Japanese reference
待つ
まつ
to wait
Regular · 34 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 | まつ (matsu)wait (plain) |
| Polite, masu | まちます (machimasu)wait (polite) |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | またない (matanai)do not wait (plain) |
| Polite negative | まちません (machimasen)do not wait (polite) |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | まった (matta)waited (plain) |
| Polite past | まちました (machimashita)waited (polite) |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | またなかった (matanakatta)did not wait (plain) |
| Polite past negative | まちませんでした (machimasendeshita)did not wait (polite) |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | まって (matte)wait and ... |
| Polite te-form | まちまして (machimashite)waiting (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | まっている (matteiru)be waiting |
| Polite te-iru | まっています (matteimasu)be waiting |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | まてば (mateba)if (you) wait |
| Rare literary polite conditional | まちますれば (machimasureba)if you wait (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 | まったら (mattara)if (you) wait; after waiting |
| Polite conditional, tara | まちましたら (machimashitara)if you wait |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | まてる (materu)can wait |
| Polite potential | まてます (matemasu)can wait |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | まとう (matou)let's wait |
| Polite volitional | まちましょう (machimashou)let's wait! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | まちたい (machitai)want to wait |
| Polite desire, tai | まちたいです (machitaidesu)want to wait |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | またれる (matareru)be waited for |
| Polite passive | またれます (mataremasu)be affected when someone waits |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | またせる (mataseru)make or let someone wait |
| Polite causative | またせます (matasemasu)make or let someone wait |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | またせられる (mataserareru)be made to wait |
| Polite causative-passive | またせられます (mataseraremasu)be made to wait |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | まつな (matsuna)do not wait! |
| Polite negative request | またないでください (matanaidekudasai)please do not wait |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | まちます (machimasu)wait |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | まちません (machimasen)do not wait |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | まちました (machimashita)waited |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | まちませんでした (machimasendeshita)did not wait |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | まってください (mattekudasai)please wait |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | またないでください (matanaidekudasai)please do not wait |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | まちましょう (machimashou)let's wait! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | まってもいい (mattemoii)may wait |
| Polite permission | まってもいいです (mattemoiidesu)may wait |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | まってはいけない (mattehaikenai)must not wait |
| Polite prohibition | まってはいけません (mattehaikemasen)must not wait |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | まちなさい (machinasai)wait (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | まってみる (mattemiru)try to wait |
| Polite try doing | まってみます (mattemimasu)try to wait |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | まってしまう (matteshimau)wait completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | まってしまいます (matteshimaimasu)wait completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | まっておく (matteoku)wait in advance |
| Polite preparation | まっておきます (matteokimasu)wait in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | まったことがある (mattakotogaaru)have the experience of: waited |
| Polite past experience | まったことがあります (mattakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: waited |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | まつと (matsuto)whenever you wait |
| Polite automatic result | まちますと (machimasuto)whenever you wait |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | まつなら (matsunara)if you mean to wait |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | まつだろう (matsudarou)probably wait |
| Polite probability | まつでしょう (matsudeshou)probably wait |
Respect
Honorific
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Honorific | おまちになる (omachininaru)wait (honoring the subject) |
| Polite honorific | おまちになります (omachininarimasu)wait (honoring the subject) |
Humble
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Humble | おまちする (omachisuru)wait (humbly) |
| Polite humble | おまちします (omachishimasu)wait (humbly) |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | まて (mate)wait! (command) |
| Polite request | まってください (mattekudasai)please wait |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.