Japanese reference
持つ
もつ
to hold
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 | もつ (motsu)hold |
| Polite, masu | もちます (mochimasu)hold |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | もたない (motanai)do not hold |
| Polite negative | もちません (mochimasen)do not hold |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | もった (motta)held |
| Polite past | もちました (mochimashita)held |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | もたなかった (motanakatta)did not hold |
| Polite past negative | もちませんでした (mochimasendeshita)did not hold |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | もって (motte)holding (and then) |
| Polite te-form | もちまして (mochimashite)holding (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | もっている (motteiru)have |
| Polite te-iru | もっています (motteimasu)have |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | もてば (moteba)if you hold |
| Rare literary polite conditional | もちますれば (mochimasureba)if you hold (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 | もったら (mottara)if you hold |
| Polite conditional, tara | もちましたら (mochimashitara)if you hold |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | もてる (moteru)can hold |
| Polite potential | もてます (motemasu)can hold |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | もとう (motou)let's hold! |
| Polite volitional | もちましょう (mochimashou)let's hold! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | もちたい (mochitai)want to hold |
| Polite desire, tai | もちたいです (mochitaidesu)want to hold |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | もたれる (motareru)be held |
| Polite passive | もたれます (motaremasu)be held |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | もたせる (motaseru)make or let someone hold |
| Polite causative | もたせます (motasemasu)make or let someone hold |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | もたせられる (motaserareru)be made to hold |
| Polite causative-passive | もたせられます (motaseraremasu)be made to hold |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | もつな (motsuna)do not hold! |
| Polite negative request | もたないでください (motanaidekudasai)please do not hold |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | もちます (mochimasu)hold |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | もちません (mochimasen)do not hold |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | もちました (mochimashita)held |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | もちませんでした (mochimasendeshita)did not hold |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | もってください (mottekudasai)please hold |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | もたないでください (motanaidekudasai)please do not hold |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | もちましょう (mochimashou)let's hold! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | もってもいい (mottemoii)may hold |
| Polite permission | もってもいいです (mottemoiidesu)may hold |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | もってはいけない (mottehaikenai)must not hold |
| Polite prohibition | もってはいけません (mottehaikemasen)must not hold |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | もちなさい (mochinasai)hold (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | もってみる (mottemiru)try to hold |
| Polite try doing | もってみます (mottemimasu)try to hold |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | もってしまう (motteshimau)hold completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | もってしまいます (motteshimaimasu)hold completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | もっておく (motteoku)hold in advance |
| Polite preparation | もっておきます (motteokimasu)hold in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | もったことがある (mottakotogaaru)have the experience of: held |
| Polite past experience | もったことがあります (mottakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: held |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | もつと (motsuto)whenever you hold |
| Polite automatic result | もちますと (mochimasuto)whenever you hold |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | もつなら (motsunara)if you mean to hold |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | もつだろう (motsudarou)probably hold |
| Polite probability | もつでしょう (motsudeshou)probably hold |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | もて (mote)hold! |
| Polite request | もってください (mottekudasai)please hold |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.