Lesson 6: Basic Verbs — Making Sentences
Learn 15 essential Japanese verbs and create your first complete sentences using polite ます form. Master Japanese word order (SOV) and key particles は, を, に, で.
Lesson 6: Basic Verbs — Making Sentences 🗣️
Introduction
Welcome to one of the most exciting milestones in your Japanese journey! 🎉 Until now, you've learned hiragana, katakana, essential phrases, and how to introduce yourself. But now it's time to unlock the true power of Japanese: creating your own original sentences.
In this lesson, you'll learn 15 fundamental verbs that will let you talk about everyday activities. More importantly, you'll discover how Japanese sentences are structured—which is quite different from English! By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to say things like "I drink coffee," "I go to school," and "I watch movies."
💡 Big Picture: Japanese verbs are incredibly systematic. Once you understand the pattern for one verb, you can apply it to thousands of others!
Core Concept 1: Japanese Sentence Structure (SOV) 📐
English vs. Japanese Word Order
The most fundamental difference between English and Japanese is word order. Let's compare:
ENGLISH (SVO): Subject → Verb → Object
I eat sushi
JAPANESE (SOV): Subject → Object → Verb
私は 寿司を 食べます
watashi sushi tabemasu
I sushi eat
The verb ALWAYS comes at the end in Japanese! 🎯
🌍 Real-world analogy: Think of Japanese sentences like packing a suitcase. You put all your items in first (subject, object, time, place), and you close the zipper at the very end (the verb). The verb is the "closure" that completes the thought.
Basic Sentence Pattern
[Subject]は [Object]を [Verb]ます
↓ ↓ ↓
(who) (what) (action)
Example breakdown:
- 私は (watashi wa) = "I" + topic marker
- コーヒーを (koohii o) = "coffee" + object marker
- 飲みます (nomimasu) = "drink" (polite form)
Full sentence: 私はコーヒーを飲みます。(I drink coffee.)
⚠️ Common Mistake: Don't put the verb in the middle! ❌ 私は飲みますコーヒーを is completely wrong!
Core Concept 2: The 15 Essential Verbs 🔑
Here are your first 15 verbs in the polite ます (masu) form. We're keeping it simple—only the polite present/future tense for now!
+----------------+------------------+------------------+
| HIRAGANA | ROMAJI | ENGLISH |
+----------------+------------------+------------------+
| たべます | tabemasu | eat |
| のみます | nomimasu | drink |
| いきます | ikimasu | go |
| きます | kimasu | come |
| かえります | kaerimasu | return/go home |
| みます | mimasu | see/watch |
| ききます | kikimasu | listen/hear |
| よみます | yomimasu | read |
| かきます | kakimasu | write |
| はなします | hanashimasu | speak/talk |
| べんきょうします| benkyou shimasu | study |
| かいます | kaimasu | buy |
| うります | urimasu | sell |
| つくります | tsukurimasu | make |
| あそびます | asobimasu | play |
+----------------+------------------+------------------+
🗣️ Pronunciation tips:
- たべます (ta-be-ma-su): Four syllables, equal stress
- いきます (i-ki-ma-su): Not "eye-key-mas" but "ee-kee-mah-soo"
- べんきょうします (ben-kyou-shi-ma-su): べんきょう is one word meaning "study"
🧠 Mnemonic devices:
- たべます (eat) → "Tab a mass of food"
- のみます (drink) → "No me (don't) mas (more)" when you're full of drinks
- いきます (go) → "I key (car key) mass" - use keys to go places
- みます (see) → "Me, mass" - I see myself
💡 Did you know? The ます ending makes verbs polite and is appropriate for 95% of everyday situations. There's a casual form too (食べる, 飲む, etc.), but ます form is safer when learning!
Core Concept 3: Essential Particles は, を, に, で 🎯
Particles are small words that show the grammatical function of words in a sentence. Think of them as road signs that tell you what role each word plays.
は (wa) - Topic Marker 📍
Function: Marks the topic of the sentence (what/who you're talking about)
⚠️ Critical: Written は but pronounced "wa"!
私は学生です。
Watashi wa gakusei desu.
I am a student.
(Topic: I)
を (o) - Object Marker 🎯
Function: Marks the direct object (what receives the action)
⚠️ Critical: Written を but pronounced "o" (not "wo")!
本を読みます。
Hon o yomimasu.
I read a book.
(Object: book)
に (ni) - Direction/Time/Location Marker 📌
Function: Shows destination, specific time, or existence location
学校に行きます。
Gakkou ni ikimasu.
I go to school.
(Destination: to school)
7時に起きます。
Shichiji ni okimasu.
I wake up at 7 o'clock.
(Time: at 7)
で (de) - Location/Method Marker 🛠️
Function: Shows where an action takes place or the means/method
レストランで食べます。
Resutoran de tabemasu.
I eat at a restaurant.
(Action location: at restaurant)
日本語で話します。
Nihongo de hanashimasu.
I speak in Japanese.
(Method: in Japanese)
Particle Comparison Chart
+----------+------------------+------------------------+
| PARTICLE | PRIMARY USE | EXAMPLE |
+----------+------------------+------------------------+
| は (wa) | Topic | 私は (As for me...) |
| を (o) | Direct object | 本を (book-OBJECT) |
| に (ni) | Direction/Time | 学校に (to school) |
| で (de) | Location/Method | 家で (at home) |
+----------+------------------+------------------------+
🆚 Confused pairs: に vs で
- に = destination (where you're going) → 学校に行きます (go TO school)
- で = location of action (where action happens) → 学校で勉強します (study AT school)
🔧 Try this: Think about the sentence "I eat lunch at school."
- Where's the action happening? AT school → で
- What are you eating? Lunch → を
- Answer: 私は学校で昼ごはんを食べます。
Core Concept 4: Building Complete Sentences 🏗️
The Standard Pattern
[Topic]は [Time]に [Place]で [Object]を [Verb]ます。
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
(who) (when) (where) (what) (action)
Important: You don't need ALL elements in every sentence! Use what's necessary.
Sentence Building Flow
START
↓
[Who?] → Add は
↓
[When?] → Add に (optional)
↓
[Where?] → Add で or に (optional)
↓
[What?] → Add を (if verb needs object)
↓
[Action] → Add verb in ます form
↓
END (。)
Detailed Examples with Full Explanations 📝
Example 1: Simple Sentence
私はコーヒーを飲みます。 Watashi wa koohii o nomimasu. "I drink coffee."
Breakdown:
- 私は (watashi wa) = I [topic]
- コーヒーを (koohii o) = coffee [object]
- 飲みます (nomimasu) = drink [verb-polite]
Structure visualization:
私は コーヒーを 飲みます
│ │ │
TOPIC OBJECT VERB
(I) (coffee) (drink)
Example 2: Adding Location
私は図書館で本を読みます。 Watashi wa toshokan de hon o yomimasu. "I read books at the library."
Breakdown:
- 私は (watashi wa) = I [topic]
- 図書館で (toshokan de) = at library [location of action]
- 本を (hon o) = book [object]
- 読みます (yomimasu) = read [verb-polite]
Why で? Because the action (reading) happens AT the library. If you were going TO the library, you'd use に: 図書館に行きます (go to library).
Example 3: Adding Time
私は毎日7時に学校に行きます。 Watashi wa mainichi shichiji ni gakkou ni ikimasu. "I go to school at 7 o'clock every day."
Breakdown:
- 私は (watashi wa) = I [topic]
- 毎日 (mainichi) = every day [time expression - no particle needed!]
- 7時に (shichiji ni) = at 7 o'clock [specific time - に required]
- 学校に (gakkou ni) = to school [destination - に required]
- 行きます (ikimasu) = go [verb-polite]
Note: 毎日 (every day) doesn't need a particle! General time expressions like 今日 (today), 明日 (tomorrow), 毎日 (every day) stand alone. Specific times like 7時 (7 o'clock) need に.
Example 4: Complex Sentence
友達は週末に映画館で日本の映画を見ます。 Tomodachi wa shuumatsu ni eigakan de nihon no eiga o mimasu. "My friend watches Japanese movies at the movie theater on weekends."
Breakdown:
- 友達は (tomodachi wa) = friend [topic]
- 週末に (shuumatsu ni) = on weekend [time]
- 映画館で (eigakan de) = at movie theater [location of action]
- 日本の映画を (nihon no eiga o) = Japanese movie [object]
- の = possessive/descriptive particle (like "'s" or "of")
- 見ます (mimasu) = watch/see [verb-polite]
Full structure:
TOPIC → TIME → PLACE → OBJECT → VERB
友達は 週末に 映画館で 日本の映画を 見ます
Common Mistakes ⚠️
Mistake 1: Verb in the Wrong Position
❌ 私は飲みますコーヒーを。 (Verb before object) ✅ 私はコーヒーを飲みます。 (Verb at the end)
Why it matters: Japanese grammar is very strict about verb placement. The verb MUST come last!
Mistake 2: Confusing を (o) and は (wa) Pronunciation
❌ Reading を as "wo" in normal speech ❌ Reading は as "ha" when it's a particle ✅ を is always pronounced "o" ✅ は as a particle is always pronounced "wa"
Memory tip: "Particle は wanders away from its normal sound (ha → wa)!"
Mistake 3: Using に Instead of で for Action Location
❌ 学校に勉強します。 (Using に for action location) ✅ 学校で勉強します。 (Using で for action location)
Remember:
- に = destination (where you're going)
- で = location of action (where something happens)
Mistake 4: Forgetting Particles Entirely
❌ 私コーヒー飲みます。 (No particles) ✅ 私はコーヒーを飲みます。 (With proper particles)
Why it matters: Particles are NOT optional in Japanese! They're essential for understanding sentence structure.
Mistake 5: Wrong Particle with べんきょうします
❌ 日本語をべんきょうします。 (Using を) ✅ 日本語をべんきょうします。 (Actually, this is correct!) OR ✅ 日本語のべんきょうをします。 (Alternative structure)
Note: べんきょうします (study) CAN take を directly! It's one of the exceptions because べんきょう (study) was originally a noun.
Situational Scenarios: At a Café ☕
Scenario Setup 🎭
You're at a Japanese café with a friend. Let's see how these verbs and sentence patterns work in real conversation!
Characters:
- あなた (You)
- 友達 (Friend)
- 店員 (てんいん - Store clerk)
Dialogue 💬
店員: いらっしゃいませ！ Irasshaimase! "Welcome!"
あなた: コーヒーを2つください。 Koohii o futatsu kudasai. "Two coffees, please."
店員: かしこまりました。こちらで飲みますか？ Kashikomarimashita. Kochira de nomimasu ka? "Understood. Will you drink here?"
あなた: はい、ここで飲みます。 Hai, koko de nomimasu. "Yes, we'll drink here."
友達: 私はケーキも食べます。 Watashi wa keeki mo tabemasu. "I'll also eat cake."
店員: 何のケーキを食べますか？ Nan no keeki o tabemasu ka? "What cake will you eat?"
友達: チョコレートケーキを食べます。 Chokoreeto keeki o tabemasu. "I'll eat chocolate cake."
Dialogue Breakdown 🔍
- こちらで飲みますか？ - Notice で marks WHERE the drinking happens
- ここで飲みます - ここ (here) + で (location marker) + 飲みます (drink)
- ケーキも食べます - も means "also/too" (replaces を in this context)
- 何のケーキを食べますか？ - 何の (what kind of) + ケーキ (cake) + を (object marker)
Extended Story: A Day in Tokyo 📖
This story uses ALL the vocabulary and patterns from this lesson:
私の一日 (My Day)
私は学生です。毎日6時に起きます。朝、家で朝ごはんを食べます。パンを食べます。コーヒーを飲みます。
7時に家を出ます。学校に行きます。電車で行きます。学校で日本語を勉強します。友達と一緒に昼ごはんを食べます。
午後、図書館で本を読みます。宿題を書きます。時々、カフェでコーヒーを飲みます。音楽を聞きます。
6時に家に帰ります。晩ごはんを作ります。テレビを見ます。11時に寝ます。
Translation:
I am a student. Every day I wake up at 6 o'clock. In the morning, I eat breakfast at home. I eat bread. I drink coffee.
I leave home at 7 o'clock. I go to school. I go by train. At school, I study Japanese. I eat lunch together with friends.
In the afternoon, I read books at the library. I write homework. Sometimes, I drink coffee at a café. I listen to music.
I return home at 6 o'clock. I make dinner. I watch TV. I sleep at 11 o'clock.
Verbs used: 起きます, 食べます, 飲みます, 出ます, 行きます, 勉強します, 読みます, 書きます, 聞きます, 帰ります, 作ります, 見ます, 寝ます
Key Takeaways 🎯
- Japanese word order is SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) - the verb ALWAYS comes last
- 15 essential verbs in ます form give you the foundation for thousands of sentences
- Four key particles:
- は (wa) = topic marker
- を (o) = object marker
- に (ni) = direction/time marker
- で (de) = location/method marker
- Building sentences: Start with topic, add details (time, place, object), end with verb
- Politeness matters: ます form is safe and appropriate for almost all situations
Quick Reference Card 📋
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ BASIC VERBS QUICK REFERENCE ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ SENTENCE PATTERN: ║
║ [Topic]は [Time]に [Place]で [Object]を [Verb]ます ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ESSENTIAL PARTICLES: ║
║ は (wa) → topic | を (o) → object ║
║ に (ni) → destination | で (de) → action location ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ TOP 5 VERBS: ║
║ 食べます (tabemasu) → eat ║
║ 飲みます (nomimasu) → drink ║
║ 行きます (ikimasu) → go ║
║ 見ます (mimasu) → see/watch ║
║ 読みます (yomimasu) → read ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ REMEMBER: Verb goes LAST! (SOV order) ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Further Study 📚
Tae Kim's Guide to Japanese Grammar - Free, comprehensive grammar explanations https://guidetojapanese.org/learn/grammar/verbs
NHK World Easy Japanese - Video lessons with real-life conversations https://www.nhk.or.jp/lesson/en/lessons/
Jisho.org - Best online Japanese dictionary with verb conjugations https://jisho.org/
Congratulations! 🎊 You can now create original Japanese sentences! Practice by describing your daily activities using these verbs. The more you use them, the more natural they'll become. 頑張ってください！(Ganbatte kudasai! - Do your best!)