Japanese reference
食べる
たべる
to eat
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 | たべる (taberu)eat (plain) |
| Polite, masu | たべます (tabemasu)eat (polite) |
Negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative, nai | たべない (tabenai)do not eat (plain) |
| Polite negative | たべません (tabemasen)do not eat (polite) |
Past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past, ta | たべた (tabeta)ate (plain) |
| Polite past | たべました (tabemashita)ate (polite) |
Past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past negative | たべなかった (tabenakatta)did not eat (plain) |
| Polite past negative | たべませんでした (tabemasendeshita)did not eat (polite) |
Linking
Te form
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-form | たべて (tabete)eat and ... |
| Polite te-form | たべまして (tabemashite)eating (and then) |
Te iru
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Te-iru: ongoing action / resulting state | たべている (tabeteiru)be eating |
| Polite te-iru | たべています (tabeteimasu)be eating |
Conditional, ba
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Conditional, ba | たべれば (tabereba)if (you) eat |
| Rare literary polite conditional | たべますれば (tabemasureba)if you eat (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 | たべたら (tabetara)if (you) eat; after eating |
| Polite conditional, tara | たべましたら (tabemashitara)if you eat |
Mood
Potential
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Potential | たべられる (taberareru)can eat |
| Polite potential | たべられます (taberaremasu)can eat |
Volitional
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Volitional | たべよう (tabeyou)let's eat |
| Polite volitional | たべましょう (tabemashou)let's eat! |
Desire, tai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Desire, tai | たべたい (tabetai)want to eat |
| Polite desire, tai | たべたいです (tabetaidesu)want to eat |
Voice
Passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Passive | たべられる (taberareru)be eaten |
| Polite passive | たべられます (taberaremasu)be eaten |
Causative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative | たべさせる (tabesaseru)make or let someone eat |
| Polite causative | たべさせます (tabesasemasu)make or let someone eat |
Causative passive
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Causative-passive | たべさせられる (tabesaserareru)be made to eat |
| Polite causative-passive | たべさせられます (tabesaseraremasu)be made to eat |
Commands
Negative imperative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Negative imperative | たべるな (taberuna)do not eat! |
| Polite negative request | たべないでください (tabenaidekudasai)please do not eat |
Polite
Polite non past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite non-past form | たべます (tabemasu)eat |
Polite negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite negative form | たべません (tabemasen)do not eat |
Polite past
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past form | たべました (tabemashita)ate |
Polite past negative
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Polite past negative form | たべませんでした (tabemasendeshita)did not eat |
Requests
Request with kudasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request with kudasai | たべてください (tabetekudasai)please eat |
Negative request
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Request not to act | たべないでください (tabenaidekudasai)please do not eat |
Invitation with mashou
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Invitation with mashou | たべましょう (tabemashou)let's eat! |
Permission
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Permission | たべてもいい (tabetemoii)may eat |
| Polite permission | たべてもいいです (tabetemoiidesu)may eat |
Not allowed
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Not allowed | たべてはいけない (tabetehaikenai)must not eat |
| Polite prohibition | たべてはいけません (tabetehaikemasen)must not eat |
Instruction with nasai
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Instruction with nasai | たべなさい (tabenasai)eat (instruction) |
Aspect
Try doing
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Try doing | たべてみる (tabetemiru)try to eat |
| Polite try doing | たべてみます (tabetemimasu)try to eat |
Completion or regret
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Completion or regret | たべてしまう (tabeteshimau)eat completely or regrettably |
| Polite completion or regret | たべてしまいます (tabeteshimaimasu)eat completely or regrettably |
Preparation
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Preparation | たべておく (tabeteoku)eat in advance |
| Polite preparation | たべておきます (tabeteokimasu)eat in advance |
Past experience
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Past experience | たべたことがある (tabetakotogaaru)have the experience of: ate |
| Polite past experience | たべたことがあります (tabetakotogaarimasu)have the experience of: ate |
Conditions
Automatic result, to
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Automatic result, to | たべると (taberuto)whenever you eat |
| Polite automatic result | たべますと (tabemasuto)whenever you eat |
Given that, nara
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Given that, nara | たべるなら (taberunara)if you mean to eat |
Probability
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Probability | たべるだろう (taberudarou)probably eat |
| Polite probability | たべるでしょう (taberudeshou)probably eat |
Respect
Honorific
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Honorific | めしあがる (meshiagaru)eat (honoring the subject) |
| Polite honorific | めしあがります (meshiagarimasu)eat (honoring the subject) |
Humble
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Humble | いただく (itadaku)eat (humbly) |
| Polite humble | いただきます (itadakimasu)eat (humbly) |
Additional forms
Strong command
| Person, form or usage | Form and meaning |
|---|---|
| Imperative | たべろ (tabero)eat! (command) |
| Polite request | たべてください (tabetekudasai)please eat |
Forms from the Loquus reference. Only supplied forms are shown. Browse all Japanese entries.