<div class='writeup-body'><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='12'>る-Verbs</span> are verbs that have only one possible conjugation pattern. This pattern simply involves the replacement of る with another construction, depending on the tense of the verb (<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='895'>past</span>, <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='51'>negative</span>, etc). This 'single' type of conjugation is where the Japanese name Ichidan (一段（いちだん）) 'one-step' comes from.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>生徒（せいと）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span>答（こた）え<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='12'>る</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>The student answers.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>生徒（せいと）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span>答（こた）え<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='12'>ます</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>The student answers.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>私（わたし）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span>閉（し）め<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='12'>る</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I will close it. ('It' is implied, despite no object being stated)</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'>私（わたし）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='10'>が</span>閉（し）め<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='12'>ます</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I will close it. ('It' is implied, despite no object being stated)</div></li></ul>In these examples, we can see that る is removed from the verb to create the polite ます form. The る form of the verb is often called 'plain form', 'casual form', or 'short form', depending on the source/book.<br>All <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='12'>る-Verbs</span> end in the kana る, there are no exceptions to this rule.<div class='writeup-caution'><div class='caution-header'>Caution</div>While all <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='12'>る-Verbs</span> end in る, not all verbs that end in る are <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='12'>る-Verbs</span>. These verbs can be identified by the る changing, rather than being removed when conjugated.<ul class='writeup-examples--holder'><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='11'>それ</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='4'>も</span>取（と）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='26'>る</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I will take that too.</div></li><li class='writeup-example'><div class='writeup-example--japanese'><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='11'>それ</span><span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='4'>も</span>取（と）<span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='26'>ります</span>。</div><div class='writeup-example--english'>I will take that too.</div></li></ul>As the る in 取（と）る becomes り in 取（と）ります, we can determine immediately that it is not a <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='12'>る-Verb</span>, but actually a <span class='gp-popout' data-gp-id='26'>う - Verb</span>.</div></div>

Grammar Info

る-Verb (Dictionary)

る + ます (Ichidan Verbs)