The 3 Japanese Verb Groups
Every Japanese verb belongs to one of three groups. Categorizing them correctly is the master key to unlocking all verb conjugations.
Why Verb Groups Matter
In Japanese, verbs change their endings (conjugate) depending on what you want to say, like making it polite, past tense, or negative. However, the rule for changing the ending depends entirely on which 'Group' the verb belongs to.
If you misidentify a verb's group, you will conjugate it incorrectly. For example, if you treat the Group 1 verb 'kaeru' (to return) as a Group 2 verb, you will say it wrong.
The good news? There are only three groups, and the rules to identify them are very straightforward.
How to Identify Verb Groups
Group 1 Exceptions (The 'Fake' Group 2s)
Teacher's Advice
Don't try to memorize all the exceptions at once. Focus on the core rules. When you encounter an exception like 'kaeru' (to return), just make a mental note: 'Ah, this is a tricky Group 1 verb!' Over time, your brain will naturally categorize them.
Not sure if a ~ru verb is Group 1 or 2? Try the negative. Group 2 drops ใ and adds ใชใ (้ฃในใ โ ้ฃในใชใ). Group 1 changes ใ to ใใชใ (ๅธฐใ โ ๅธฐใใชใ). If you have ever heard the verb used in the negative, from anime, songs, or conversation, your ear already knows the answer. ๅธฐใใชใ sounds right; ๅธฐใชใ does not exist.
Every conjugation you will ever learn (te-form, potential form, negative, volitional) branches on the verb group first. Students who skip this step keep making the same mistakes in every new grammar point. Master group identification now and every later chapter becomes twice as fast.
How this is tested in JLPT N5
- โขConjugation questions will test if you know a verb is Group 1 or 2.
- โขExceptions like ๅธฐใ (kaeru), ๅใ (kiru), and ่ตฐใ (hashiru) are frequently tested to trick you.
- โขYou must know these groups perfectly to answer listening questions quickly.
- โขSame-sound pairs ๅใ/็ใ and ่ฆใ/ใใ appear in kanji-reading and context questions (N5)
- โขGroup 3 (ใใใปใใ) compounds like ๅๅผทใใ conjugate as suru: tested in every N5 grammar section
A 5-Second Sorting Test
When you meet a new verb, run it through this order: Is it ใใ or ใใ? If yes, stop: Group 3. Does it end in anything other than ใ (ใ, ใ, ใ, ใ, ใค, ใฌ, ใถ, ใ)? If yes, stop: Group 1. Does it end in ใใ or ใใ? If yes, it's probably Group 2, but check it against the known exceptions list (ๅธฐใ, ๅ ฅใ, ็ฅใ, ๅใ, ่ตฐใ, ่ฆใ, and a handful of others) before committing.
That last check matters more than it looks. There are only a few dozen ~iru/~eru exceptions in common use, and they show up disproportionately often in JLPT listening sections precisely because test writers know they trip people up. Learning the short exception list is more efficient than trying to 'feel out' every new verb from scratch.
Group 1 Verbs That End in -iru / -eru: The Full Exceptions List
A Group 1 exception is a verb that ends in ใใ or ใใ, so it looks like Group 2, but conjugates as Group 1: the ใ becomes ใ / ใ / ใ / ใ instead of dropping off (ๅธฐใ โ ๅธฐใใชใ, not ๅธฐใชใ). In Indonesian textbooks these are the kata kerja golongan 1 yang mirip golongan 2, and the same short list is taught in Vietnam and Mongolia under different names. It is the same set of verbs everywhere.
Start with the first six. They are the ones N5 and N4 tests come back to. The rest you can meet as they come; the point of listing them is so that you recognise the pattern when you do.
| Verb | Reading | Meaning | Negative (proves Group 1) | Looks like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๅธฐใ | kaeru | to return, go home | ๅธฐใใชใ kaeranai | ๅคใใ kaeru (to change) is Group 2 |
| ๅ ฅใ | hairu | to enter | ๅ ฅใใชใ hairanai | ๅ ฅใใ ireru (to put in) is Group 2 |
| ่ตฐใ | hashiru | to run | ่ตฐใใชใ hashiranai | |
| ็ฅใ | shiru | to know | ็ฅใใชใ shiranai | |
| ๅใ | kiru | to cut | ๅใใชใ kiranai | ็ใ kiru (to wear) is Group 2 |
| ่ฆใ | iru | to need | ่ฆใใชใ iranai | ใใ iru (to exist) is Group 2 |
| ๆธใ | heru | to decrease | ๆธใใชใ heranai | ็ตใ heru (to pass through) is Group 2 |
| ้ใ | kagiru | to limit | ้ใใชใ kagiranai | |
| ่นดใ | keru | to kick | ่นดใใชใ keranai | |
| ๆปใ | suberu | to slip, slide | ๆปใใชใ suberanai | |
| ๅใ | shaberu | to chat, talk | ๅใใชใ shaberanai | |
| ๆกใ | nigiru | to grip, grasp | ๆกใใชใ nigiranai | |
| ็ฆใ | aseru | to be in a hurry, panic | ็ฆใใชใ aseranai | |
| ๅใ | mairu | to go, come (humble) | ๅใใชใ mairanai | |
| ๆททใใ | majiru | to be mixed in | ๆททใใใชใ majiranai | ๆททใใ mazeru (to mix) is Group 2 |
| ็ทดใ | neru | to knead, refine | ็ทดใใชใ neranai | ๅฏใ neru (to sleep) is Group 2 |
| ็ งใ | teru | to shine | ็ งใใชใ teranai | |
| ๆฃใ | chiru | to scatter, fall (petals) | ๆฃใใชใ chiranai | |
| ๆนฟใ | shimeru | to become damp | ๆนฟใใชใ shimeranai | ็ท ใใ shimeru (to tighten) is Group 2 |
| ่ใ | shigeru | to grow thick (leaves) | ่ใใชใ shigeranai | |
| ้ฎใ | saegiru | to block, interrupt | ้ฎใใชใ saegiranai | |
| ้ฅใ | ochiiru | to fall into (a state) | ้ฅใใชใ ochiiranai | |
| ๆปใ | hineru | to twist | ๆปใใชใ hineranai | |
| ้ฝงใ | kajiru | to gnaw, nibble | ้ฝงใใชใ kajiranai | |
| ็ฝตใ | nonoshiru | to abuse verbally | ็ฝตใใชใ nonoshiranai | |
| ๅฒใ | azakeru | to ridicule | ๅฒใใชใ azakeranai | |
| ็ฟปใ | hirugaeru | to flutter, flip over | ็ฟปใใชใ hirugaeranai | |
| ่ฆใ | kutsugaeru | to be overturned | ่ฆใใชใ kutsugaeranai |
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if a verb ending in ใ is Group 1 or Group 2?
Look at the vowel sound directly before ใ. If it's ใ, ใ, or ใ (ไนใ noru, ไฝใ tsukuru), it is always Group 1. If it's ใ or ใ (่ฆใ miru, ้ฃในใ taberu), it is usually Group 2, but check it against the known exceptions (ๅธฐใ, ๅ ฅใ, ็ฅใ, ๅใ, ่ตฐใ, ่ฆใ) before assuming.
Why do ๅธฐใ and ้ฃในใ conjugate differently if they both end in ใ?
้ฃในใ is a true Group 2 (Ichidan) verb: drop ใ, add the ending directly (้ฃในใพใ, ้ฃในใชใ). ๅธฐใ looks the same on paper but is Group 1 (Godan), because the vowel before ใ is ใ, not ใ or ใ: it conjugates like a U-verb (ๅธฐใใพใ, ๅธฐใใชใ). The spelling looks identical; the sound rule underneath is what actually decides the group.
Related Grammar
Master Verb Groups Automatically
Use our interactive verb sorter to train your brain to instantly recognize Japanese verb groups.