The variants tab lists the conjugated forms and copula variations of a word. Japanese verbs and adjectives change form to express tense, politeness, mood, and other grammatical functions.
How conjugation works
Japanese modifies the word itself to change meaning, where English uses helper words like "will go" or "did go". Example: 食べる (taberu, "to eat").
| Form | Expresses |
|---|---|
| 食べます (tabemasu) | Polite present |
| 食べた (tabeta) | Casual past |
| 食べない (tabenai) | Negative |
| 食べて (tabete) | Te-form (connecting) |
Form categories
Variants are organized into three tiers by frequency and learning priority.
Core forms every learner should know first. Present/non-past, past tense, and negative forms in both casual and polite registers.
- Present (dictionary form)
- Past tense (-た/-ました)
- Negative (-ない/-ません)
- Negative past (-なかった/-ませんでした)
Frequently used for everyday communication. Build on essential forms with additional grammatical functions.
- て-form (connecting, requests)
- Potential (can do, able to)
- Volitional (let's, intend to)
- Passive (is done to)
- Progressive (-ている)
Less common but important for nuanced expression. Useful for intermediate and advanced learners.
- Causative (make/let someone do)
- Causative-passive (be made to do)
- Conditional (-たら/-ば/-なら)
- Imperative (commands)
- Provisional (-ければ)
Copula (です/だ)
The copula links a subject to a noun or na-adjective, like "is/are/am" in English. Words ending in the copula show these forms.
| Form | Casual | Polite |
|---|---|---|
| Present | だ (da) | です (desu) |
| Past | だった (datta) | でした (deshita) |
| Negative | じゃない (ja nai) | じゃありません (ja arimasen) |
| Negative past | じゃなかった (ja nakatta) | じゃありませんでした |
Verb classification
A verb's category determines how it conjugates.
Drop る and add endings. Example: 食べる → 食べます
Consonant changes across five vowel rows. Example: 書く → 書きます
する (to do) and 来る (to come) have unique conjugation patterns.
Navigation tips
- Tap any variant to view its full dictionary entry.
- Casual and polite forms are shown side by side.
- Use the tier filter to focus on forms matching your level.
- Conjugated forms link back to their base dictionary form.