Japanese reference
話す
はなす
to speak; to talk
Regular · 34 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 | はなす (hanasu)speak; talk (plain) |
| Polite, masu | はなします (hanashimasu)speak; talk (polite) |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | はなさない (hanasanai)do not speak or talk (plain) |
| Polite negative | はなしません (hanashimasen)do not speak or talk (polite) |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | はなした (hanashita)spoke; talked (plain) |
| Polite past | はなしました (hanashimashita)spoke; talked (polite) |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | はなさなかった (hanasanakatta)did not speak or talk (plain) |
| Polite past negative | はなしませんでした (hanashimasendeshita)did not speak or talk (polite) |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | はなして (hanashite)speak or talk and ... |
| Polite te-form | はなしまして (hanashimashite)speaking (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | はなしている (hanashiteiru)be speaking or talking |
| Polite te-iru | はなしています (hanashiteimasu)be speaking |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | はなせば (hanaseba)if (you) speak or talk |
| Rare literary polite conditional | はなしますれば (hanashimasureba)if you speak (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 | はなしたら (hanashitara)if (you) speak or talk; after talking |
| Polite conditional, tara | はなしましたら (hanashimashitara)if you speak |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | はなせる (hanaseru)can speak or talk |
| Polite potential | はなせます (hanasemasu)can speak |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | はなそう (hanasou)let's talk |
| Polite volitional | はなしましょう (hanashimashou)let's speak! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | はなしたい (hanashitai)want to speak |
| Polite desire, tai | はなしたいです (hanashitaidesu)want to speak |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | はなされる (hanasareru)be spoken; be talked about |
| Polite passive | はなされます (hanasaremasu)be affected when someone speaks |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | はなさせる (hanasaseru)make or let someone speak |
| Polite causative | はなさせます (hanasasemasu)make or let someone speak |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | はなさせられる (hanasaserareru)be made to speak |
| Polite causative-passive | はなさせられます (hanasaseraremasu)be made to speak |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | はなすな (hanasuna)do not speak! |
| Polite negative request | はなさないでください (hanasanaidekudasai)please do not speak |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | はなします (hanashimasu)speak |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | はなしません (hanashimasen)do not speak |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | はなしました (hanashimashita)spoke |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | はなしませんでした (hanashimasendeshita)did not speak |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | はなしてください (hanashitekudasai)please speak |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | はなさないでください (hanasanaidekudasai)please do not speak |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | はなしましょう (hanashimashou)let's speak! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | はなしてもいい (hanashitemoii)may speak |
| Polite permission | はなしてもいいです (hanashitemoiidesu)may speak |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | はなしてはいけない (hanashitehaikenai)must not speak |
| Polite prohibition | はなしてはいけません (hanashitehaikemasen)must not speak |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | はなしなさい (hanashinasai)speak (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | はなしてみる (hanashitemiru)try to speak |
| Polite try doing | はなしてみます (hanashitemimasu)try to speak |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | はなしてしまう (hanashiteshimau)speak completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | はなしてしまいます (hanashiteshimaimasu)speak completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | はなしておく (hanashiteoku)speak in advance |
| Polite preparation | はなしておきます (hanashiteokimasu)speak in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | はなしたことがある (hanashitakotogaaru)have the experience of: spoke |
| Polite past experience | はなしたことがあります (hanashitakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: spoke |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | はなすと (hanasuto)whenever you speak |
| Polite automatic result | はなしますと (hanashimasuto)whenever you speak |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | はなすなら (hanasunara)if you mean to speak |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | はなすだろう (hanasudarou)probably speak |
| Polite probability | はなすでしょう (hanasudeshou)probably speak |
Respect
Honorific
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Honorific | おはなしになる (ohanashininaru)speak (honoring the subject) |
| Polite honorific | おはなしになります (ohanashininarimasu)speak (honoring the subject) |
Humble
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Humble | おはなしする (ohanashisuru)speak (humbly) |
| Polite humble | おはなしします (ohanashishimasu)speak (humbly) |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | はなせ (hanase)speak! (command) |
| Polite request | はなしてください (hanashitekudasai)please speak |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.