N5 Ichidan Verbs

to take a shower, to dash over oneself (e.g. water), to take (e.g. shower), to bask in (e.g. the sun)

あびる / abiru: connect the sound to "a beer? ew!". Picture someone rinsing off after a silly spill in a scene for "to take a shower" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to give, to raise, to elevate, to move something (to a higher place)

あげる / ageru: connect the sound to "a giver". Picture a cheerful giver handing something over in a scene for "to give" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to open, to open (a door, etc.), to unwrap (e.g. parcel, package), to unlock

あける / akeru: connect the sound to "a key". Picture a giant key making the action happen in a scene for "to open" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to go out, to go out (e.g. on an excursion or outing), to leave, to depart

でかける / dekakeru: hear "day" + "car" + "kettle" in the word. Picture a bright daytime sky, a small car, and a whistling kettle turning into a clear action scene for "to go out"; that little scene ties dekakeru to "to go out".

can do, to be able to do, to be possible, to be permitted (to do)

できる / dekiru: hear "day" + "key" + "room" in the word. Picture a bright daytime sky, a bright key, and a tiny room turning into a clear scene for "can do"; that little scene ties dekiru to "can do".

to leave, to exit, to go out, to come out

でる / deru: hear "day" + "room" in the word. Picture a bright daytime sky beside a tiny room turning into a clear action scene for "to leave"; that little scene ties deru to "to leave".

to clear up, to clear away, to be sunny, to stop raining

はれる / hareru: connect the sound to "hurray". Picture clouds clearing while people cheer in a scene for "to clear up" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to insert, to put in, to put in, to let in, to take in

いれる / ireru: connect the sound to "ear rail". Picture a tiny rail sliding something into place in a scene for "to insert, to put in" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to exist, to shoot (arrow, bolt, dart)

いる / iru: connect the sound to "ear". Picture a giant listening ear noticing what is needed in a scene for "to exist" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to need, to shoot (arrow, bolt, dart)

いる / iru: connect the sound to "ear". Picture a giant listening ear noticing what is needed in a scene for "to need" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to make a phone call, to hang up (e.g. a coat, a picture on the wall), to let hang, to suspend (from)

かける / kakeru: connect the sound to "hooker". Picture a big hook attaching or calling across the scene in a scene for "to make a phone call" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to wear, to hang up (e.g. a coat, a picture on the wall), to let hang, to suspend (from)

かける / kakeru: connect the sound to "hooker". Picture a big hook attaching or calling across the scene in a scene for "to wear" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to put on (e.g., glasses); to hang (e.g., on a wall), to hang up (e.g. a coat, a picture on the wall), to let hang, to suspend (from)

かける / kakeru: connect the sound to "hooker". Picture a big hook attaching or calling across the scene in a scene for "to put on (e.g., glasses); to hang (e.g., on a wall)" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to borrow, to rent, to hire, to make use of (another's help, wisdom, etc.)

かりる / kariru: connect the sound to "carry loan". Picture someone carrying a borrowed item in a scene for "to borrow" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to vanish, to disappear, to go out of sight, to go away

きえる / kieru: connect the sound to "key arrow". Picture a key-shaped arrow making something vanish in a scene for "to vanish" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to wear, to put on, to wear (from the shoulders down), to put on, to take (the blame, responsibility)

きる / kiru: connect the sound to "key ring". Picture a key ring cutting or wearing the idea in a scene for "to wear, to put on" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to answer, to reply

こたえる / kotaeru: connect the sound to "quote arrow". Picture a quote bubble answering a question in a scene for "to answer" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to see, to watch, to see, to look, to watch

The eye notices the small み sound first: 見る is seeing with attention.

to show, to display, to make (something or someone) look ..., to present an appearance of ...

みせる / miseru: connect the sound to "me, see, room". Picture a show-and-tell room in a scene for "to show" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to line up, to set up, to arrange in a line, to enumerate

ならべる / naraberu: connect the sound to "narrow bell row". Picture bells lined up in a neat row in a scene for "to line up" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to sleep, to sleep (lying down), to go to bed, to lie in bed

ねる / neru: connect the sound to "near room". Picture a cozy nearby room for sleeping in a scene for "to sleep" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to memorize, to remember, to memorize, to memorise, to commit to memory

おぼえる / oboeru: connect the sound to "oh boy, arrow". Picture an arrow pointing to something to remember in a scene for "to memorize, to remember" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to get up, to stand up, to get up, to rise, to blaze up (fire)

おきる / okiru sounds like "OK, I need to." Picture a sleepy person deciding, okay, I need to wake up now, and slapping a giant alarm button shaped like an approval hand gesture. Okiru means to wake up or get up.

to get off, to descend (e.g. a mountain), to go down, to come down

おりる / oriru: connect the sound to "oh, rear view". Picture someone stepping down while looking behind in a scene for "to get off" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to teach, to inform, to instruct, to teach, to instruct, to tell

おしえる / oshieru: hear "oh" + "she" + "eh" in the word. Picture someone realizing "oh!", someone saying "she", and someone tilting their head and saying "eh?" turning into a clear action scene for "to teach, to inform, to instruct"; that little scene ties oshieru to "to teach, to inform, to instruct".

to close, to shut

しめる / shimeru: connect the sound to "shimmer". Picture a shimmering hand closing or fastening something in a scene for "to close" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to fasten a belt, to tie, to fasten, to tighten

しめる / shimeru: connect the sound to "shimmer". Picture a shimmering hand closing or fastening something in a scene for "to fasten a belt" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to eat, to live on (e.g. a salary), to live off, to subsist on

たべる sounds like TABLE. Picture a wooden dining TABLE that has come alive — stubby legs, a hungry cartoon face, chopsticks in tiny wooden hands — perched on a chair, gleefully shoveling rice into its mouth. A TABLE that eats. Tables are for taberu-ing.

to get tired, to tire, to get fatigued, to become exhausted

つかれる / tsukareru: connect the sound to "tusk arrow". Picture a tired tusk-shaped arrow drooping in a scene for "to get tired" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to turn on, to switch on, to light up

つける / tsukeru: connect the sound to "switch care". Picture a careful hand turning on a switch in a scene for "to turn on" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to work for someone, to work (for), to be employed (at), to serve (in)

つとめる / tsutomeru: connect the sound to "suit to merit". Picture a suited worker earning a merit badge in a scene for "to work for someone" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to be born

うまれる / umareru: connect the sound to "ooh, my rare room". Picture a special room prepared for a new arrival in a scene for "to be born" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

to forget, to leave carelessly, to be forgetful of, to forget about

わすれる / wasureru: connect the sound to "was a ruler". Picture a ruler forgotten on a desk in a scene for "to forget" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.