick check change to the ます-form: (1) たつ (2) まつ Answers: (1) たちます (2) まちます

10. Getting dressed

Japanese uses a different verb depending on where on the body the clothing goes.

きる (kiru) — wear (upper body, or clothing in general) → きます(Group 2 — this is 着る "wear")
はく (haku) — wear (lower body: pants, skirts, shoes) → はきます(Group 1)
かぶる (kaburu) — wear (on the head) → かぶります(Group 1)
かける (kakeru) — wear (glasses) → かけます(Group 2)

Quick check change to the ます-form: (1) きる (to wear) (2) はく Answers: (1) きます (2) はきます

11. Feelings and being together

おもう (omou) — think → おもいます(Group 1)
わらう (warau) — laugh, smile → わらいます(Group 1)
なく (naku) — cry → なきます(Group 1)
あう (au) — meet → あいます(Group 1)
あそぶ (asobu) — play, hang out → あそびます(Group 1)
てつだう (tetsudau) — help → てつだいます(Group 1)

Quick check change to the ます-form: (1) あう (2) あそぶ Answers: (1) あいます (2) あそびます

12. The must-know irregulars and "to be"

する (suru) — do → します(Group 3)
くる (kuru) — come → きます(Group 3)
なる (naru) — become → なります(Group 1)
ある (aru) — there is / to have (for objects) → あります(Group 1)
いる (iru) — there is (for people and animals) → います(Group 2)

Quick check change to the ます-form: (1) する (2) なる Answers: (1) します (2) なります

Practice

Grab a pen. Answers are at the very bottom, so no peeking.

Part A — Change to the ます-form

Turn each dictionary-form verb into its polite ます-form. Watch the tricky Group 1 verbs.

のむ
たべる
かえる
する
はしる
かく
くる
きる (to cut)
あう
みる
まつ
しる

Part B — Fill in the blank (present ます-form)

Choose the right verb from this list and put it in its ます-form: いく, のむ, おきる, かく, きく, よむ, はなす, ねる.

わたしはまいあさ６じに ________ 。 (I wake up at 6 every morning.)
まいにちコーヒーを ________ 。 (I drink coffee every day.)
どようびにとしょかんへ ________ 。 (I go to the library on Saturdays.)
でんしゃでおんがくを ________ 。 (I listen to music on the train.)
よるほんを ________ 。 (I read a book at night.)
ノートになまえを ________ 。 (I write my name in my notebook.)
ともだちとにほんごで ________ 。 (I speak with my friend in Japanese.)
わたしはいつも１１じに ________ 。 (I always sleep at 11.)

Part C — Past and negative

Fill in the blank in the form the English asks for (ました for past, ません for negative).

きのうともだちに ________ 。 (Yesterday I met a friend.) — use あう, past
コンビニでみずを ________ 。 (I bought water at the convenience store.) — use かう, past
けさこうえんで ________ 。 (I ran in the park this morning.) — use はしる, past
ははとケーキを ________ 。 (I made a cake with my mother.) — use つくる, past
わたしはコーヒーを ________ 。 (I do not drink coffee.) — use のむ, negative
にちようびは ________ 。 (I do not work on Sundays.) — use はたらく, negative
あのみせはにくを ________ 。 (That shop does not sell meat.) — use うる, negative
きょうはテレビを ________ 。 (I did not watch TV today.) — use みる, past negative

Answer key

Part A

のみます 2. たべます 3. かえります 4. します 5. はしります 6. かきます 7. きます 8. きります 9. あいます 10. みます 11. まちます 12. しります

Part B

おきます 14. のみます 15. いきます 16. ききます 17. よみます 18. かきます 19. はなします 20. ねます

Part C

あいました 22. かいました 23. はしりました 24. つくりました 25. のみません 26. はたらきません 27. うりません 28. みませんでした

Keep going

New to how Japanese word order works? Start with Japanese vs. English Sentence Structure.
Ready to count things? See Japanese Counters for Beginners.
Want the grammar that ties verbs into full sentences? Visit the N5 Grammar hub.
More words to learn? Browse the N5 Vocabulary page.

Once these ます-forms feel natural, the next steps are the て-form and the ない-form — the keys that unlock requests, the present continuous, and casual speech. Those get their own dedicated guides, so keep an eye on the N5 Vocabs section.

Learning verbs is so much easier when someone can catch your mistakes and cheer you on. If you would like a friendly, patient guide for your Japanese, I teach one-on-one lessons and would love to help you get comfortable speaking. You can book a lesson with me here: Study Japanese with me on Preply.

— Naoki, cozykotobar