I have been learning the verb list for the N4 exam but I do not know how to
tell the group of a verb. Until now I have memorized them by heart.
Nevertheless I still have trouble telling the group of a verb because I can't
memorize them all. I wondered whether there is a systematic method of knowing
the group of a verb. Could you help me with that?

According to my textbook:

  * いきます belongs to group I
  * ねます belongs to group II
  * きます belongs to group III
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grammar verbs
How can you divide verbs into conjugation groups easily?
Japanese verbs can be divided into three groups (godan verbs, ichidan verbs
and irregular verbs). Nevertheless, the -ます form is not the best to tell them
apart.

* * *

Godan verbs (Group I) ends in く、ぐ、う、ぶ、る、ぬ、つ、む、す. Examples are:
行｛い｝く、泳｛およ｝ぐ、買｛か｝う、遊｛あそ｝ぶ、上｛あ｝がる、死｛し｝ぬ、待｛ま｝つ、読｛よ｝む、話｛はな｝す. There is some
overlapping with verb ending in る.I mean that you have to learn the groups of
verbs ending in る because 帰{かえ}る is a godan but 変｛か｝える is ichidan.

* * *

Ichidan verbs (group II) can be divided in two groups (上一段{かみいちだん} and
下一段{しもいちだん}) that is verbs ending in -いる (上｛かみ｝, the name is 上 because if you
draw あいうえお vertically い is above え) and -える (下｛しも｝).  
Examples are: 寝{ね}る, 食 _べる_ , 起 _きる_. Very often the え/いる part is in hiragana
(寝る is an exception to that).

* * *

Irregular verbs (Group III) are really easy, there are two irregulars verbs する
and 来｛く｝る.
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You don't need to know what 'group' a verb is in. That's a completely abstract
way to think about verbs that is just a made up construct used to explain
things in an academic setting.

It really slows you down if you have to stop mid sentence to think about what
'group' a verb is in.

Instead you want to be able to recognize it on the subconscious level and be
able to spit out the correct conjugation **without thinking** about it at all.

Japanese is an extremely regular language so this is fairly easy to achieve.
It takes some work but the general gist of it is:

There are several different sounds verbs can end In

る、す、む、く、ぐ、ぬ、つ、う、ぶ

And it among the ru verbs there is a separate pattern when there is an 'e'
sound before the 'ru' like える.

You don't ever need to think about which groups these are in. Forget about it.
It's just not helpful. The easiest way to acquire the natural ability to
conjugate verbs without even thinking about which group they are in is to
memorize all the conjugations for each of those verbs endings for at least 3
different verbs of each ending. Once you've done it for 3 different verbs with
that ending the pattern crystallizes and you begin to internalize it and start
using it naturally without thinking about it. Here's a list of [all the major
japanese verb conjugations](http://www.verbsmash.com)
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I wanted to add on to 変幻出没's post by clarifying the Group I (godan) verb
exceptions - not only do they end in る, **they all end in える and いる, but are
actually Group I rather than Group II (ichidan)**.

(Not to say that Japanese should be studied purely for the JLPT, but this
information is relevant to your N4 studies: there are a finite number of Group
I exceptions you need to know for your test.) **JLPT or not** , most of the
basic ones are in the following picture: <http://www.kanji-
link.com/docs/en_gram_n5_verb_groups.pdf>

> There are 10 exceptions listed at the bottom of the picture.
>
> 6 of them are definitely at N5 level: 帰る 要る 切る 知る 入る 走る.
>
> Currently I am studying for N4, and so far out of the other 4 I only know
> that 喋る is at N4 level.
>
> Of course, it is impossible to predict which words will appear and which
> definitely won't appear, so feel free to study them all.
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First, Group III is the easiest to devide because 来{く}る and する are the only
verbs that belong to it. These verbs have each irregular conjugation as you
probably know.  

* * *

Then, if the verb ends with another than ''る'', it belongs to Group I.  
For example, you can tell which group 行{い}く belongs to, because it ends with
''く'' which is another than ''る''. Yes, ''行く'' belongs to Group I.  

* * *

Next, I'll tell about verbs that end with ''る''.  
You have to care the previous vowel to ''る''.  
For example, let's watch a verb ''乗{の}る''. This verb can be written ''noru''
in the alphabet, then the previous vowel to ''る'' is ''o''.  
If the previous vowel is '' _a_ '', '' _u_ '', or '' _o_ '', the verb belongs
to Group I.  

* * *

It's a difficult case for you when the verb ends with ''る'' and the previous
vowel to ''る'' is '' _-i_ '' or '' _-e_ '', e.g. 走{はし}る hash _iru_ , 食{た}べる
tab _eru_ , and 寝{ね}る n _eru_.  
Most verbs that end with ''i-る'' or ''e-る'' belong to Group II, so it's easier
to memorize verbs that belong to Group I in spite of its feature.  
  

It has been said by rhyaeris, I will mention them again.  
The verbs as follows are Group I, however you can't tell which group they
belong to only by their dictionary forms.  
I dare to give all verbs that I can remember, so there would be some
unfamiliar verbs for you.  
  
- 走{はし}る  
- 入{はい}る  
- 要{い}る いる{LH} (居{い}る belongs to Group II. いる{LH})   
- 煎{い}る いる{HL}  
- 帰{かえ}る かえる{HLL} (変{か}える belongs to Group II. かえる{LHH})  
- しゃべる (It is similar to 食{た}べる, but they belong to another group each other.)  
- 滑{すべ}る  
- 減{へ}る へる{LH} (経{へ}る belongs to Group II. へる{HL})  
- 知{し}る  
- 切{き}る きる{HL} (着{き}る belongs to Group II. きる{LH})  
- 散{ち}る  
- 蹴{け}る  
- 練{ね}る ねる{HL} (寝{ね}る belongs to Group II. ねる{LH})  
- 限{かぎ}る  
- 交{ま}じる/混{ま}じる (It's the intransitive verb of 交ぜる/混ぜる that belongs to Group II.)   
- 過{よ}ぎる (It has a little similar meaning to 過ぎる and すぎる and よぎる is written in the same kanji, however the two belong to different group from each other.)  
- 焦{あせ}る  
- 競{せ}る  
- 照{て}る  
- 火照{ほて}る  
- かじる  
- 茂{しげ}る  
- いじる  
- いびる  
- なじる  
- うねる  
- くねる (It is usually seen in ''曲がりくねる'')

Memorizing these verbs, you can tell that 走{はし}ります and 走{はし}った are correct,
not *走{はし}ます and *走{はし}た, 食{た}べます and 食{た}べた are correct not *食{た}べります and
*食{た}べった because 食べる isn't in the list above though it ends '' _e-る_ ''.
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I've learned from different textbook approaches and from living in Japan on a
language exchange I came up with the following for myself:

  1. **Does it end with る**
    * **No?** _Then it's group 1_
    * **Yes?** _Could be group 1 or 2_

If it ends with る then you'll simply have to look it up to see how its
conjugated. Use your textbook or an online Japanese verb.

Also, I always thought of it roughly as:

**group 1 conjugation**

  * consonant + ～います 
    * あるく to あるきます 
      * aruk ~~u~~ to aruk _imasu_

After a while you'll, through repetition and exposure, _just know_ the correct
sound of a verb. Good luck!
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* **Step 1:** single **漢字 + え/い + る: 一段**
  * **Step 2:** one mora single **漢字 + る: 一段**
    * Notes 
      * There are only around 90 of verbs following this pattern, and most of them compound verbs of 見る and 出る, see the list below
      * This rule was pointed out by Weijun Zhou in comments
  * **Step 3:** all other are **五段**

**LIST OF ONE MORA ICHIDAN VERBS**

> 相似る あいにる to resemble each other, to resemble one another v1 vi
>
> 相見る・逢い見る あいみる to face v1 vi
>
> 仰ぎ見る・仰見る・あおぎ見る あおぎみる to look upwards, to look up v1 vt
>
> 甘く見る あまくみる to not take seriously, to take lightly v1
>
> 現われ出る あらわれでる to appear v1
>
> 射る いる to shoot (arrow, bolt, dart) v1 vt
>
> 居る いる to be (of animate objects), to exist  
> to stay(after the -te form of a verb) verb indicating continuing action or
> state (i.e. to be ..ing, to have been ..ing) aux-v uk v1 vi
>
> 鋳る いる to cast, to mint, to coin v1 vt
>
> 癒る いる to calm down uk v1 vi
>
> 色眼鏡で見る いろめがねでみる to look at things from a biased viewpoint (biassed) v1
>
> 浮び出る・浮かび出る・うかび出る うかびでる to surface v1 vi
>
> 浮かれ出る・浮れ出る うかれでる to go out in a merry mood v1 vi
>
> 浮き出る うきでる to rise to the surface, to surface  
> to stand out (e.g. against a background) v1 vi
>
> 打ち見る・打見る うちみる to glance at, to look at v1
>
> 訴え出る うったえでる to lodge a complaint v1
>
> 打って出る うってでる to launch oneself upon, to make one's debut v1
>
> 生まれ出る うまれでる to come into being, to be born v1 vi
>
> 得る える to get, to earn, to acquire, to procure, to gain, to secure, to
> attain, to obtain, to win  
> to understand, to comprehend  
> to receive something undesirable (e.g. a punishment), to get (ill)to be able
> to ..., can ... aux-v v1 vt
>
> おっ魂消る・押っ魂消る おったまげる to be very surprised, to be flabbergasted uk v1 vi
>
> 躍り出る・おどり出る おどりでる to jump (e.g. to first place), to spring out v1 vi
>
> 垣間見る かいまみる to take a peep at, to catch a glimpse of v1 vt
>
> 顔から火が出る かおからひがでる to be extremely embarrassed, to burn with shame v1
>
> 偏り見る かたよりみる to show partiality v1
>
> 勝ち得る かちえる to achieve, to win, to gain, to attain v1 vt
>
> 着る きる to wear (in modern Japanese, from the shoulders down), to put on  
> to bear (guilt, etc.) v1 vt
>
> 下卑る げびる to become vulgar, to coarsen v1
>
> 心得る こころえる to know, to understand, to be aware of, to regard as, to take for  
> to consent, to agree v1 vt
>
> 小洒落る こじゃれる to be somewhat stylish, to be somewhat chic col v1 vi
>
> 込み居る こみいる to push in, to be crowded v1 vi
>
> 差し出る・差出る さしでる to be forward, to stick one's nose into, to meddle, to be
> intrusive  
> to jut out, to protude, to overhang v1 vi
>
> 時化る しける to be stormy or choppy (sea)  
> to go through hard times, to be broke  
> to be gloomy, to be glum uk v1 vi
>
> 湿気る しける・しっける to be damp, to be moist v1 v5r vi
>
> 下に見る したにみる to look down on, to despise, to condescend v1
>
> しみ出る・染み出る・滲み出る しみでる to ooze, to exude, to percolate, to soak through v1 vi
>
> 〆る しめる to total, to sum v1 vt
>
> しゃしゃり出る しゃしゃりでる to come uninvited, to crash (a party), to butt in v1
>
> 洒落る しゃれる to dress stylishly  
> to joke, to play on words v1 vi
>
> 悄気る しょげる to be dispirited, to be dejected, to be disheartened, to lose heart
> uk v1 vi
>
> 知り得る しりえる to acquire knowledge v1
>
> じろりと見る じろりとみる to throw a glance v1
>
> 進み出る すすみでる to step forward, to volunteer v1 vi
>
> 滑り出る すべりでる to slip out v1 vi
>
> 退治る たいじる to exterminate, to eliminate, to eradicate, to suppress v1 vt
>
> 魂消る たまげる to be astonished, to be startled, to be appalled uk v1 vi
>
> 突き出る つきでる to project, to stick out, to stand out v1 vi
>
> 出来る できる to be able (in a position) to do, to be up to the taskto be ready,
> to be completed  
> to be made, to be built  
> to be good at, to be permitted (to do)  
> to become intimate, to take up (with somebody)  
> to grow, to be raised  
> to become pregnant uk v1 vi
>
> 出る でる to leave, to exit, to go out, to come out, to get out  
> to leave (on a journey), to depart, to start out, to set out  
> to move forward  
> to come to, to get to, to lead to, to reach  
> to appear, to come out, to emerge, to surface, to come forth, to turn up, to
> be found, to be detected, to be discovered, to be exposed, to show, to be
> exhibited, to be on display  
> to appear (in print), to be published, to be announced, to be issued, to be
> listed, to come out  
> to attend, to participate, to take part, to enter (an event), to play in, to
> perform  
> to be stated, to be expressed, to come up, to be brought up, to be raised  
> to sell  
> to exceed, to go over  
> to stick out, to protrude  
> to break out, to occur, to start, to originate  
> to be produced  
> to come from, to be derived from  
> to be given, to get, to receive, to be offered, to be provided, to be
> presented, to be submitted, to be handed in, to be turned in, to be paid  
> to answer (phone, door, etc.), to get  
> to assume (an attitude), to act, to behave  
> to pick up (speed, etc.), to gain  
> to flow (e.g. tears), to run, to bleed  
> to graduate v1 vi
>
> 届け出る とどけでる to report, to notify v1 vt
>
> 飛び出る とびでる to project, to protrude, to pop out (e.g. eyes)  
> to jump out, to rush out v1 vi
>
> 道化る どうける to jest, to clown (around) v1 vi
>
> 流れ出る ながれでる to flow out, to stream out, to pour out, to gush forth, to leak,
> to ooze out, to drift away v1
>
> 名乗り出る なのりでる to introduce oneself, to announce oneself (e.g. as the person
> sought), to come forward (e.g. as a witness, with a claim, etc.) v1 vi
>
> 並み居る なみいる to sit in a row, to be present (and lined up) v1 vi
>
> 滲み出る・にじみ出る にじみでる to exude (e.g. sweat), to ooze, to seep out  
> to reveal itself (of emotions, etc.) v1 vi
>
> 若気る にやける to be effeminate, to be a fopto break into a smile, to grin col uk
> v1 vi
>
> 似る にる to resemble, to look like, to take after  
> to be similar (in status, condition, etc.), to be close, to be alike, to be
> like v1 vi
>
> 煮る にる to boil, to simmer, to stew, to seethe v1 vt
>
> 抜き出る・抜出る ぬきでる to surpass, to outdo, to excel, to stand out, to be
> outstanding, to be preeminent  
> to tower above (the surrounding landscape) v1 vi
>
> 抜け出る ぬけでる to slip out, to steal out  
> to excel, to stand out v1 vi
>
> 盗み見る ぬすみみる to steal a glance, to intercept and read (e.g. other people's
> email) v1
>
> 願い出る ねがいでる to apply for v1 vt
>
> 寝る ねる to lie down  
> to go to bed, to lie in bed  
> to sleep (lying down)  
> to sleep (with someone, i.e. have intercourse)  
> to lie idle v1 vi
>
> 逃れ出る のがれでる to scuttle off, to take flight v1
>
> 望み見る のぞみみる to gaze into the distance v1 vt
>
> 惚気る のろける to play up, to speak fondly of, to praise one's spouse uk v1 vi
>
> 這い出る・はい出る はいでる to crawl out of, to creep out of v1 vi
>
> 走り出る はしりでる to run out (e.g. of the room) v1
>
> 跳ね出る はねでる to spring or rush out v1
>
> 食み出る はみでる to jut out (of bounds)  
> to be crowded out, to be forced out v1 vi
>
> 人妻と寝る ひとづまとねる to sleep with another person's wife v1
>
> 干る ひる to dry v1 vi
>
> 嚏る ひる to sneeze v1 vt
>
> 吹き出る・噴き出る・吹出る・噴出る ふきでる to blow out, to spout out v1 vi
>
> 巫山戯る ふざける to joke, to jest, to kid, to josh  
> to make fun of, to laugh at, to play a prank  
> to romp, to gambol, to frolic, to frisk, to mess around, to fool around, to
> screw around  
> to neck, to make out uk v1 vi
>
> 経る へる to pass, to elapse, to go by  
> to pass through, to go through  
> to experience, to go through, to undergo v1 vi
>
> 迸しり出る・ほとばしり出る ほとばしりでる to gush out, to gush forth, to effuse v1
>
> 罷り出る まかりでる to leave, to withdraw, to appear before v1 vi
>
> 老成る ませる・マセる to be precocious, to be mature for one's age, to seem grown-up,
> to seem mature uk v1 vi
>
> 真似る まねる to mimic, to imitate v1 vt
>
> 看る みる to look after (often medically), to take care of v1 vt
>
> 見る みる to see, to look, to watch, to view, to observe  
> to look over, to look on, to assess, to examine, to judgeto look after, to
> keep an eye on, to take care ofto view (e.g. flowers, movie)to try, to try
> out, to test  
> to see that..., to find that... aux-v uk v1 vt
>
> 診る みる to examine (medically) v1 vt
>
> 廻る・回る みる to go around v1
>
> 群れ居る・群居る むれいる to crowd in, to come together v1 vi
>
> 申し出る もうしでる to report to, to tell, to suggest, to submit, to request, to make
> an offer, to come forward with information v1 vt
>
> 萌え出る もえでる to sprout, to bud v1 vi
>
> 夢見る ゆめみる to dream (of) v1 vt
>
> 世に出る よにでる to become famous  
> to go out into the world, to make one's way in the world, to appear, to be
> published v1
>
> 分かれ出る わかれでる to branch out, to diverge, to radiate v1
>
> 湧き出る・わき出る・涌き出る・沸き出る わきでる to gush forth v1 vi
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