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fluentbyear

JAPANESE VERB

あいさつ する

挨拶 する

to greet

  • #187 most used
  • する verb

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present and future

now, habits, and what is to come

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI greet
NegativeI don’t greet

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI greeted
NegativeI didn’t greet

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formgreeting, and…
Doing now (て います)I am greeting
Please (て ください)please greet

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can greet
NegativeI can’t greet

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to greet
NegativeI don’t want to greet

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s greet

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

  1. If (ば) if I greet
  2. If, when (たら) if I greet

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

  1. Do it (なさい) greet (do it)
  2. Plain command greet!
  3. Please don’t please don’t greet

Passive and causative

受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am greeted
CausativeI make someone greet

How to use あいさつ する

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present and future

    まいあさ、 きんじょ の ひと に あいさつ します。

    Every morning I greet the neighbours.

  2. Past

    あたらしい じょうし に あいさつ した。

    I went and introduced myself to the new boss.

  3. Te-form

    おきゃくさま に は えがお で あいさつ して ください。

    Please greet customers with a smile.

  4. Potential

    きょう は ぶちょう に あいさつ できなかった。

    I didn't get to greet the manager today.

  5. Want to

    かえる まえ に、 せんせい に あいさつ したい。

    Before I go home, I'd like to say goodbye to the teacher.

  6. Volitional

    となり の ひと に あいさつ しよう。

    Let's go say hello to the neighbour.

  7. Conditional

    げんき に あいさつ すれば、 みんな よろこぶ よ。

    If you greet people cheerfully, everyone's pleased.

  8. Commands and requests

    おきゃくさん に ちゃんと あいさつ しなさい。

    Greet the guests properly.

  9. Passive and causative

    しらない こども に あいさつ されて、 うれしかった。

    A child I didn't know said hello to me, and it made me happy.

Good to know

  • あいさつ is also the short speech at a wedding or a party.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: する verb.