Japanese reference
求める
もとめる
to seek; to request
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 | もとめる (motomeru)seek |
| Polite, masu | もとめます (motomemasu)seek |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | もとめない (motomenai)do not seek |
| Polite negative | もとめません (motomemasen)do not seek |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | もとめた (motometa)sought |
| Polite past | もとめました (motomemashita)sought |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | もとめなかった (motomenakatta)did not seek |
| Polite past negative | もとめませんでした (motomemasendeshita)did not seek |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | もとめて (motomete)seeking (and then) |
| Polite te-form | もとめまして (motomemashite)seeking (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | もとめている (motometeiru)be seeking |
| Polite te-iru | もとめています (motometeimasu)be seeking |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | もとめれば (motomereba)if you seek |
| Rare literary polite conditional | もとめますれば (motomemasureba)if you seek (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 | もとめたら (motometara)if you seek |
| Polite conditional, tara | もとめましたら (motomemashitara)if you seek |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | もとめられる (motomerareru)can seek |
| Polite potential | もとめられます (motomeraremasu)can seek |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | もとめよう (motomeyou)let's seek! |
| Polite volitional | もとめましょう (motomemashou)let's seek! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | もとめたい (motometai)want to seek |
| Polite desire, tai | もとめたいです (motometaidesu)want to seek |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | もとめられる (motomerareru)be affected when someone seeks |
| Polite passive | もとめられます (motomeraremasu)be affected when someone seeks |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | もとめさせる (motomesaseru)make or let someone seek |
| Polite causative | もとめさせます (motomesasemasu)make or let someone seek |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | もとめさせられる (motomesaserareru)be made to seek |
| Polite causative-passive | もとめさせられます (motomesaseraremasu)be made to seek |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | もとめるな (motomeruna)do not seek! |
| Polite negative request | もとめないでください (motomenaidekudasai)please do not seek |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | もとめます (motomemasu)seek |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | もとめません (motomemasen)do not seek |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | もとめました (motomemashita)sought |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | もとめませんでした (motomemasendeshita)did not seek |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | もとめてください (motometekudasai)please seek |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | もとめないでください (motomenaidekudasai)please do not seek |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | もとめましょう (motomemashou)let's seek! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | もとめてもいい (motometemoii)may seek |
| Polite permission | もとめてもいいです (motometemoiidesu)may seek |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | もとめてはいけない (motometehaikenai)must not seek |
| Polite prohibition | もとめてはいけません (motometehaikemasen)must not seek |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | もとめなさい (motomenasai)seek (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | もとめてみる (motometemiru)try to seek |
| Polite try doing | もとめてみます (motometemimasu)try to seek |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | もとめてしまう (motometeshimau)seek completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | もとめてしまいます (motometeshimaimasu)seek completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | もとめておく (motometeoku)seek in advance |
| Polite preparation | もとめておきます (motometeokimasu)seek in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | もとめたことがある (motometakotogaaru)have the experience of: sought |
| Polite past experience | もとめたことがあります (motometakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: sought |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | もとめると (motomeruto)whenever you seek |
| Polite automatic result | もとめますと (motomemasuto)whenever you seek |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | もとめるなら (motomerunara)if you mean to seek |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | もとめるだろう (motomerudarou)probably seek |
| Polite probability | もとめるでしょう (motomerudeshou)probably seek |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | もとめろ (motomero)seek! |
| Polite request | もとめてください (motometekudasai)please seek |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.