Mastering the Ta-Form(た形) in Japanese: A Complete Guide for Beginners

When learning Japanese, one of the essential verb forms you’ll encounter is the ta-form (た形). In this guide, we’ll break down how to conjugate verbs into the ta-form across the three main verb groups. Let’s dive into the world of ta-forms and discover how they enhance your understanding of the Japanese language!

Group 1 (U-Verbs)

Rule: Group 1 verbs, also known as u-verbs, require specific rules for conjugating into the ta-form. Here’s a breakdown of how the verb endings change based on the last syllable of the stem:

Verbs ending in “i” sounds (き・ぎ)

• “き” becomes “いた” (ita)
  Example: はたらきます (hatarakimasu) → はたらいた (hataraita)
• “ぎ” becomes “いだ” (ida)
  Example: およぎます (oyogimasu) → およいだ (oyoida)

Verbs ending in “i,” “chi,” and “ri” sounds (い・ち・り)

• “い,” “ち,” and “り” become “った” (tta)
  Example:
  かいます (kaimasu) → かった (katta)
  まちます (machimasu) → まった (matta)
  とります (torimasu) → とった (totta)

Special Case: 行きます (ikimasu)

• “いきます” becomes “いった” (itta)

Verbs ending in “shi” sound (し)

• “し” becomes “した” (shita)
  Example: はなします (hanashimasu) → はなした (hanashita)

Verbs ending in “bi” and “mi” sounds (び・み)

• “び” and “み” become “んだ” (nda)
  Example:
  あそびます (asobimasu) → あそんだ (asonda)
  のみます (nomimasu) → のんだ (nonda)

Group 2 (Ru-Verbs)

Rule: Simply remove ます (masu) and add た (ta).

Group 3 (Irregular Verbs)

Rule: These verbs are irregular and must be memorized.