If you’re just starting to learn Japanese, verbs are one of the fastest ways to start forming real sentences. This list covers 25 of the most essential and useful Japanese verbs, chosen based on real usage frequency in everyday Japanese.
These 25 verbs cover a huge range of everyday situations, from existence (ある, いる) and motion (行く, 来る) to daily actions (食べる, 作る, 待つ). Bookmark this page and come back to it as your vocabulary grows, or download the free PDF below so you can take the list with you wherever you go.
Each verb comes with its hiragana reading, English meaning, and a beginner-friendly example sentence so you can see it used in context. If you’ve been wondering which verbs are worth memorizing early on, this is a solid place to start.
Credit Attribution
- Audio file generated with VOICEVOX:四国めたん, VOICEVOX:冥鳴ひまり, VOICEVOX:ずんだもん
1. 『する』
- Verb: suru
- Hiragana: する
- Meaning: to do
Example Sentence
宿題をする。
Shukudai o suru.
I do homework.
2. 『なる』
- Verb: naru
- Hiragana: なる
- Meaning: to become
Example Sentence
医者になる。
Isha ni naru.
I become a doctor.
3. 『ある』
- Verb: aru
- Hiragana: ある
- Meaning: to exist (things), to be
Example Sentence
カフェがある。
Kafee ga aru.
There is a cafe.
4. 『いる』
- Verb: iru
- Hiragana: いる
- Meaning: to exist (people, animals), to be
Example Sentence
犬がいる。
Inu ga iru.
There is a dog.
5. 『言う』
- Verb: iu
- Hiragana: いう
- Meaning: to say
Example Sentence
ありがとうと言う。
Arigatou to iu.
I say “thank you”.
6. 『思う』
- Verb: omou
- Hiragana: おもう
- Meaning: to think
Example Sentence
私もそう思う。
Watashi mo sou omou.
I think so too.
7. 『見る』
- Verb: miru
- Hiragana: みる
- Meaning: to see, to watch
Example Sentence
アニメを見る。
Anime o miru.
I watch anime.
8. 『来る』
- Verb: kuru
- Hiragana: くる
- Meaning: to come
Example Sentence
友達が来る。
Tomodachi ga kuru.
My friend will come.
9. 『行く』
- Verb: iku
- Hiragana: いく
- Meaning: to go
Example Sentence
学校に行く。
Gakkou ni iku.
I go to school.
10. 『できる』
- Verb: dekiru
- Hiragana: できる
- Meaning: to be able to, can
Example Sentence
運転ができる。
Unten ga dekiru.
I can drive.
11. 『考える』
- Verb: kangaeru
- Hiragana: かんがえる
- Meaning: to think, to consider
Example Sentence
よく考える。
Yoku kangaeru.
I think a lot.
12. 『持つ』
- Verb: motsu
- Hiragana: もつ
- Meaning: to hold, to carry, to have
Example Sentence
荷物を持つ。
Nimotsu o motsu.
I carry my bags.
13. 『わかる』
- Verb: wakaru
- Hiragana: わかる
- Meaning: to understand
Example Sentence
日本語がわかる。
Nihongo ga wakaru.
I understand Japanese.
14. 『出る』
- Verb: deru
- Hiragana: でる
- Meaning: to leave, to exit
Example Sentence
家を出る。
Ie o deru.
I leave the house.
15. 『聞く』
- Verb: kiku
- Hiragana: きく
- Meaning: to listen, to ask
Example Sentence
音楽を聞く。
Ongaku o kiku.
I listen to music.
16. 『知る』
- Verb: shiru
- Hiragana: しる
- Meaning: to know
Example Sentence
答えを知る。
Kotae o shiru.
I know the answer.
17. 『入る』
- Verb: hairu
- Hiragana: はいる
- Meaning: to enter
Example Sentence
部屋に入る。
Heya ni hairu.
I enter the room.
18. 『使う』
- Verb: tsukau
- Hiragana: つかう
- Meaning: to use
Example Sentence
お金を使う。
Okane o tsukau.
I use my money.
19. 『作る』
- Verb: tsukuru
- Hiragana: つくる
- Meaning: to make
Example Sentence
パスタを作る。
Pasuta o tsukuru.
I make pasta.
20. 『違う』
- Verb: chigau
- Hiragana: ちがう
- Meaning: to be different, to be wrong
Example Sentence
それは違う。
Sore wa chigau.
That’s different.
21. 『出す』
- Verb: dasu
- Hiragana: だす
- Meaning: to take out, to put out
Example Sentence
ゴミを出す。
Gomi o dasu.
I take out the trash.
22. 『取る』
- Verb: toru
- Hiragana: とる
- Meaning: to take
Example Sentence
休みを取る。
Yasumi o toru.
I take a day off.
23. 『書く』
- Verb: kaku
- Hiragana: かく
- Meaning: to write
Example Sentence
手紙を書く。
Tegami o kaku.
I write a letter.
24. 『食べる』
- Verb: taberu
- Hiragana: たべる
- Meaning: to eat
Example Sentence
ラーメンを食べる。
Raamen o taberu.
I eat ramen.
25. 『待つ』
- Verb: matsu
- Hiragana: まつ
- Meaning: to wait
Example Sentence
バスを待つ。
Basu o matsu.
I wait for the bus.
やった🎉
You made it 🎉
You’ve just learned 25 of the most common Japanese verbs, and you’ll start spotting many of them everywhere, from everyday conversations to anime, manga, games, songs, and the posts of your favorite stars.
These verbs alone are enough to start building simple, useful Japanese sentences. Try using a few of them yourself, or head over to my Beginner Japanese Sentences and see how many you can already understand.
Hungry for more? Check out my Top 25 Japanese Nouns, Top 25 Japanese Adjectives, and Top 25 Japanese Particles next, or subscribe below to download the free PDF list and get future vocabulary packs sent straight to your inbox.
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- Top 25 Most Common Japanese Verbs
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