NihonGo
Unit 05Phase B · ます-form

ますけいと どうしの グループ

The masu-form & verb groups

ますけいfirst polite form

Polite present, past and negative all start here — the base for every later form.

たべます = I eat

グループevery verb fits 1·2·3

Sort any verb into just three groups before conjugating.

のみます / たべます / します

まえの かなthe whole trick

The single kana right before ます tells you the group.

のみます → み = い-row → G1

「ます」の まえを みて。

Look at the kana before “ます”.

Step 1

「い」だん と「え」だん

The i-row & e-row sounds

Japanese kana sit in rows by their vowel. You only need two of them here: the い-row (ends in the "i" sound) and the え-row (ends in the "e" sound). 🔊 Tap any kana to hear it.

「い」だんi-row
「え」だんe-row
Step 2

3つの グループ

The three verb groups

Look at the kana right before “ます”. い-row → Group 1. え-row → Group 2. きます / します / Noun+します → Group 3 (irregular). A handful of い-row verbs are sneaky Group 2 exceptions — those you just memorize.

グループ 1
Group 1
「ます」の まえが「い」だん
kana before “ます” is an い-row sound
グループ 2
Group 2
「ます」の まえが「え」だん
kana before “ます” is an え-row sound
!A few い-row verbs are sneaky exceptions — memorize these!
グループ 3
Group 3
きます／します／Noun+します
きます, します, and Noun+します (irregular)

🔊 Tap any verb to hear it. The colored kana is the one right before “ます” — that's your clue.

Step 3

ますけいの かつよう

Conjugating the masu-form

The good news: once a verb is in ますけい, the polite endings are the same for every group. Just swap the “ます” part. 🔊 Tap any example to hear it.

かたち
Form
れい
Example
いみ
Meaning
Non-past (do / will do)
ひていじゃない いま・みらい
drink / will drink
Negative (don't / won't)
ひてい いま・みらい
don't drink
Past (did)
かこ
drank
Past negative (didn't)
ひてい かこ
didn't drink
Step 4

グループ あてクイズ

Guess-the-group quiz

Now prove it. Read each verb, find the kana before “ます”, and pick the group. Watch out for the exceptions!

Question 1 / 28 · 0 correct

which group?speak🔊 tap to hear
← Beginner Japanese index