12 Daily Action Japanese Words | Master Basic N5 Verbs at Once
Learn 12 basic verbs used every day at the beginner (N5) Japanese level all at once.
It is easier to remember them by following the chronological order of daily actions, from waking up in the morning to going to sleep.
Check out the correct pronunciation and practical example sentences for each verb.
How this bundle was curated
All items at a glance
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 起きる | おきる | to wake up / to get up |
| 寝る | ねる | to sleep / to go to bed |
| 食べる | たべる | to eat |
| 飲む | のむ | to drink |
| 見る | みる | to see / to watch |
| 聞く | きく | to listen / to ask |
| 読む | よむ | to read |
| 書く | かく | to write |
| 話す | はなす | to speak / to talk |
| 買う | かう | to buy |
| 使う | つかう | to use |
| 帰る | かえる | to return / to go home |
Item by item
Reading: おきる
to wake up / to get up
This means the action of waking up from sleep. It is often used with the time particle 'に', as in 'waking up at 7 a.m.'
Reading: ねる
to sleep / to go to bed
This refers to going to bed and getting some sleep.
Reading: たべる
to eat
This is the action of eating food. It is frequently used with the object particle 'を' in the pattern '～を食べる'.
Reading: のむ
to drink
Besides the action of drinking water, beverages, or alcohol, Japanese also uses this verb for 'taking medicine' (薬を飲む).
Reading: みる
to see / to watch
This is the action of seeing something with your eyes. It is widely used for watching movies, TV, looking at scenery, etc.
Reading: きく
to listen / to ask
This verb has two meanings: 'to listen' to a sound and 'to ask' someone a question. You need to interpret it based on the context.
Reading: よむ
to read
This means the action of reading text, such as books, newspapers, or magazines.
Reading: かく
to write
This is the action of writing text or drawing a picture. It frequently appears when writing letters or diaries.
Reading: はなす
to speak / to talk
Used when having a conversation with someone or speaking a language. It is also used to indicate language proficiency, such as 'speaking Japanese'.
Reading: かう
to buy
This is the action of paying money and purchasing an item.
Reading: つかう
to use
This means using tools, time, money, etc.
Reading: かえる
to return / to go home
This means returning to where you originally were (like your home or hometown). Since it is a Group 1 verb, you must be careful with its conjugation.
Practice with examples
How to decide when unsure
- When expressing 'to take medicine', it is common to use 飲む (to drink) instead of 食べる (to eat). (e.g., 薬を飲む)
- Besides meaning 'to listen' to a sound like 'listening to music', 聞く (きく) is also frequently used to mean 'to ask' a question, such as 'asking a teacher' (先生に聞く). It is important to grasp the context well.
- Although 帰る (かえる) ends in 'る', it is an exceptional Group 1 verb, so when forming the polite form, it becomes 帰ります (kaerimasu).
Common mistakes
While in English we say 'to take medicine', Japanese views the action of swallowing pills similarly to drinking liquids, so it is expressed differently.
Wrong example: 薬を食べます。/Correct example: 薬を飲みます。
In Japanese, it is natural to use '飲む' (to drink) when taking medicine.
Mini quiz
Which of the following is the most correct way to express 'I take medicine' in Japanese?
One-line summary
Perfectly master these 12 basic N5 verbs for daily actions, and try naturally expressing your day in Japanese!
FAQ
When should 聞く be translated as 'to listen' and when as 'to ask'?
Generally, if the object is a sound or music (音楽を聞く), it is translated as 'to listen', and if it is a person (先生に聞く), it is often translated as 'to ask'. You can naturally distinguish them through context.
Why isn't 帰る (to return) a Group 2 verb?
Although it looks like a Group 2 verb because it ends in an 'e-row sound + る', it is an exception classified as a Group 1 verb for historical reasons. Therefore, its ます-form is '帰ります' and its て-form is '帰って'.
