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Grammar detail: verb plain form (also known as the dictionary form)

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JLPT:
verb plain form (also known as the dictionary form)
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The plain form of all Japanese verbs ends with the vowel sound 'u'. In the case of Godan verbs, the u sound may be prefixed by a consonant, or it may stand on its own. Ichidan verbs always end in る.
The plain form of a verb is the best form to learn. It's the form found in dictionaries, the form used most commonly in Japanese (since it's used in informal speech and in all relative clauses). Plus, if you know the plain form, and the group it belongs to, you can create any conjugated form.
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See also:
  • Key verb conjugations
  • Japanese verbs and verb conjugation
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