Japanese verb · u-verb · first needed at beginner level (A1)
行く
iku
to go
A u-verb with one irregular form: the te-form is (itte) and the past (itta), not 行いて. The place takes (ni) or (e).
Present
現在形
Now, habits and the future. The plain form is for friends and family; polite ～ます is the default.
| plain | 行くiku | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 行きますikimasu | |
| plain negative | 行かないikanai | |
| polite negative | 行きませんikimasen |
Past
過去形
What happened, or what has happened. The plain form is for friends and family; polite ～ました is the default.
| plain | 行ったitta | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 行きましたikimashita | |
| plain negative | 行かなかったikanakatta | |
| polite negative | 行きませんでしたikimasen deshita |
Te-form
て形
Joins actions and builds requests and permission. (itte imasu) means “has gone (and is there)” or “goes regularly”, not “is going”.
| te-form | 行ってitte | |
|---|---|---|
| -te imasu (doing now) | 行っていますitte imasu | |
| -te kudasai (please do) | 行ってくださいitte kudasai | |
| -te mo ii desu ka (may I) | 行ってもいいですかitte mo ii desu ka |
Volitional
意向形
Let's: the plain form between friends, ～ましょう in polite speech. ～ましょうか suggests (shall we?) or offers help (shall I?).
| plain (let's) | 行こうikō | |
|---|---|---|
| polite (let's) | 行きましょうikimashō | |
| polite (shall we?) | 行きましょうかikimashō ka |
Potential
可能形
Can go: (ashita ikemasu ka), can you go tomorrow?
| plain | 行けるikeru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 行けますikemasu | |
| plain negative | 行けないikenai | |
| polite negative | 行けませんikemasen |
Causative
使役形
Making or letting someone go. (ikasete kudasai) means “please let me go”.
| plain | 行かせるikaseru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 行かせますikasemasu | |
| plain negative | 行かせないikasenai | |
| polite negative | 行かせませんikasemasen |
Conditional
条件形
If: ～ば for general conditions, ～たら for “if” and “when, once”, ～なければ for “if not”.
| -ba | 行けばikeba | |
|---|---|---|
| -tara | 行ったらittara | |
| -nakereba (if not) | 行かなければikanakereba |
Examples
- 明日、東京に行きます。Ashita, Tōkyō ni ikimasu.I'm going to Tokyo tomorrow.
- 一緒に映画を見に行きましょう。Issho ni eiga o mi ni ikimashō.Let's go and see a film together.
- 昨日は学校に行かなかった。Kinō wa gakkō ni ikanakatta.I didn't go to school yesterday.