Day Twelve: Exception Verbs

The First Five Bases

Every language has things that are exceptions to the rule. For the most part, Japanese is very good at obeying its own rules. However, there are a few verbs that break the rules entirely – exception verbs. These verbs just don’t fit in with the rest of the standard rules of the language and make it more difficult for everyone to learn it. Let’s go over the three big ones and then we will provide you a list of the LIAR verbs. 

Suru – To Do する

Suru in Base 1 = Shi し

Suru in Base 2 = Shi し

Suru in Base 3 = Suru する

Suru in Base 4 = Shiro しろ

Suru in Base 5 = Shiyou しよう

Suru in Base Te = Shite して

Suru in Base Ta = Shita した

Kuru – To Come くる

Kuru in Base 1 = Ko こ

Kuru in Base 2 = Ki き

Kuru in Base 3 = Kuru くる

Kuru in Base 4 = Koi こい

Kuru in Base 5 = Kiyou きよう

Kuru in Base Te = Kite きて

Kuru in Base Ta = Kita きた

Iku – To Go いく

Iku in Base 1 = Ika いか

Iku in Base 2 = Iki いき 

Iku in Base 3 = Iku いく

Iku in Base 4 = Ike いけ

Iku in Base 5 = Ikou いこう

Iku in Base Te = Itte いって

Iku in Base Ta = Itta いった

Outside of these three there major exception verbs する, くる, and いく, there are verbs that are LIAR verbs that you kinda have to learn though trial and error. Basically, LIAR verbs are verbs that look like Ichidan verbs but actually conjugate like Godan Verbs. Yuck, right?!

Examples of this include: 

Kiru – to cut

Shiru – to know 

Iru – to need

Hairu – to enter

Kaeru – to return

Hashiru – to run

Kagiru – to limit

Keru – to kick

Shaberu – to talk

Teru – to shine

etc.

This list is not comprehensive, rather, it is meant to give you an idea of common verbs that initially look like Ichidan verbs but are actually Godan verbs. If you run into an verb that looks like an Ichidan and are questioning which one it is, you can double check by looking it up on jisho.org or on the app Imiwa.