This page is the index for the whole Regular Paradigms subgroup — the map you come back to whenever you need to conjugate a verb and aren't sure which pattern it follows. Japanese has only twelve conjugation patterns worth learning as model verbs: nine 五段 sub-patterns (one per ending), the single 一段 pattern, and the two irregulars する and 来る. The trick to using this system is discipline: anchor each verb ending to exactly one worked model verb, and conjugate any new verb by copying that model. The table below is that anchor.
The master index
Each row gives an ending, its model verb, its class, its te-form (the form that reveals the most about the pattern), and a link to the full paradigm.
| Ending | Model verb | Class | te-form | Full paradigm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -う | 会う (au) — to meet | 五段 | 会って (atte) | 会う paradigm |
| -く | 書く (kaku) — to write | 五段 | 書いて (kaite) | 書く paradigm |
| -ぐ | 泳ぐ (oyogu) — to swim | 五段 | 泳いで (oyoide) | 泳ぐ paradigm |
| -す | 話す (hanasu) — to speak | 五段 | 話して (hanashite) | 話す paradigm |
| -つ | 待つ (matsu) — to wait | 五段 | 待って (matte) | 待つ paradigm |
| -ぬ | 死ぬ (shinu) — to die | 五段 | 死んで (shinde) | 死ぬ paradigm |
| -ぶ | 遊ぶ (asobu) — to play | 五段 | 遊んで (asonde) | 遊ぶ paradigm |
| -む | 読む (yomu) — to read | 五段 | 読んで (yonde) | 読む paradigm |
| -る (五段) | 取る (toru) — to take | 五段 | 取って (totte) | 取る paradigm |
| -る (一段) | 食べる (taberu) — to eat | 一段 | 食べて (tabete) | 食べる paradigm |
| する | する (suru) — to do | 不規則 | して (shite) | する paradigm |
| 来る | 来る (kuru) — to come | 不規則 | 来て (kite) | 来る paradigm |
書く is the face of the 五段 class
If you want one verb that represents the 五段 class in your head, make it 書く. It shows the class's signature behavior most clearly: a stem that marches across all five vowel rows (書か・書き・書く・書け・書こ) and the -く → -いて te-form change that catches beginners. Learn 書く thoroughly and the other eight 五段 endings are variations on the theme.
住所はここに書いて、下にサインしてください。
jūsho wa koko ni kaite, shita ni sain shite kudasai
Write your address here and sign at the bottom, please. (書く → 書いて)
The te-form is where the patterns diverge most
Notice that the te-form column is the busiest part of the table — that is deliberate. In the te-form (and the parallel past た-form), the 五段 verbs undergo euphonic sound changes (音便) that regroup them: う・つ・る all become って; む・ぶ・ぬ all become んで; く becomes いて; ぐ becomes いで; す stays して. The dictionary ending alone won't tell you the te-form — the model verb will.
駅前で友達に会って、一緒にお茶を飲んだ。
ekimae de tomodachi ni atte, issho ni o-cha o nonda
I met a friend in front of the station and we had tea together. (会う → 会って)
海で二時間も泳いで、くたくたになった。
umi de nijikan mo oyoide, kutakuta ni natta
I swam in the sea for two whole hours and got completely worn out. (泳ぐ → 泳いで)
先生とじっくり話して、少し安心した。
sensei to jikkuri hanashite, sukoshi anshin shita
I talked things through with my teacher and felt a bit reassured. (話す → 話して)
ここでちょっと待ってて。すぐ戻るから。
koko de chotto mattete. sugu modoru kara
Wait here a sec — I'll be right back. (待つ → 待って)
子供たちは公園で遊んで、泥だらけで帰ってきた。
kodomotachi wa kōen de asonde, dorodarake de kaette kita
The kids played in the park and came back covered in mud. (遊ぶ → 遊んで)
この本を読んで、感想を教えて。
kono hon o yonde, kansō o oshiete
Read this book and tell me what you think. (読む → 読んで)
The -る fork: check the class before you conjugate
The one row that hides a decision is -る. A る-ending verb can be 五段 (取る → 取って) or 一段 (食べる → 食べて), and they conjugate differently. This index lists both model verbs precisely to keep them separate. When you meet a new -る verb, resolve its class first — the 五段 vs 一段 diagnosis page walks through the -iru/-eru heuristic and the negative-form test. Everything downstream depends on getting that fork right.
すみません、そこの塩を取って。
sumimasen, soko no shio o totte
Excuse me, could you pass the salt? (取る is 五段 → 取って)
何か軽く食べて、それから行こう。
nanika karuku tabete, sorekara ikō
Let's eat something light and then head out. (食べる is 一段 → 食べて)
The two irregulars and the 行く exception
する and 来る cannot be conjugated by the 五段 rule; you memorize their full paradigms whole. Their te-forms are して and 来て (kite — note the き reading).
宿題をして、それから少しゲームをした。
shukudai o shite, sorekara sukoshi gēmu o shita
I did my homework and then played some games. (する → して)
ちょっとこっちに来て、これ見て。
chotto kocchi ni kite, kore mite
Come here a moment and look at this. (来る → 来て, kite)
Finally, one 五段 verb breaks its own class's te-form rule: 行く (iku) → 行って (itte), not the ×行いて you would expect from the -く → -いて pattern. It is the single most important te-form exception in the language and has its own page.
ちょっとコンビニに行って、すぐ帰ってくる。
chotto konbini ni itte, sugu kaette kuru
I'll just pop to the convenience store and come right back. (行く → 行って, the exception)
Common mistakes
❌ 先生と話つて、安心した。
Wrong — the model is 話す → 話して, not the -つ verb pattern. Only -う/-つ/-る verbs take って; -す verbs keep して.
✅ 先生と話して、安心した。
sensei to hanashite, anshin shita
I talked with my teacher and felt reassured.
❌ 海で泳いて、疲れた。
Wrong — -ぐ verbs voice the change to いで, not いて. The model 泳ぐ → 泳いで shows it.
✅ 海で泳いで、疲れた。
umi de oyoide, tsukareta
I swam in the sea and got tired.
❌ 図書館に行いて、本を借りた。
Wrong — 行く is the famous exception: its te-form is 行って, not the regular ×行いて.
✅ 図書館に行って、本を借りた。
toshokan ni itte, hon o karita
I went to the library and borrowed a book.
❌ こっちに来て。
kocchi ni kote
Wrong reading — 来て is kite (き row), not kote. Anchor it to the 来る paradigm.
✅ こっちに来て。
kocchi ni kite
Come over here.
Key takeaways
- There are only twelve model verbs worth memorizing: nine 五段 (one per ending), 一段 食べる, and irregular する・来る.
- Conjugate any new verb by copying its model, not by reconstructing a rule — 貸す like 話す, 急ぐ like 泳ぐ, 呼ぶ like 遊ぶ.
- 書く is the representative 五段 pattern; the te-form column is where the patterns diverge most (音便).
- The -る ending forks into 五段 (取る) and 一段 (食べる) — settle the class first with the diagnosis page.
- Remember the two irregulars する・来る and the lone te-form exception 行く → 行って.
Now practice Japanese
Reading grammar gets you part of the way. The exercises are where it sticks — free, no signup needed.
Start learning Japanese→Related Topics
- Common Verbs by Class: Quick ListN5 — A cheat-sheet that sorts high-frequency verbs into 五段 / 一段 / irregular so you can classify a verb before you conjugate it — with the -いる／-える 五段 traps flagged so you never write ×帰ない for 帰らない.
- 五段 Verbs: Class OverviewN5 — The canonical paradigm reference for the 五段 (godan / Type-1 / consonant-stem) class — the nine dictionary endings and the single mechanism behind every form: sliding the final kana across the あ・い・う・え・お rows.
- All Forms, All Classes: Master ChartN4 — The one-sheet everything reference — every major verb form (dictionary through causative-passive, volitional, conditional, imperative) down the side and 書く・食べる・する・来る across the top, so you can verify any form without hunting across pages.
- る-Verbs: 五段 vs 一段 DiagnosisN4 — The definitive decision page for the nastiest ambiguity in Japanese conjugation — verbs ending in る that could be 五段 or 一段 — with the -iru/-eru heuristic, its famous godan exceptions (帰る・入る・走る・切る・知る・要る), and the one reliable negative-form test that settles every case.
- 食べる: Full 一段 ParadigmN5 — The complete eleven-form paradigm of 食べる (taberu) — the model 一段 verb whose every form is just 'drop る, add the ending' with zero sound change, and whose potential, passive, and honorific are all the identical 食べられる.