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Basic Japanese verbs in the ます-form (N5)

The ます-form is the most important verb form at JLPT N5 because it is polite, simple, and used in almost every beginner conversation. To create the ます-form, you start from the dictionary form (たべる, のむ, いく, etc.) and apply a basic rule: change the verb ending and then add ます (masu).

There are three verb groups in Japanese, and each one forms the ます-form differently:

Group 1 – る-verbs (Ichidan verbs): remove る (ru) and add ます.
Example: たべる (taberu, to eat) → たべます (tabemasu)
Group 2 – う-verbs (Godan verbs): change the final う-sound to its い-sound, then add ます.
Example: のむ (nomu, to drink) → のみます (nomimasu)
Example: いく (iku, to go) → いきます (ikimasu)
Group 3 – Irregular verbs:
する (suru, to do) → します (shimasu)
くる (kuru, to come) → きます (kimasu)

Once you know this pattern, you can create real sentences with almost any beginner verb. Click the play button to listen and repeat each example.

Common Japanese verbs (N5)

Here are essential verbs you’ll use every day:

たべます (tabemasu) – to eat
のみます (nomimasu) – to drink
いきます (ikimasu) – to go
きます (kimasu) – to come
みます (mimasu) – to see / to watch
します (shimasu) – to do

1. “たべます” (tabemasu) – to eat

たべます – わたしはパンをたべます。 (watashi wa pan o tabemasu.)

I eat bread.

かのじょはすしを たべます。 (kanojo wa sushi o tabemasu.)

She eats sushi.

2. “のみます” (nomimasu) – to drink

のみます – わたしはコーヒーをのみます。 (watashi wa koohii o nomimasu.)

I drink coffee.

かれはおみずを のみます。 (kare wa omizu o nomimasu.)

He drinks water.

3. “いきます” (ikimasu) – to go

いきます – わたしはがっこうにいきます。 (watashi wa gakkou ni ikimasu.)

I go to school.

かれはしごとに いきます。 (kare wa shigoto ni ikimasu.)

He goes to work.

4. “きます” (kimasu) – to come

きます – わたしはあしたきます。 (watashi wa ashita kimasu.)

I will come tomorrow.

かのじょはいま きます。 (kanojo wa ima kimasu.)

She is coming now.

5. “みます” (mimasu) – to see / to watch

みます – わたしはえいがをみます。 (watashi wa eiga o mimasu.)

I watch movies.

かのじょはテレビを みます。 (kanojo wa terebi o mimasu.)

She watches TV.

6. “します” (shimasu) – to do

します – わたしはスポーツをします。 (watashi wa supootsu o shimasu.)

I do sports / I play sports.

かれはしゅくだいを します。 (kare wa shukudai o shimasu.)

He does homework.

Vocabulary from this lesson

Click each verb to listen and practice.

たべます (tabemasu) – to eat

のみます (nomimasu) – to drink

いきます (ikimasu) – to go

きます (kimasu) – to come

みます (mimasu) – to watch / to see

します (shimasu) – to do

パン (pan) – bread

えいが (eiga) – movie

しごと (shigoto) – work

しゅくだい (shukudai) – homework

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