Japanese reference
使う
つかう
to use
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 | つかう (tsukau)use |
| Polite, masu | つかいます (tsukaimasu)use |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | つかわない (tsukawanai)do not use |
| Polite negative | つかいません (tsukaimasen)do not use |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | つかった (tsukatta)used |
| Polite past | つかいました (tsukaimashita)used |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | つかわなかった (tsukawanakatta)did not use |
| Polite past negative | つかいませんでした (tsukaimasendeshita)did not use |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | つかって (tsukatte)using (and then) |
| Polite te-form | つかいまして (tsukaimashite)using (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | つかっている (tsukatteiru)be using |
| Polite te-iru | つかっています (tsukatteimasu)be using |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | つかえば (tsukaeba)if you use |
| Rare literary polite conditional | つかいますれば (tsukaimasureba)if you use (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 | つかったら (tsukattara)if you use |
| Polite conditional, tara | つかいましたら (tsukaimashitara)if you use |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | つかえる (tsukaeru)can use |
| Polite potential | つかえます (tsukaemasu)can use |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | つかおう (tsukaou)let's use! |
| Polite volitional | つかいましょう (tsukaimashou)let's use! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | つかいたい (tsukaitai)want to use |
| Polite desire, tai | つかいたいです (tsukaitaidesu)want to use |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | つかわれる (tsukawareru)be used |
| Polite passive | つかわれます (tsukawaremasu)be used |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | つかわせる (tsukawaseru)make or let someone use |
| Polite causative | つかわせます (tsukawasemasu)make or let someone use |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | つかわせられる (tsukawaserareru)be made to use |
| Polite causative-passive | つかわせられます (tsukawaseraremasu)be made to use |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | つかうな (tsukauna)do not use! |
| Polite negative request | つかわないでください (tsukawanaidekudasai)please do not use |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | つかいます (tsukaimasu)use |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | つかいません (tsukaimasen)do not use |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | つかいました (tsukaimashita)used |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | つかいませんでした (tsukaimasendeshita)did not use |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | つかってください (tsukattekudasai)please use |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | つかわないでください (tsukawanaidekudasai)please do not use |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | つかいましょう (tsukaimashou)let's use! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | つかってもいい (tsukattemoii)may use |
| Polite permission | つかってもいいです (tsukattemoiidesu)may use |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | つかってはいけない (tsukattehaikenai)must not use |
| Polite prohibition | つかってはいけません (tsukattehaikemasen)must not use |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | つかいなさい (tsukainasai)use (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | つかってみる (tsukattemiru)try to use |
| Polite try doing | つかってみます (tsukattemimasu)try to use |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | つかってしまう (tsukatteshimau)use completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | つかってしまいます (tsukatteshimaimasu)use completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | つかっておく (tsukatteoku)use in advance |
| Polite preparation | つかっておきます (tsukatteokimasu)use in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | つかったことがある (tsukattakotogaaru)have the experience of: used |
| Polite past experience | つかったことがあります (tsukattakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: used |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | つかうと (tsukauto)whenever you use |
| Polite automatic result | つかいますと (tsukaimasuto)whenever you use |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | つかうなら (tsukaunara)if you mean to use |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | つかうだろう (tsukaudarou)probably use |
| Polite probability | つかうでしょう (tsukaudeshou)probably use |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | つかえ (tsukae)use! |
| Polite request | つかってください (tsukattekudasai)please use |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.