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JAPANESE VERB

あそぶ

遊ぶ

to play, to have fun

  • #75 most used
  • Godan verb (u-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 play
NegativeI don’t play

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI played
NegativeI didn’t play

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formplaying, and…
Doing now (て います)I am playing
Please (て ください)please play

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can play
NegativeI can’t play

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s play

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am played
CausativeI make someone play

How to use あそぶ

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

  1. Present and future

    にちようび は こうえん で あそびます。

    On Sundays I play in the park.

  2. Past

    きのう は ともだち と しぶや で あそんだ。

    Yesterday I hung out with friends in Shibuya.

  3. Te-form

    こんど、 うち に あそび に きて ください。

    Come round to my place sometime.

  4. Potential

    この ゲーム は ふたり で あそべます。

    This game can be played by two people.

  5. Want to

    しゅうまつ は おもいきり あそびたい。

    I want to have real fun at the weekend.

  6. Volitional

    しゅくだい の あと で あそぼう。

    Let's play after homework.

  7. Conditional

    みち で あそべば、 あぶない です よ。

    If you play in the street, it's dangerous.

  8. Commands and requests

    てんき が いい から、 そと で あそびなさい。

    The weather's nice, so go and play outside.

  9. Passive and causative

    こうえん で こども を あそばせました。

    I let the children play in the park.

Good to know

  • あそぶ is also what adults do when they hang out: あそび に きて ください is "come round and visit".

Where you hear あそぶ

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Japanese · Beginner Level 2

  • まご は よく こうえん で あそびます。 My grandson often plays in the park.
  • きのう、 けんた さん と あさくさ で あそびました。 Yesterday I had fun with Kenta in Asakusa.
  • こんど、 とうきょう へ あそび に いきます。 Next time, I'll come to Tokyo for a visit.

Japanese · Beginner Level 3

  • やすみ の ひ は おい と あそびます。 On my days off, I play with my nephew.
  • きのう、 ともだち と あそびました。 Yesterday I played with my friends.
  • あした、 こども たち と あそびます。 Tomorrow I'll play with the children.
10
The First Night

Beginner Level 2 · あそび に いきます

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Golden Week

Beginner Level 3 · あそんだり

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Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: godan verb (u-verb).