Japanese reference
返す
かえす
to give back; to return something
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 | かえす (kaesu)give back |
| Polite, masu | かえします (kaeshimasu)give back |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | かえさない (kaesanai)do not give back |
| Polite negative | かえしません (kaeshimasen)do not give back |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | かえした (kaeshita)gave back |
| Polite past | かえしました (kaeshimashita)gave back |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | かえさなかった (kaesanakatta)did not give back |
| Polite past negative | かえしませんでした (kaeshimasendeshita)did not give back |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | かえして (kaeshite)giving back (and then) |
| Polite te-form | かえしまして (kaeshimashite)giving back (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | かえしている (kaeshiteiru)be giving back |
| Polite te-iru | かえしています (kaeshiteimasu)be giving back |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | かえせば (kaeseba)if you give back |
| Rare literary polite conditional | かえしますれば (kaeshimasureba)if you give back (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 | かえしたら (kaeshitara)if you give back |
| Polite conditional, tara | かえしましたら (kaeshimashitara)if you give back |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | かえせる (kaeseru)can give back |
| Polite potential | かえせます (kaesemasu)can give back |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | かえそう (kaesou)let's give back! |
| Polite volitional | かえしましょう (kaeshimashou)let's give back! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | かえしたい (kaeshitai)want to give back |
| Polite desire, tai | かえしたいです (kaeshitaidesu)want to give back |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | かえされる (kaesareru)be affected when someone gives back |
| Polite passive | かえされます (kaesaremasu)be affected when someone gives back |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | かえさせる (kaesaseru)make or let someone give back |
| Polite causative | かえさせます (kaesasemasu)make or let someone give back |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | かえさせられる (kaesaserareru)be made to give back |
| Polite causative-passive | かえさせられます (kaesaseraremasu)be made to give back |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | かえすな (kaesuna)do not give back! |
| Polite negative request | かえさないでください (kaesanaidekudasai)please do not give back |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | かえします (kaeshimasu)give back |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | かえしません (kaeshimasen)do not give back |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | かえしました (kaeshimashita)gave back |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | かえしませんでした (kaeshimasendeshita)did not give back |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | かえしてください (kaeshitekudasai)please give back |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | かえさないでください (kaesanaidekudasai)please do not give back |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | かえしましょう (kaeshimashou)let's give back! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | かえしてもいい (kaeshitemoii)may give back |
| Polite permission | かえしてもいいです (kaeshitemoiidesu)may give back |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | かえしてはいけない (kaeshitehaikenai)must not give back |
| Polite prohibition | かえしてはいけません (kaeshitehaikemasen)must not give back |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | かえしなさい (kaeshinasai)give back (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | かえしてみる (kaeshitemiru)try to give back |
| Polite try doing | かえしてみます (kaeshitemimasu)try to give back |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | かえしてしまう (kaeshiteshimau)give back completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | かえしてしまいます (kaeshiteshimaimasu)give back completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | かえしておく (kaeshiteoku)give back in advance |
| Polite preparation | かえしておきます (kaeshiteokimasu)give back in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | かえしたことがある (kaeshitakotogaaru)have the experience of: gave back |
| Polite past experience | かえしたことがあります (kaeshitakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: gave back |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | かえすと (kaesuto)whenever you give back |
| Polite automatic result | かえしますと (kaeshimasuto)whenever you give back |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | かえすなら (kaesunara)if you mean to give back |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | かえすだろう (kaesudarou)probably give back |
| Polite probability | かえすでしょう (kaesudeshou)probably give back |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | かえせ (kaese)give back! |
| Polite request | かえしてください (kaeshitekudasai)please give back |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.