Japanese reference
断る
ことわる
to refuse
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 | ことわる (kotowaru)refuse |
| Polite, masu | ことわります (kotowarimasu)refuse |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | ことわらない (kotowaranai)do not refuse |
| Polite negative | ことわりません (kotowarimasen)do not refuse |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | ことわった (kotowatta)refused |
| Polite past | ことわりました (kotowarimashita)refused |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | ことわらなかった (kotowaranakatta)did not refuse |
| Polite past negative | ことわりませんでした (kotowarimasendeshita)did not refuse |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | ことわって (kotowatte)refusing (and then) |
| Polite te-form | ことわりまして (kotowarimashite)refusing (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | ことわっている (kotowatteiru)be refusing |
| Polite te-iru | ことわっています (kotowatteimasu)be refusing |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | ことわれば (kotowareba)if you refuse |
| Rare literary polite conditional | ことわりますれば (kotowarimasureba)if you refuse (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 | ことわったら (kotowattara)if you refuse |
| Polite conditional, tara | ことわりましたら (kotowarimashitara)if you refuse |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | ことわれる (kotowareru)can refuse |
| Polite potential | ことわれます (kotowaremasu)can refuse |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | ことわろう (kotowarou)let's refuse! |
| Polite volitional | ことわりましょう (kotowarimashou)let's refuse! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | ことわりたい (kotowaritai)want to refuse |
| Polite desire, tai | ことわりたいです (kotowaritaidesu)want to refuse |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | ことわられる (kotowarareru)be refused |
| Polite passive | ことわられます (kotowararemasu)be refused |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | ことわらせる (kotowaraseru)make or let someone refuse |
| Polite causative | ことわらせます (kotowarasemasu)make or let someone refuse |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | ことわらせられる (kotowaraserareru)be made to refuse |
| Polite causative-passive | ことわらせられます (kotowaraseraremasu)be made to refuse |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | ことわるな (kotowaruna)do not refuse! |
| Polite negative request | ことわらないでください (kotowaranaidekudasai)please do not refuse |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | ことわります (kotowarimasu)refuse |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | ことわりません (kotowarimasen)do not refuse |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | ことわりました (kotowarimashita)refused |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | ことわりませんでした (kotowarimasendeshita)did not refuse |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | ことわってください (kotowattekudasai)please refuse |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | ことわらないでください (kotowaranaidekudasai)please do not refuse |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | ことわりましょう (kotowarimashou)let's refuse! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | ことわってもいい (kotowattemoii)may refuse |
| Polite permission | ことわってもいいです (kotowattemoiidesu)may refuse |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | ことわってはいけない (kotowattehaikenai)must not refuse |
| Polite prohibition | ことわってはいけません (kotowattehaikemasen)must not refuse |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | ことわりなさい (kotowarinasai)refuse (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | ことわってみる (kotowattemiru)try to refuse |
| Polite try doing | ことわってみます (kotowattemimasu)try to refuse |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | ことわってしまう (kotowatteshimau)refuse completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | ことわってしまいます (kotowatteshimaimasu)refuse completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | ことわっておく (kotowatteoku)refuse in advance |
| Polite preparation | ことわっておきます (kotowatteokimasu)refuse in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | ことわったことがある (kotowattakotogaaru)have the experience of: refused |
| Polite past experience | ことわったことがあります (kotowattakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: refused |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | ことわると (kotowaruto)whenever you refuse |
| Polite automatic result | ことわりますと (kotowarimasuto)whenever you refuse |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | ことわるなら (kotowarunara)if you mean to refuse |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | ことわるだろう (kotowarudarou)probably refuse |
| Polite probability | ことわるでしょう (kotowarudeshou)probably refuse |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | ことわれ (kotoware)refuse! |
| Polite request | ことわってください (kotowattekudasai)please refuse |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.