Japanese reference
保つ
たもつ
to keep, maintain, preserve (a state)
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.
Audio requires a compatible voice in your browser.
Basic
Non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Dictionary form | たもつ (tamotsu)keep |
| Polite, masu | たもちます (tamochimasu)keep |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | たもたない (tamotanai)do not keep |
| Polite negative | たもちません (tamochimasen)do not keep |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | たもった (tamotta)kept |
| Polite past | たもちました (tamochimashita)kept |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | たもたなかった (tamotanakatta)did not keep |
| Polite past negative | たもちませんでした (tamochimasendeshita)did not keep |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | たもって (tamotte)keeping (and then) |
| Polite te-form | たもちまして (tamochimashite)keeping (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | たもっている (tamotteiru)be keeping |
| Polite te-iru | たもっています (tamotteimasu)be keeping |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | たもてば (tamoteba)if you keep |
| Rare literary polite conditional | たもちますれば (tamochimasureba)if you keep (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 | たもったら (tamottara)if you keep |
| Polite conditional, tara | たもちましたら (tamochimashitara)if you keep |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | たもてる (tamoteru)can keep |
| Polite potential | たもてます (tamotemasu)can keep |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | たもとう (tamotou)let's keep! |
| Polite volitional | たもちましょう (tamochimashou)let's keep! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | たもちたい (tamochitai)want to keep |
| Polite desire, tai | たもちたいです (tamochitaidesu)want to keep |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | たもたれる (tamotareru)be kept |
| Polite passive | たもたれます (tamotaremasu)be kept |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | たもたせる (tamotaseru)make or let someone keep |
| Polite causative | たもたせます (tamotasemasu)make or let someone keep |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | たもたせられる (tamotaserareru)be made to keep |
| Polite causative-passive | たもたせられます (tamotaseraremasu)be made to keep |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | たもつな (tamotsuna)do not keep! |
| Polite negative request | たもたないでください (tamotanaidekudasai)please do not keep |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | たもちます (tamochimasu)keep |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | たもちません (tamochimasen)do not keep |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | たもちました (tamochimashita)kept |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | たもちませんでした (tamochimasendeshita)did not keep |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | たもってください (tamottekudasai)please keep |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | たもたないでください (tamotanaidekudasai)please do not keep |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | たもちましょう (tamochimashou)let's keep! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | たもってもいい (tamottemoii)may keep |
| Polite permission | たもってもいいです (tamottemoiidesu)may keep |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | たもってはいけない (tamottehaikenai)must not keep |
| Polite prohibition | たもってはいけません (tamottehaikemasen)must not keep |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | たもちなさい (tamochinasai)keep (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | たもってみる (tamottemiru)try to keep |
| Polite try doing | たもってみます (tamottemimasu)try to keep |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | たもってしまう (tamotteshimau)keep completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | たもってしまいます (tamotteshimaimasu)keep completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | たもっておく (tamotteoku)keep in advance |
| Polite preparation | たもっておきます (tamotteokimasu)keep in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | たもったことがある (tamottakotogaaru)have the experience of: kept |
| Polite past experience | たもったことがあります (tamottakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: kept |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | たもつと (tamotsuto)whenever you keep |
| Polite automatic result | たもちますと (tamochimasuto)whenever you keep |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | たもつなら (tamotsunara)if you mean to keep |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | たもつだろう (tamotsudarou)probably keep |
| Polite probability | たもつでしょう (tamotsudeshou)probably keep |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | たもて (tamote)keep! |
| Polite request | たもってください (tamottekudasai)please keep |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.