Japanese reference
答える
こたえる
to answer
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 | こたえる (kotaeru)answer |
| Polite, masu | こたえます (kotaemasu)answer |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | こたえない (kotaenai)do not answer |
| Polite negative | こたえません (kotaemasen)do not answer |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | こたえた (kotaeta)answered |
| Polite past | こたえました (kotaemashita)answered |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | こたえなかった (kotaenakatta)did not answer |
| Polite past negative | こたえませんでした (kotaemasendeshita)did not answer |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | こたえて (kotaete)answering (and then) |
| Polite te-form | こたえまして (kotaemashite)answering (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | こたえている (kotaeteiru)be answering |
| Polite te-iru | こたえています (kotaeteimasu)be answering |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | こたえれば (kotaereba)if you answer |
| Rare literary polite conditional | こたえますれば (kotaemasureba)if you answer (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 | こたえたら (kotaetara)if you answer |
| Polite conditional, tara | こたえましたら (kotaemashitara)if you answer |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | こたえられる (kotaerareru)can answer |
| Polite potential | こたえられます (kotaeraremasu)can answer |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | こたえよう (kotaeyou)let's answer! |
| Polite volitional | こたえましょう (kotaemashou)let's answer! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | こたえたい (kotaetai)want to answer |
| Polite desire, tai | こたえたいです (kotaetaidesu)want to answer |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | こたえられる (kotaerareru)be answered |
| Polite passive | こたえられます (kotaeraremasu)be answered |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | こたえさせる (kotaesaseru)make or let someone answer |
| Polite causative | こたえさせます (kotaesasemasu)make or let someone answer |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | こたえさせられる (kotaesaserareru)be made to answer |
| Polite causative-passive | こたえさせられます (kotaesaseraremasu)be made to answer |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | こたえるな (kotaeruna)do not answer! |
| Polite negative request | こたえないでください (kotaenaidekudasai)please do not answer |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | こたえます (kotaemasu)answer |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | こたえません (kotaemasen)do not answer |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | こたえました (kotaemashita)answered |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | こたえませんでした (kotaemasendeshita)did not answer |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | こたえてください (kotaetekudasai)please answer |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | こたえないでください (kotaenaidekudasai)please do not answer |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | こたえましょう (kotaemashou)let's answer! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | こたえてもいい (kotaetemoii)may answer |
| Polite permission | こたえてもいいです (kotaetemoiidesu)may answer |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | こたえてはいけない (kotaetehaikenai)must not answer |
| Polite prohibition | こたえてはいけません (kotaetehaikemasen)must not answer |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | こたえなさい (kotaenasai)answer (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | こたえてみる (kotaetemiru)try to answer |
| Polite try doing | こたえてみます (kotaetemimasu)try to answer |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | こたえてしまう (kotaeteshimau)answer completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | こたえてしまいます (kotaeteshimaimasu)answer completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | こたえておく (kotaeteoku)answer in advance |
| Polite preparation | こたえておきます (kotaeteokimasu)answer in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | こたえたことがある (kotaetakotogaaru)have the experience of: answered |
| Polite past experience | こたえたことがあります (kotaetakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: answered |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | こたえると (kotaeruto)whenever you answer |
| Polite automatic result | こたえますと (kotaemasuto)whenever you answer |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | こたえるなら (kotaerunara)if you mean to answer |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | こたえるだろう (kotaerudarou)probably answer |
| Polite probability | こたえるでしょう (kotaerudeshou)probably answer |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | こたえろ (kotaero)answer! |
| Polite request | こたえてください (kotaetekudasai)please answer |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.