Dictionary to Masu form.

[origamiboxers]

Go here to learn more about the Masu form.

Vocabulary:

Dictionary form: When looking up a verb in a Japanese dictionary, this is the form it will be in. It always ends in the letter 'u'.
* Example: korosu: Murder.

Masu form: The polite version of a verb.

How to change a Dictionary verb to a Masu verb:

First of all, there is two groups of dictionary verbs:

Group 1 includes verbs that end in:

'u', 'ku', 'gu', 'su', 'tsu', 'nu', 'mu', 'bu', '*aru', and '*oru'
(* includes ka, sa, ta... ko, so, to... etc.)

Group 2 includes verbs that end in:
'*eru', and '*iru'
(* includes ke, se, te... ki, shi, chi... etc.)

When changing a group 1 verb into masu form, change the last character from 'u' to 'i', 'ku' to 'ki', 'su' to 'shi', etc. and add masu.

* Example: hanasu > hanashi + masu

When changing a group 2 verb to masu form, drop the 'ru' and add masu.

* Example: taberu > tabe + masu

There are a bunch of irregular verbs that do not fit the pattern:

do: suru > shimasu
come: kuru > kimasu
[edit ]: Read Nagaikami and Chinotenshi's posts for more in depth information.  

[Nagaikami]

Hiragana Chart Let's start off with that. The chart is organized very well. It's a beatiful contraption, just like the Periodic Table of Elements, which was also designed to be amizingly full of information.

As OB pointed out, all dictionary form verbs end in an 'u' sound. When dealing with Group 1 verbs, which is the largest of all the groups, you simply look at the chart, and move the 'u' sound up so that it becomes an 'i' sound. Then add 'masu'. He already explained that, but I find it easiest to think of it in terms of the chart. I'm sure I'll add more about the chart later, since it so one of my favorite things about learning Japanese (beginner and intermediate Japanese make more sense with it)

Quote:

Group 2 includes verbs that end in:
'*eru', and '*iru'
(* includes ke, se, te... ki, shi, chi... etc.)

Quote:

There are a bunch of irregular verbs that do not fit the pattern:

do: suru > shimasu
come: kuru > kimasu
return: kaeru > not sure
enter: hairu > not sure
open: akeru > not sure

*** please post if you know what to do with these irregular verbs... I wasn't paying attention in class that day.

sweatdrop ninja
The first quote there is a very common half truth that Japanese teachers say to make things easier on beginners. I'm not complaining though, I know that everything I learned in General Chemistry is not really accurate. You just have to know how to relearn it as you go along.

The reason why I say that is this: All group 2 verbs end in 'eru'/'iru.' This is true. But not all verbs ending in 'eru'/'iru' are Group 2 verbs. It's important to make that distinction. Also, akeru (開ける to open) is group 2. It stays firmly in that group.

Hairu 入る to enter
Kaeru　帰る to return (home)
Kiru　切る to cut
Shaberu　喋る to speak, chatter
And others　その他

Really, the list is longer, but those are the ones I can think of off hand. All of them break the elementary rule of Group 2 verbs. But they're not 'irregular.' They are perfectly normal verbs, they just get confused for the wrong group. So they're not Group 2 or Irregular? That means they've got to be Group 1. Thus, you go back to step 1.

Hairu-> hairimasu　入る　→　入ります
Kaeru -> kaerimasu　帰る　→　帰ります
Kiru -> kirimasu　切る　→　切ります
Shaberu -> shaberimasu　喋る　→　喋ります

Now, I know people are going to start whining about "how do we know whether or not it's a Group 2 verb?" You don't. Though odds are it is Group 2. But there are only a handful of Group 2 verbs you need to know in basic Japanese. And very few non-Group 2 verbs like the ones I listed. So just ask if you're not sure. Odds are most text books will have it in -masu form somewhere. Just compare the dictionary form and the -masu form.

Hope I'm being clear here.  

[origamiboxers]

Thanks for your explanations! heart Errr... Arigatou!  

[chinotenshi]

origamiboxers

There are a bunch of irregular verbs that do not fit the pattern:

do: suru > shimasu
come: kuru > kimasu
return: kaeru > not sure
enter: hairu > not sure
open: akeru > not sure

*** please post if you know what to do with these irregular verbs... I wasn't paying attention in class that day. sweatdrop Also, if you know any more. Thanks!

A little more on "irregular verbs".

Like Kami-kun said, kaeru, hairu, and akeru are not technically irregular verbs. Why? Not sure. I can ask and look it up before I go back to the States next week (oh the sadness!).

HOWEVER, suru and kuru ARE irregular verbs. The reason being, their form changes unlike any other verbs. The mora (syllable/sound/character/kana/whatever you wanna translate it as) before the last mora changes. No other verbs do that. Think about it...

suru -> shimasu
kuru -> kimasu
nomu -> nomimasu
miru -> mimasu

In your group one verbs, the ending mora (in this case "mu" in "nomu") goes up one sound to the "i" sound and "masu" is then added.
In your group two verbs, the ending mora is completely dropped and "masu" is added.
HOWEVER, suru and kuru completely break those rules by having the mora before the last mora change, THEN add "masu". If "suru" and "kuru" were conjugated as group one verbs are, they would be "surimasu" and "kurimasu". If they were conjugated as group two verbs, then they would be "sumasu" and "kumasu". However, they are neither of those. This is what makes those two "irregular"

I hope that made sense ^^;;

NagaiKami

All group 2 verbs end in 'eru'/'iru.' This is true. But not all verbs ending in 'eru'/'iru' are Group 2 verbs.

This is basically like saying that all squares are rectangles/quadrangles but not all rectangles/quardangles are squares...For beginners it's a good way to help figure out which verbs are conjugated which way, but once you get to the verbs that look like group two verbs but are actually group one verbs, it kinda complicates things ^^;;;  

[JvD]

Return Kaeru Kaerimasu
enter hairu hairimasu
uh.. i think thats right but i dont know open i forgot sweatdrop  

[Nyx408]

I reserve this post for making a list of some Group 2 verbs and Irregular verbs and to straighten things out, I might take a photo of 2 charts in my text book and post them up here as well, because I know what you guys are talking about and I'm almost confused lol. There are so few group 2 verbs in the Japanese dictionary you can just remember which are which (or so my teacher said). The pictures might make it easier to understand. Pictures solve everything ^^ well they'll solve everything so long as people look at them while reading the notes Origamiboxers and the others put up xp

EDIT: Actually origamiboxers, do you mind if I edit the charts into your posts? It'd save scrolling  

[chinotenshi]

Nyx408

I reserve this post for making a list of some Group 2 verbs and Irregular verbs and to straighten things out, I might take a photo of 2 charts in my text book and post them up here as well, because I know what you guys are talking about and I'm almost confused lol. There are so few group 2 verbs in the Japanese dictionary you can just remember which are which (or so my teacher said). The pictures might make it easier to understand. Pictures solve everything ^^ well they'll solve everything so long as people look at them while reading the notes Origamiboxers and the others put up xp

EDIT: Actually origamiboxers, do you mind if I edit the charts into your posts? It'd save scrolling

Irregular verbs are easy though, there's only two: suru and kuru

Verbs like "kaeru" that look like group 2 but act like group 1 aren't technically irregular.

Also, I like the chart idea, but it might be better if you take a picture and PM it to someone who can type it into a post so that way we can add verbs that aren't listed...if there are any  

[Corelda]

I think iku [ to go ] is also a bit irregular. I mean, usually verbs that have a basic form ending in -KU have a te-form and short past form ending in -ITE and -ITA.
But:
Iku - ikimasu - ikanai - itte - itta  

[chinotenshi]

Corelda

I think iku [ to go ] is also a bit irregular. I mean, usually verbs that have a basic form ending in -KU have a te-form and short past form ending in -ITE and -ITA.
But:
Iku - ikimasu - ikanai - itte - itta

True, "iku" does have an irregular form for the -te form compared to other verbs that end in -ku. This isn't enough to make it an irregular verb though, it's just an exception. The reason being, only the -te form and informal past form (and anything that comes off of that like -tari and -tara forms) are the only two forms that are irregular. All other conjugations are the same as every other -ku verb.