N4 Vocabulary: Common verbs — 24 words with memory tricks
N4 verbs revolve around a key point: honorific & humble speech (敬語) — the hallmark of N4. This lesson gathers 24 verbs: honorific (raising others), humble (lowering yourself), transitive/intransitive pairs, and common N4 verbs.
01
いらっしゃる
いらっしゃる
irassharu
-- honorific expression for いく, くる, and いる --
💡 Honorific for 行く/来る/いる → go/come/be (for a superior). Irregular: いらっしゃいます.
02
おっしゃる
おっしゃる
ossharu
-- honorific expression for いう --
💡 Honorific for 言う → to say (a superior speaks). おっしゃいます.
03
なさる
なさる
nasaru
-- honorific expression for する --
💡 Honorific for する → to do. なさいます.
04
くださる
くださる
kudasaru
(hon.) to give, to confer
💡 Honorific for くれる → to give (to me). ください comes from this.
05
召し上がる
めしあがる
meshiagaru
-- honorific form of 食べる (たべる) and 飲む (のむ) --
💡 Honorific for 食べる/飲む → to eat/drink. meshiagaru.
06
いただく
いただく
itadaku
-- extra-modest expression for たべる and のむ; humble expression for もらう --
💡 Humble for もらう/食べる/飲む → to receive / eat / drink (I). いただきます before meals comes from this!
07
うかがう
うかがう
ukagau
to ask
💡 Humble for 聞く/行く/訪ねる → to ask / visit (I). 伺う.
08
おる
おる
oru
-- extra-modest expression for いる --
💡 Humble for いる → to be (I). ~ておる = polite ~ている.
09
参る
まいる
mairu
humble expression for 行く and 来る
💡 Humble for 行く/来る → to go/come (I). mairu.
10
差し上げる
さしあげる
sashiageru
-- humble expression for あげる --
💡 Humble for あげる → to give (to a superior). sashiageru.
11
壊れる
こわれる
kowareru
to be broken, to break
💡 kowareru = to break by itself (intransitive). Pairs with 壊す.
12
壊す
こわす
kowasu
to break, to break down
💡 kowasu = to break something (transitive). Pairs with 壊れる.
13
変わる
かわる
kawaru
to change (v.i.), to be transformed, to vary
💡 kawaru = to change by itself. 変 = change.
14
変える
かえる
kaeru
to change, to alter, to vary
💡 kaeru = to change something. Pairs with 変わる.
15
止む
やむ
yamu
to cease, to stop
💡 yamu = (rain/wind) stops by itself. Pairs with 止める.
16
止める
やめる
yameru
to end, to stop
💡 tomeru = to stop something (car, machine). Also read やめる (to quit).
17
手伝う
てつだう
tetsudau
to help
💡 手 (hand) + 伝う → lend a hand = to help. tetsudau.
18
引っ越す
ひっこす
hikkosu
to move to a new place of residence
💡 hikkosu = to move house. 引 (pull) + 越 (cross over).
19
捨てる
すてる
suteru
throw away (trash), dump, discard
💡 suteru = to throw away.
20
探す
さがす
sagasu
to search, to seek, to look for
💡 sagasu = to search for.
21
慣れる
なれる
nareru
to grow accustomed to
💡 nareru = to get used to.
22
急ぐ
いそぐ
isogu
to hurry, to be in a hurry, to rush
💡 isogu = to hurry.
23
払う
はらう
harau
to pay
💡 harau = to pay; also "to brush off". お金を払う = pay money.
24
思い出す
おもいだす
omoidasu
to recall, to remember
💡 思う (think) + 出す (take out) → pull a thought out = to recall. omoidasu.
Memory tricks
- Honorific (尊敬語) — raise others: いらっしゃる (=行く/来る/いる), おっしゃる (=言う), なさる (=する), くださる (=くれる), 召し上がる (=食べる/飲む). For a superior's actions.
- Humble (謙譲語) — lower yourself: いただく (=もらう/食べる), 伺う (=聞く/行く), おる (=いる), 参る (=行く/来る), 差し上げる (=あげる). For YOUR own actions.
- Irregular masu-form: honorific verbs drop る → い: なさる→なさいます, くださる→くださいます, いらっしゃる→いらっしゃいます.
- Transitive/intransitive pairs (review): 壊れる (breaks itself) / 壊す (break it), 変わる / 変える, 止む / 止める.
- Spaced repetition in Memoro.
→ See all N4 Common verbs vocabulary
Learn faster with Memoro — a pixel-styled flashcard app: spaced repetition reminds you at the right time, AI drafts decks on request. Free.
Start learning now →