Japanese reference
選ぶ
えらぶ
to choose, select
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 | えらぶ (erabu)choose |
| Polite, masu | えらびます (erabimasu)choose |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | えらばない (erabanai)do not choose |
| Polite negative | えらびません (erabimasen)do not choose |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | えらんだ (eranda)chose |
| Polite past | えらびました (erabimashita)chose |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | えらばなかった (erabanakatta)did not choose |
| Polite past negative | えらびませんでした (erabimasendeshita)did not choose |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | えらんで (erande)choosing (and then) |
| Polite te-form | えらびまして (erabimashite)choosing (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | えらんでいる (erandeiru)be choosing |
| Polite te-iru | えらんでいます (erandeimasu)be choosing |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | えらべば (erabeba)if you choose |
| Rare literary polite conditional | えらびますれば (erabimasureba)if you choose (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 | えらんだら (erandara)if you choose |
| Polite conditional, tara | えらびましたら (erabimashitara)if you choose |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | えらべる (eraberu)can choose |
| Polite potential | えらべます (erabemasu)can choose |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | えらぼう (erabou)let's choose! |
| Polite volitional | えらびましょう (erabimashou)let's choose! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | えらびたい (erabitai)want to choose |
| Polite desire, tai | えらびたいです (erabitaidesu)want to choose |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | えらばれる (erabareru)be chosen |
| Polite passive | えらばれます (erabaremasu)be chosen |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | えらばせる (erabaseru)make or let someone choose |
| Polite causative | えらばせます (erabasemasu)make or let someone choose |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | えらばせられる (erabaserareru)be made to choose |
| Polite causative-passive | えらばせられます (erabaseraremasu)be made to choose |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | えらぶな (erabuna)do not choose! |
| Polite negative request | えらばないでください (erabanaidekudasai)please do not choose |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | えらびます (erabimasu)choose |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | えらびません (erabimasen)do not choose |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | えらびました (erabimashita)chose |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | えらびませんでした (erabimasendeshita)did not choose |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | えらんでください (erandekudasai)please choose |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | えらばないでください (erabanaidekudasai)please do not choose |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | えらびましょう (erabimashou)let's choose! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | えらんでもいい (erandemoii)may choose |
| Polite permission | えらんでもいいです (erandemoiidesu)may choose |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | えらんではいけない (erandehaikenai)must not choose |
| Polite prohibition | えらんではいけません (erandehaikemasen)must not choose |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | えらびなさい (erabinasai)choose (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | えらんでみる (erandemiru)try to choose |
| Polite try doing | えらんでみます (erandemimasu)try to choose |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | えらんでしまう (erandeshimau)choose completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | えらんでしまいます (erandeshimaimasu)choose completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | えらんでおく (erandeoku)choose in advance |
| Polite preparation | えらんでおきます (erandeokimasu)choose in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | えらんだことがある (erandakotogaaru)have the experience of: chose |
| Polite past experience | えらんだことがあります (erandakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: chose |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | えらぶと (erabuto)whenever you choose |
| Polite automatic result | えらびますと (erabimasuto)whenever you choose |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | えらぶなら (erabunara)if you mean to choose |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | えらぶだろう (erabudarou)probably choose |
| Polite probability | えらぶでしょう (erabudeshou)probably choose |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | えらべ (erabe)choose! |
| Polite request | えらんでください (erandekudasai)please choose |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.