Japanese reference
始める
はじめる
to start (something)
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 | はじめる (hajimeru)start (something) |
| Polite, masu | はじめます (hajimemasu)start (something) |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | はじめない (hajimenai)do not start (something) |
| Polite negative | はじめません (hajimemasen)do not start (something) |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | はじめた (hajimeta)started (something) |
| Polite past | はじめました (hajimemashita)started (something) |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | はじめなかった (hajimenakatta)did not start (something) |
| Polite past negative | はじめませんでした (hajimemasendeshita)did not start (something) |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | はじめて (hajimete)starting (something) (and then) |
| Polite te-form | はじめまして (hajimemashite)starting (something) (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | はじめている (hajimeteiru)be starting (something) |
| Polite te-iru | はじめています (hajimeteimasu)be starting (something) |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | はじめれば (hajimereba)if you start (something) |
| Rare literary polite conditional | はじめますれば (hajimemasureba)if you start (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 | はじめたら (hajimetara)if you start (something) |
| Polite conditional, tara | はじめましたら (hajimemashitara)if you start (something) |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | はじめられる (hajimerareru)can start (something) |
| Polite potential | はじめられます (hajimeraremasu)can start (something) |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | はじめよう (hajimeyou)let's start (something)! |
| Polite volitional | はじめましょう (hajimemashou)let's start (something)! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | はじめたい (hajimetai)want to start (something) |
| Polite desire, tai | はじめたいです (hajimetaidesu)want to start (something) |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | はじめられる (hajimerareru)be affected when someone starts (something) |
| Polite passive | はじめられます (hajimeraremasu)be affected when someone starts (something) |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | はじめさせる (hajimesaseru)make or let someone start (something) |
| Polite causative | はじめさせます (hajimesasemasu)make or let someone start (something) |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | はじめさせられる (hajimesaserareru)be made to start (something) |
| Polite causative-passive | はじめさせられます (hajimesaseraremasu)be made to start (something) |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | はじめるな (hajimeruna)do not start (something)! |
| Polite negative request | はじめないでください (hajimenaidekudasai)please do not start (something) |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | はじめます (hajimemasu)start (something) |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | はじめません (hajimemasen)do not start (something) |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | はじめました (hajimemashita)started (something) |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | はじめませんでした (hajimemasendeshita)did not start (something) |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | はじめてください (hajimetekudasai)please start (something) |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | はじめないでください (hajimenaidekudasai)please do not start (something) |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | はじめましょう (hajimemashou)let's start (something)! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | はじめてもいい (hajimetemoii)may start (something) |
| Polite permission | はじめてもいいです (hajimetemoiidesu)may start (something) |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | はじめてはいけない (hajimetehaikenai)must not start (something) |
| Polite prohibition | はじめてはいけません (hajimetehaikemasen)must not start (something) |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | はじめなさい (hajimenasai)start (something) (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | はじめてみる (hajimetemiru)try to start (something) |
| Polite try doing | はじめてみます (hajimetemimasu)try to start (something) |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | はじめてしまう (hajimeteshimau)start (something) completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | はじめてしまいます (hajimeteshimaimasu)start (something) completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | はじめておく (hajimeteoku)start (something) in advance |
| Polite preparation | はじめておきます (hajimeteokimasu)start (something) in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | はじめたことがある (hajimetakotogaaru)have the experience of: started (something) |
| Polite past experience | はじめたことがあります (hajimetakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: started (something) |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | はじめると (hajimeruto)whenever you start (something) |
| Polite automatic result | はじめますと (hajimemasuto)whenever you start (something) |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | はじめるなら (hajimerunara)if you mean to start (something) |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | はじめるだろう (hajimerudarou)probably start (something) |
| Polite probability | はじめるでしょう (hajimerudeshou)probably start (something) |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | はじめろ (hajimero)start (something)! |
| Polite request | はじめてください (hajimetekudasai)please start (something) |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.