Japanese Grammar 107 – Ichidan Verbs

Ichidan verbs

The dictionary form of the ‘ichidan verbs’ ends in ­iru or­eru. They are called ‘ichidan’ (1 base) verbs because the base doesn’t change.

Miru (to see, to look)
Mi negative base
Mi indefinite base
Mi positive / colloquial base
Mi conditional / imperative
Mi volitive base

Examples:

Kanojyo wa eiga o minai (mi+nai) – She doesn’t watch the film
Kanojyo wa eiga o mimasu (mi+masu)- She watches the film (formal)
Kanojyo wa eiga o miru (mi+ru) – She watches the film (colloquial form)
Kanojyo wa eiga o mireru (mi+reru) – She can watch the film
Eiga o miō (mi+ō) – Let’s watch a film

Taberu (to eat)

Watashi wa ringo o tabenai (tabe+nai) – I don’t eat apples
Watashi wa ringo o tabemasu (tabe+masu) – I eat apples
Watashi wa ringo o taberu (tabe+ru) – I eat apples
Watashi wa ringo o tabereru (tabe+reru) – I can eat apples
Ringo o tabeyō. (tabe+yō) – Let’s eat an apple

EXERCISE: 107 Ichidan Verbs | NEXT: 108 The positive, negative and interrogative sentence