Japanese verb · irregular · first needed at beginner level (A1)
する
suru
to do
One of the two irregular verbs. It turns many nouns into verbs (, benkyō suru; , ryōri suru), and its potential is the separate verb (dekiru).
Present
現在形
Now, habits and the future. The plain form is for friends and family; polite ～ます is the default.
| plain | するsuru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | しますshimasu | |
| plain negative | しないshinai | |
| polite negative | しませんshimasen |
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 | したshita | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | しましたshimashita | |
| plain negative | しなかったshinakatta | |
| polite negative | しませんでしたshimasen deshita |
Te-form
て形
Joins actions (“and then”) and builds ～ています (doing now), ～てください (please do) and ～てもいいですか (may I).
| te-form | してshite | |
|---|---|---|
| -te imasu (doing now) | していますshite imasu | |
| -te kudasai (please do) | してくださいshite kudasai | |
| -te mo ii desu ka (may I) | してもいいですかshite 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) | しようshiyō | |
|---|---|---|
| polite (let's) | しましょうshimashō | |
| polite (shall we?) | しましょうかshimashō ka |
Potential
可能形
Can do: (suru) has no potential of its own and uses (dekiru). The object takes (ga): (tenisu ga dekimasu).
| plain | できるdekiru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | できますdekimasu | |
| plain negative | できないdekinai | |
| polite negative | できませんdekimasen |
Passive
受身形
Being done: (sareru). The doer takes (ni); also used as a light honorific.
| plain | されるsareru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | されますsaremasu | |
| plain negative | されないsarenai | |
| polite negative | されませんsaremasen |
Causative
使役形
Making or letting someone do it. (sasete kudasai) means “please let me do it”.
| plain | させるsaseru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | させますsasemasu | |
| plain negative | させないsasenai | |
| polite negative | させませんsasemasen |
Conditional
条件形
If: ～ば for general conditions, ～たら for “if” and “when, once”, ～なければ for “if not”.
| -ba | すればsureba | |
|---|---|---|
| -tara | したらshitara | |
| -nakereba (if not) | しなければshinakereba |
Examples
- 毎朝ジョギングをします。Maiasa jogingu o shimasu.I go jogging every morning.
- 週末は何をしましたか。Shūmatsu wa nani o shimashita ka.What did you do at the weekend?
- 一緒に宿題をしよう。Issho ni shukudai o shiyō.Let's do our homework together.