る-Verb (Dictionary)る + ます (Ichidan Verbs)

Short form is also often called 'casual form' (because it is used in casual language), or 'plain form'

Structure

Examples:
食(た)べる
見(み)る
寝(ね)る

Details

Part of Speech
Verb
Word Type
Independent Word
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Standard

About る-Verb (Dictionary)

る-Verbs are verbs that have only one possible conjugation pattern. This pattern simply involves the replacement of る with another construction, depending on the tense of the verb (past, negative, etc). This conjugation pattern that only includes る is where the Japanese name Ichidan (一段(いちだん)) 'one-level' comes from.

In these examples, we can see that る is removed from the verb to create the polite ます form. The る form of the verb is often called 'plain form', 'casual form', or 'short form', depending on the source/book.
All る-Verbs end in the kana る, there are no exceptions to this rule.

Caution

While all る-Verbs end in る, not all verbs that end in る are る-Verbs. These verbs can be identified by the る changing, rather than being removed when conjugated.

それも取(と)る。

I will take that too.
それも取(と)ります。

I will take that too.

As the る in 取(と)る becomes り in 取(と)ります, we can determine immediately that it is not a る-Verb, but actually a う-Verb.

Examples

--:--

見(み)る → 見(み)ます

To look

寝(ね)る → 寝(ね)ます

To go to sleep

覚(おぼ)える → 覚(おぼ)えます

To memorize/remember

食(た)べる → 食(た)べます

To eat

浴(あ)びる → 浴(あ)びます

To wash/shower

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る-Verb (Dictionary) – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (9 in total)

Jake
Ichidan verbs: ending in る
Structure
- 食べる・食べない
- 食べます・食べません
View on Bunpro
Beef623
I don’t understand what this grammar point is supposed to be telling me?
mrnoone
Hey

The idea is to help students learn and memorize basic conjugation of る verbs (ichidan verbs), and help them realize the difference with another kind of verbs that end with る (the う verbs with る ending, ごだん verbs with る ending). It is very important.

Lets compare two verbs:
たべる to eat. the いちだん verb
わかる to understand. the ごだん verb with る ending

Polite non-past: たべます・わかります
Polite non-past negative: たべません・わかりません
Polite past: たべました・わかりました
Polite past negative: たべませんでした・わかりませんでした
Short form non-past: たべる・わかる
Short form non-past negative: たべない・わからない
Short form past: たべた・わかった
Short form past negative: たべなかった・わからなかった

As you can see, the conjugations are different. What is more, almos...
Beef623
Ok, that helps, thanks!
mrnoone
@Beef623
No problemo, if you have problems just write on forums
Phosphophyllite
is this item missing example sentences for the
食べた・食べました
and
食べなかった・食べませんでした
forms? or am I misunderstanding something?
MatzBlanc
My review was:

(Casual) → 借かります

How am I supposed to know if it is the Godan or Ichidan Version casual version?

They both are the same when polite, no ?
steffuld
I’ve never thought about it before, but is it true that ichidan verbs always end in -iru or -eru?
This vastly simplifies telling apart ichidan and godan verbs, imo. Should be a ‘fun fact’ or something.
Fuga
It is true that ichidan verbs end in -iru or -eru, however there are exceptions and not all verbs that end in -iru and -eru are ichidan verbs.

For example 切る ‘kiru’ ends in -iru and 減る ‘heru’ ends in -eru, but these are both godan verbs.
sharkey
I came for this same exact question…

If I don’t know that vocab I am going off the form there and both are the same meaning conjugated form when I looked it up, so how would I be expected to guess correctly here, and/or is it even important in instances like this? Should this example just be accepting either? Or rather change to a different word if it is specifically trying to test ーる verbs?