A verb is a word that in syntax generally conveys an action, an occurrence, or a state of being. In the usual description of English, the basic form, with or without the particle to, is the infinitive. In many languages, verbs are inflected to encode tense, aspect, mood, and voice. A verb may also agree with the person, gender or number of some of its arguments, such as its subject, or object. Verbs have tenses: present, to indicate that an action is being carried out; past, to indicate that an action has been done; future, to indicate that an action will be done.

ಕ್ರಿಯಾಪದ‎(kriyāpada) ಪದವನ್ನು ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷ್‍ನಲ್ಲಿ verb ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಕ್ರಿಯೆ ಎಂದರೆ ಕೆಲಸ. ಕ್ರಿಯೆಗೆ ಕಾರಣವಾದವುಗಳು ಕಾರಕಗಳು. ಕಾರಕ ಎಂದರೆ ಚಾಲಕ, ಪ್ರಚೋದಕ ಎಂಬ ಅರ್ಥಗಳಿವೆ. ಕೆಲಸವನ್ನು ಸೂಚಿಸುವ ಪದಗಳನ್ನು ಕ್ರಿಯಾಪದಗಳು ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ.