Japanese verbs don’t always play by tidy rules, and godan verbs (also called u‑verbs) can feel like a puzzle if you’re just starting to spot the patterns. Once you nail the five‑vowel shifts, though, a huge chunk of everyday Japanese clicks into place. This list gathers around 200 of the most common godan verbs you’ll actually use-whether you’re chatting about your day, reading manga, or just trying to order ramen without sounding like a textbook.
Every verb here comes with a straightforward meaning and a natural example sentence, so you can see exactly how it behaves in real Japanese. Tap the play button beside any word to hear it spoken aloud, because your ears need practice too. And when you’re ready to study offline, the free PDF download button sits right below the table-no sign‑up, no fuss.
If this topic helped, explore more in our Japanese learning section. it’s the easiest way to keep building related vocabulary without jumping around the web.
Quick Quiz
Think you’ve got a handle on these conjugations? Give the quiz a go and see which godan verbs are already locked in-and which ones could use a little more love.
Browse the Full List
| Word | Type | Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 上がる | godan | to rise, to go up | |
| 下がる | godan | to fall, to go down | |
| 下ろす | godan | to take down (e.g. flag); to launch (e.g. boat); to drop; to lower (e.g. ladder); to let (a person) off; to unload; to discharge | |
| 乗る | godan | to ride, to board | |
| 休む | godan | to rest, to take a break | |
| 会う | Godan verb | to meet | |
| 住む | Godan | to live | |
| 作る | Godan verb | to make | |
| 使う | godan | to use | |
| 信じる | godan | to believe; to believe in; to place trust in; to confide in; to have faith in | |
| 働く | Godan | to work | |
| 優れる | godan | to surpass; to outstrip; to excel | |
| 光る | godan verb | to shine | |
| 入る | Godan verb | to enter | |
| 凍る | godan | to freeze; to be frozen over; to congeal | |
| 出す | Godan | to take out, to put out | |
| 分かる | Godan | to understand | |
| 切る | godan | to cut | |
| 切れる | godan | to break; to snap; to be cut; to split; to crack | |
| 刈る | godan | to cut (grass, hair, etc.); to mow; to clip; to trim; to prune; to shear; to reap; to harvest | |
| 加わる | godan | to be added to; to be appended | |
| 劣る | godan | to be inferior to; to be less good at; to fall behind | |
| 助かる | Godan | to be saved, to be helped | |
| 効く | godan | to be effective; to show effect | |
| 動かす | godan | to move; to shift; to stir; to budge; to change position |
