Learning verbs is the fastest way to start speaking Japanese.

Verbs are the engine of every single sentence you’ll ever create.

If you know a few basic nouns and a solid list of common verbs, you can communicate your needs immediately.

This guide gives you the 100 most common Japanese verbs that native speakers use every day.

I’ve grouped these verbs by their conjugation type to make them much easier to study.

You’ll find the irregular verbs, the ru-verbs, and the u-verbs neatly organized below.

The 2 irregular Japanese verbs

There are only two truly irregular verbs in the Japanese language.

You’ll use these two words constantly in daily life.

Because they’re irregular, they don’t follow the standard conjugation rules that other verbs follow.

You simply need to memorize their various forms through practice.

Here’s an example of how you might use the verb する in everyday conversation.

The most common Japanese ru-verbs

Ru-verbs are also referred to as ichidan verbs in traditional grammar textbooks.

These are the easiest verbs to conjugate in the entire language.

To change their form, you simply drop the final “ru” sound and attach your new ending.

Here are the 28 most essential ru-verbs you need to know.

Here are a few quick examples showing these ru-verbs in action.

The most common Japanese u-verbs

U-verbs are also known as godan verbs.

Their conjugation rules change depending on the final syllable of their dictionary form.

While they take a bit more practice to master, they make up the vast majority of verbs in Japanese.

Here are the 70 most important u-verbs you’ll encounter.

Here are two quick examples of u-verbs used in daily sentences.

A quick note on regional variations

Depending on where you travel in Japan, you might hear different verbs for the exact same action.

Standard Japanese is based entirely on the Tokyo dialect.

However, regions like Kansai (which includes Osaka and Kyoto) have their own unique vocabulary and verb endings.

For example, the standard Japanese verb for “to throw away” is 捨てる (suteru).

In the Kansai region, locals frequently use the verb ほかす (hokasu) instead.

Keep standard Tokyo Japanese as your main focus when learning these verbs, but be aware of these fun regional differences if you travel down south.

How to practice these Japanese verbs

Memorizing a list of words is only the very first step in your learning journey.

You need to practice using them in context to truly master them.

I highly recommend using Talk In Japanese as your primary learning platform.

Our app is specifically designed to get you speaking and conjugating these exact verbs naturally without tedious textbook drills.

Aside from our platform, there are a few other excellent tools you can use to drill vocabulary.

Here are the best resources for practicing Japanese verbs:

• Talk In Japanese - Our highly recommended platform for active speaking and conjugation practice.
• Anki - A highly customizable flashcard app that uses spaced repetition to help you memorize vocabulary long-term.
• WaniKani - A great tool specifically for learning the kanji associated with these common verbs.

Stick to these 100 verbs first before moving on to more complex vocabulary.

Mastering this foundational list gives you the vocabulary needed for daily Japanese conversations.