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Grammar detail: Godan 五段(ごだん)'う' form verbs

Godan 五段(ごだん)'う' form verbs
238 words
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Godan verbs, also known as ‘う-Verbs’ include all Japanese verbs that end with an “-u” sound. They are called Godan
ごだん
五段
-“five-/level verbs" because when conjugated, the final kana of the verb stem can change through five vowel sounds (あ, い, う, え, お). Using
か
書
く (to write) as an example, the consonant is 'k' (from く):
Vowel Sound'k' conjugationExampleForm
あ (a)かか (ka)かかないnegative plain
い (i)かき (ki)かきたいたい-form (desire)
う (u)かく (ku)かくplain
え (e)かけ (ke)かけるpotential
お (o)かこ (ko)かこうvolitional
Examples
The following words are all examples of godan words. In each case, the dictionary form ends with the 'u' sound, but the kana used to form it varies based on the sound it is part of - う, く, ぐ etc.
言ういうto say言う inflections
書くかくto write書く inflections
泳ぐおよぐto swim泳ぐ inflections
出すだすto take out出す inflections
持つもつto hold持つ inflections
死ぬしぬto die死ぬ inflections
読むよむto read読む inflections
Godan exceptions
A small number of verbs ending in る are godan verbs even though their plain form appears to classify them as ichidan. (In other words,
はい
入
る becomes
はい
入
ります.)
There is no rule which determines whether verbs ending in る are ichidan or godan, so it is best to memorize the exceptions below.
はい
入
る
to enter
はし
走
る
to run
い
要
る
to need
かえ
帰
る
to return
かぎ
限
る
to limit
き
切
る
to cut
しゃべ
喋
る
to chatter
し
知
る
to know
つく
作
る
to make
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Kanji used in this grammar

五
ゴ   いつ-    いつつ five   
段
ダン    grade, step, stairs   
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書
ショ   かく to write   
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言
ゲン   ゴン   say; word   こと word, saying   いう to say   
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泳
エイ   およぐ swim   
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出
シュツ   スイ   だす to take out, to put out   でる to go out, to exit   
持
ジ   もつ to hold, to have   
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死
シ   death   しぬ die   
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読
ドク   トク   トウ   よむ to read   
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入
ニュウ   いる to enter   はいる to enter   いれる to put in   
走
ソウ   はしる run   
要
ヨウ   いる to need   かなめ pivotal point   
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帰
キ   かえる to return   かえす to send back, give back   
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限
ゲン   かぎる to limit, restrict   
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切
セツ   サイ   きる to cut   きれる to break, to snap   
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喋
しゃべる to chat   
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知
チ   しる to know   
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作
サク   サ   つくる to make   
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