Japanese reference
微笑む
ほほえむ
to smile
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 | ほほえむ (hohoemu)smile |
| Polite, masu | ほほえみます (hohoemimasu)smile |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | ほほえまない (hohoemanai)do not smile |
| Polite negative | ほほえみません (hohoemimasen)do not smile |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | ほほえんだ (hohoenda)smiled |
| Polite past | ほほえみました (hohoemimashita)smiled |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | ほほえまなかった (hohoemanakatta)did not smile |
| Polite past negative | ほほえみませんでした (hohoemimasendeshita)did not smile |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | ほほえんで (hohoende)smiling (and then) |
| Polite te-form | ほほえみまして (hohoemimashite)smiling (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | ほほえんでいる (hohoendeiru)be smiling |
| Polite te-iru | ほほえんでいます (hohoendeimasu)be smiling |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | ほほえめば (hohoemeba)if you smile |
| Rare literary polite conditional | ほほえみますれば (hohoemimasureba)if you smile (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 | ほほえんだら (hohoendara)if you smile |
| Polite conditional, tara | ほほえみましたら (hohoemimashitara)if you smile |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | ほほえめる (hohoemeru)can smile |
| Polite potential | ほほえめます (hohoememasu)can smile |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | ほほえもう (hohoemou)let's smile! |
| Polite volitional | ほほえみましょう (hohoemimashou)let's smile! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | ほほえみたい (hohoemitai)want to smile |
| Polite desire, tai | ほほえみたいです (hohoemitaidesu)want to smile |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | ほほえまれる (hohoemareru)be affected when someone smiles |
| Polite passive | ほほえまれます (hohoemaremasu)be affected when someone smiles |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | ほほえませる (hohoemaseru)make or let someone smile |
| Polite causative | ほほえませます (hohoemasemasu)make or let someone smile |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | ほほえませられる (hohoemaserareru)be made to smile |
| Polite causative-passive | ほほえませられます (hohoemaseraremasu)be made to smile |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | ほほえむな (hohoemuna)do not smile! |
| Polite negative request | ほほえまないでください (hohoemanaidekudasai)please do not smile |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | ほほえみます (hohoemimasu)smile |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | ほほえみません (hohoemimasen)do not smile |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | ほほえみました (hohoemimashita)smiled |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | ほほえみませんでした (hohoemimasendeshita)did not smile |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | ほほえんでください (hohoendekudasai)please smile |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | ほほえまないでください (hohoemanaidekudasai)please do not smile |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | ほほえみましょう (hohoemimashou)let's smile! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | ほほえんでもいい (hohoendemoii)may smile |
| Polite permission | ほほえんでもいいです (hohoendemoiidesu)may smile |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | ほほえんではいけない (hohoendehaikenai)must not smile |
| Polite prohibition | ほほえんではいけません (hohoendehaikemasen)must not smile |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | ほほえみなさい (hohoeminasai)smile (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | ほほえんでみる (hohoendemiru)try to smile |
| Polite try doing | ほほえんでみます (hohoendemimasu)try to smile |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | ほほえんでしまう (hohoendeshimau)smile completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | ほほえんでしまいます (hohoendeshimaimasu)smile completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | ほほえんでおく (hohoendeoku)smile in advance |
| Polite preparation | ほほえんでおきます (hohoendeokimasu)smile in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | ほほえんだことがある (hohoendakotogaaru)have the experience of: smiled |
| Polite past experience | ほほえんだことがあります (hohoendakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: smiled |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | ほほえむと (hohoemuto)whenever you smile |
| Polite automatic result | ほほえみますと (hohoemimasuto)whenever you smile |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | ほほえむなら (hohoemunara)if you mean to smile |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | ほほえむだろう (hohoemudarou)probably smile |
| Polite probability | ほほえむでしょう (hohoemudeshou)probably smile |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | ほほえめ (hohoeme)smile! |
| Polite request | ほほえんでください (hohoendekudasai)please smile |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.