動詞 verb classifications

　　　　　
みなさん、こんにちは！

I will write about classifications of verbs today.

(a) Group 1(u-verb), Group 2(ru-verb) and Irregular

① Group 1 – “ i “ comes before masu. かきます→ kaki-masu
② Group 2 – “ e “ comes before masu. みせます→ mise-masu
　 exception : there are 8 words “ i “ comes before masu in Group 2.
　みます(see)、います(be there)、きます(wear)、できます(can do)、
　おきます(get up)、あびます(take a shower)、かります(borrow)、
　おります(get off)
③ Irregular – two words, きます(come) and します (do)


(b) 意志動詞(いしどうし) & 無意志動詞(むいしどうし)

①意志動詞 (volitional verb)　
　: the subject somehow willingly initiate the action.
　　ex. よむ(to read)、たべる(to eat)、はしる(to run)

②無意志動詞 (non-volitional verb)
　:　the subject performs the action but does not necessarily willingly do so.
　　ex. ふる(to rain),さく(to bloom), ふえる(increase)


(c) 自動詞(じどうし) & 他動詞(たどうし)

① 自動詞(intransitive verb) : verb which do not need objects
　The subject of an intransitive sentence is often an inanimate object.
　ex. あめがふります。　Rain will fall. →　It will rain.

②他動詞(transitive verb) : verb which need objects
　A person who does something usually becomes the subject of a transitive sentence.
　ex. かれは まいあさ しんぶんを よみます。　He reads newspaper every morning.


(d) 継続動詞(けいぞくどうし) ＆ 瞬間動詞(しゅんかんどうし)

①継続動詞(duration verb) : verb expresses progressive actions
　ex. たべる(to eat)、よむ(to read),
　This verb’s “～ている” form indicates ongoing action
　such as : たべている (be eating)

②瞬間動詞(momentary verb) : verb expresses momentary actions
　ex. けっこんする (to marry), しぬ(to die)
　This verb’s “～ている” form indicates completion
　such as : けっこんしている (be married)
　Therefore, “～ている” form does not indicate ongoing actions.

* Most of verbs can be either ① or ②, for example, ｢きる (to wear)｣
　｢きものをきている｣ means “She wears/is in Kimono” or “She is now wearing Kimono.”


There are some other categories but these are the most important ones.