Japanese reference
なる
to become
Regular · 32 form tables
Rows describe verb forms and levels of politeness. Honorific and humble forms are labeled separately. Strong commands appear under additional forms.
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Basic
Non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Dictionary form | なる (naru)become something |
| Polite, masu | なります (narimasu)become something |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | ならない (naranai)do not become something |
| Polite negative | なりません (narimasen)do not become something |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | なった (natta)became something |
| Polite past | なりました (narimashita)became something |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | ならなかった (naranakatta)did not become something |
| Polite past negative | なりませんでした (narimasendeshita)did not become something |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | なって (natte)becoming something (and then) |
| Polite te-form | なりまして (narimashite)becoming something (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | なっている (natteiru)be becoming something |
| Polite te-iru | なっています (natteimasu)be becoming something |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | なれば (nareba)if you become something |
| Rare literary polite conditional | なりますれば (narimasureba)if you become something (rare and literary). In ordinary polite conversation, use the plain conditional and make the main clause polite |
Conditional, tara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, tara | なったら (nattara)if you become something |
| Polite conditional, tara | なりましたら (narimashitara)if you become something |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | なれる (nareru)can become something |
| Polite potential | なれます (naremasu)can become something |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | なろう (narou)let's become something! |
| Polite volitional | なりましょう (narimashou)let's become something! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | なりたい (naritai)want to become something |
| Polite desire, tai | なりたいです (naritaidesu)want to become something |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | なられる (narareru)be affected when someone becomes something |
| Polite passive | なられます (nararemasu)be affected when someone becomes something |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | ならせる (naraseru)make or let someone become something |
| Polite causative | ならせます (narasemasu)make or let someone become something |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | ならせられる (naraserareru)be made to become something |
| Polite causative-passive | ならせられます (naraseraremasu)be made to become something |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | なるな (naruna)do not become something! |
| Polite negative request | ならないでください (naranaidekudasai)please do not become something |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | なります (narimasu)become something |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | なりません (narimasen)do not become something |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | なりました (narimashita)became something |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | なりませんでした (narimasendeshita)did not become something |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | なってください (nattekudasai)please become something |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | ならないでください (naranaidekudasai)please do not become something |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | なりましょう (narimashou)let's become something! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | なってもいい (nattemoii)may become something |
| Polite permission | なってもいいです (nattemoiidesu)may become something |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | なってはいけない (nattehaikenai)must not become something |
| Polite prohibition | なってはいけません (nattehaikemasen)must not become something |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | なりなさい (narinasai)become something (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | なってみる (nattemiru)try to become something |
| Polite try doing | なってみます (nattemimasu)try to become something |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | なってしまう (natteshimau)become something completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | なってしまいます (natteshimaimasu)become something completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | なっておく (natteoku)become something in advance |
| Polite preparation | なっておきます (natteokimasu)become something in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | なったことがある (nattakotogaaru)have the experience of: became something |
| Polite past experience | なったことがあります (nattakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: became something |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | なると (naruto)whenever you become something |
| Polite automatic result | なりますと (narimasuto)whenever you become something |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | なるなら (narunara)if you mean to become something |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | なるだろう (narudarou)probably become something |
| Polite probability | なるでしょう (narudeshou)probably become something |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | なれ (nare)become something! |
| Polite request | なってください (nattekudasai)please become something |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.