Japanese reference
問う
とう
to ask; to question (formal)
Irregular · 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 | とう (tou)ask |
| Polite, masu | といます (toimasu)ask |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | とわない (towanai)do not ask |
| Polite negative | といません (toimasen)do not ask |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | とうた (touta)asked |
| Polite past | といました (toimashita)asked |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | とわなかった (towanakatta)did not ask |
| Polite past negative | といませんでした (toimasendeshita)did not ask |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | とうて (toute)asking (and then) |
| Polite te-form | といまして (toimashite)asking (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | とうている (touteiru)be asking |
| Polite te-iru | とうています (touteimasu)be asking |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | とえば (toeba)if you ask |
| Rare literary polite conditional | といますれば (toimasureba)if you ask (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 | とうたら (toutara)if you ask |
| Polite conditional, tara | といましたら (toimashitara)if you ask |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | とえる (toeru)can ask |
| Polite potential | とえます (toemasu)can ask |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | とおう (toou)let's ask! |
| Polite volitional | といましょう (toimashou)let's ask! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | といたい (toitai)want to ask |
| Polite desire, tai | といたいです (toitaidesu)want to ask |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | とわれる (towareru)be affected when someone asks |
| Polite passive | とわれます (towaremasu)be affected when someone asks |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | とわせる (towaseru)make or let someone ask |
| Polite causative | とわせます (towasemasu)make or let someone ask |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | とわせられる (towaserareru)be made to ask |
| Polite causative-passive | とわせられます (towaseraremasu)be made to ask |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | とうな (touna)do not ask! |
| Polite negative request | とわないでください (towanaidekudasai)please do not ask |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | といます (toimasu)ask |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | といません (toimasen)do not ask |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | といました (toimashita)asked |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | といませんでした (toimasendeshita)did not ask |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | とうてください (toutekudasai)please ask |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | とわないでください (towanaidekudasai)please do not ask |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | といましょう (toimashou)let's ask! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | とうてもいい (toutemoii)may ask |
| Polite permission | とうてもいいです (toutemoiidesu)may ask |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | とうてはいけない (toutehaikenai)must not ask |
| Polite prohibition | とうてはいけません (toutehaikemasen)must not ask |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | といなさい (toinasai)ask (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | とうてみる (toutemiru)try to ask |
| Polite try doing | とうてみます (toutemimasu)try to ask |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | とうてしまう (touteshimau)ask completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | とうてしまいます (touteshimaimasu)ask completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | とうておく (touteoku)ask in advance |
| Polite preparation | とうておきます (touteokimasu)ask in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | とうたことがある (toutakotogaaru)have the experience of: asked |
| Polite past experience | とうたことがあります (toutakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: asked |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | とうと (touto)whenever you ask |
| Polite automatic result | といますと (toimasuto)whenever you ask |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | とうなら (tounara)if you mean to ask |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | とうだろう (toudarou)probably ask |
| Polite probability | とうでしょう (toudeshou)probably ask |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | とえ (toe)ask! |
| Polite request | とうてください (toutekudasai)please ask |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.