Sound Rows for Verb Conjugation
動詞変化のための50音
1. What is this?
Japanese verb changes are based on sound rows.
2. Why this matters
Most textbooks only introduce sound rows briefly and tell you to “memorize them.”
All Japanese verb conjugations are based on this system.
You must understand this before moving forward.
3. Rows
Each kana belongs to a row.
All sound rows（50音）
* あ い う え お → A-row（あ行）
* か き く け こ → KA-row（か行）
* さ し す せ そ → SA-row（さ行）
* た ち つ て と → TA-row（た行）
* な に ぬ ね の → NA-row（な行）
* は ひ ふ へ ほ → HA-row（は行）
* ま み む め も → MA-row（ま行）
* や ゆ よ → YA-row（や行）
* ら り る れ ろ → RA-row（ら行）
* わ を → WA-row（わ行）
* ん → N
↑First, learn these rows.
You cannot understand verb conjugation without this.
4. Vowels
Japanese has five vowels:
a / i / u / e / o
* a → あ
* i → い
* u → う
* e → え
* o → お
👉 Focus: vowel change
5.Important
This rule applies to U-verbs only.
RU-verbs do NOT follow this pattern.
6. Combine
In the same row, change the ending vowel sound.
かく（書く）
When a verb ends with「く」
the final sound changes within the same row based on the verb form.
く → か / き / く / け / こ
This is the K-row: ka / ki / ku / ke / ko
Change to the “a” sound → か
Change to the “i” sound → き
Change to the “u” sound → く
Change to the “e” sound → け
Change to the “o” sound → こ
⸻
のむ（飲む）
When a verb ends with「む」
the final sound changes within the same row based on the verb form.
む → ま / み / む / め / も
This is the M-row: ma / mi / mu / me / mo
Change to the “a” sound → ま
Change to the “i” sound → み
Change to the “u” sound → む
Change to the “e” sound → め
Change to the “o” sound → も
⸻
とる（取る）
When a verb ends with「る」
the final sound changes within the same row based on the verb form.
る → ら / り / る / れ / ろ
This is the R-row: ra / ri / ru / re / ro
Change to the “a” sound → ら
Change to the “i” sound → り
Change to the “u” sound → る
Change to the “e” sound → れ
Change to the “o” sound → ろ
7. Why this matters
Verb forms are made by changing the ending sound.
A → ない (negative)
I → ます (polite)
E → potential, etc.
O → volitional, etc.
※ Detailed usage will be covered in each lesson.
8.Check & Key Point
Before changing a verb, always check the final sound (ending).
かく → く → K-row
のむ → む → M-row
とる → る → R-row
Identify the row from the final sound first.
Then change the vowel within the same row.
Do not memorize each form separately.
Understand using row + vowel.