JLPT N4 action and movement verbs make up the largest single vocabulary category on the exam — 85 verbs covering everything from daily commuting to breaking and fixing objects. A defining feature of N4 verbs is the introduction of transitive/intransitive pairs (壊す/壊れる, 上がる/下がる) — this guide highlights those pairs to help you master the pattern.

This article is part of our JLPT N4 Complete Vocabulary Guide. Practice all 85 verbs with the N4 Verbs 1 deck in Onigiri Anki.

Movement & Travel (12)

These verbs describe commuting, moving, and travel-related actions — common in N4 reading passages about daily routines.

to be late遅れるokureru

電車が遅れています。 — The train is delayed.

to hurry急ぐisogu

急いでください。 — Please hurry.

to move (intransitive)動くugoku

この機械は動きません。 — This machine does not move.

to move (to a new place)移るutsuru

家族は東京に移りました。 — My family moved to Tokyo.

to commute通うkayou

毎日学校に通っています。 — I commute to school every day.

to pass through通るtooru

ドアを通ってください。 — Please go through the door.

to stay (overnight)泊まるtomaru

今夜、友だちの家に泊まります。 — I will stay at my friend's house tonight.

to transfer (trains)乗り換えるnorikaeru

とうきょうえきでバスに乗り換えます。 — I transfer to a bus at Tokyo Station.

to move (house)引っ越すhikkosu

来月、東京へ引っ越します。 — Next month, I will move to Tokyo.

to return / to go back戻るmodoru

六時にうちへ戻ります。 — I will go back home at six.

to run away逃げるnigeru

こどもはにげました。 — The child ran away.

to drop by寄るyoru

図書館に寄ります。 — I will drop by the library.

Transitive/Intransitive Change Verbs (12)

These verb pairs describe the same event from two perspectives — someone causing a change (transitive) vs. the change happening on its own (intransitive).

to go up上がるagaru

気温が上がります。 — The temperature is going up.

to go down下がるsagaru

気温が下がります。 — The temperature is going down.

to lower下げるsageru

音を下げてください。 — Please lower the volume.

to change (transitive)変えるkaeru

予定を変えました。 — I changed my plan.

to change (intransitive)変わるkawaru

きょう、予定が変わりました。 — The plan changed today.

to be decided決まるkimaru

会議の時間はきのう決まりました。 — The meeting time was decided yesterday.

to break (transitive)壊すkowasu

かれはコップを壊しました。 — He broke the cup.

to break (intransitive)壊れるkowareru

かばんが壊れました。 — My bag broke.

to be fixed直るnaoru

このパソコンはもう直りました。 — This computer is fixed.

to fix / repair直すnaosu

自転車を直しました。 — I fixed my bicycle.

to increase増えるfueru

今年、友だちが増えました。 — My friends increased this year.

to break / to crack割れるwareru

コップが割れました。 — The glass broke.

Household & Daily Actions (12)

Everyday household verbs — gathering, tidying, planting — common in N4 passages about home life.

to send送るokuru

メールを送りました。 — I sent an email.

to be delivered届くtodoku

荷物が届きました。 — The package arrived.

to look for探すsagasu

鍵を探しています。 — I am looking for my keys.

to raise / grow育てるsodateru

庭で野菜を育てています。 — I grow vegetables in the garden.

to gather (intransitive)集まるatsumaru

駅にたくさんの人が集まりました。 — Many people gathered at the station.

to collect集めるatsumeru

彼女ははがきを集めています。 — She collects postcards.

to plant植えるueru

庭に木を植えました。 — I planted a tree in the garden.

to choose選ぶerabu

本を一冊選んでください。 — Please choose one book.

to decorate飾るkazaru

妹は花でへやを飾りました。 — My sister decorated the room with flowers.

to tidy up片付けるkatazukeru

わたしはつくえを片付けました。 — I tidied up my desk.

to throw away捨てるsuteru

古い新聞を捨てました。 — I threw away the old newspaper.

to grill / to bake焼くyaku

母は夕食に魚を焼きます。 — My mother grills fish for dinner.

Object Handling (12)

These verbs describe physical interaction with objects — dropping, carrying, wrapping — frequently tested in N4 reading comprehension.

to fold / to break折るoru

この紙を折ってください。 — Please fold this paper.

to drop落とすotosu

ペンを落としました。 — I dropped my pen.

to fall落ちるochiru

りんごがテーブルから落ちました。 — The apple fell from the table.

to carry運ぶhakobu

箱を車まで運びます。 — I carry the boxes to the car.

to pay払うharau

店でお金を払います。 — I pay the bill at the store.

to catch捕まえるtsukamaeru

川で魚を捕まえました。 — I caught a fish by the river.

to wrap包むtsutsumu

プレゼントを包みました。 — I wrapped the present.

to pick up拾うhirou

道で財布を拾いました。 — I picked up the wallet on the road.

to steal盗むnusumu

だれかがじてんしゃをぬすみました。 — Someone stole my bicycle.

to touch触るsawaru

これに触らないでください。 — Please do not touch this.

to throw投げるnageru

子どもがボールを投げます。 — The child throws a ball.

to build建てるtateru

わたしたちは小さい家を建てたいです。 — We want to build a small house.

The Transitive/Intransitive Pattern

This is the single most important verb concept at N4 level. Transitive verbs (他動詞) take a direct object and describe someone doing something to it: 私がコップを壊しました (I broke the cup). Intransitive verbs (自動詞) describe something happening by itself, with no one causing it directly: コップが壊れました (The cup broke).

Recognizing the pattern by ending helps: verbs ending in -aru are often intransitive (下がる, 決まる), while their -eru/-osu counterparts are often transitive (下げる, 壊す). This isn't a strict rule, but it's a useful starting heuristic for N4 study.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the JLPT test transitive/intransitive verb pairs?

This distinction is fundamental to Japanese grammar and changes sentence structure significantly (窓を開けます vs 窓が開きます). N4 is the level where the JLPT begins testing this systematically, since it's essential for accurate reading comprehension.

How many verbs do I need to memorize for N4?

The N4 verb list totals around 137 verbs across our two verb decks (Actions and Mind & Talk). Focus on high-frequency verbs first — movement, communication, and household actions appear most often in reading and listening sections.

Practice All 85 N4 Action Verbs

Import the N4 Verbs 1 deck into Onigiri Anki and master transitive/intransitive pairs with spaced repetition.

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JLPT N4 Verbs — Actions & Movement: 85 Essential Verbs (2026)