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fluentbyear

JAPANESE VERB

あう

会う

to meet

  • #33 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 meet
NegativeI don’t meet

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI met
NegativeI didn’t meet

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formmeeting, and…
Doing now (て います)I am meeting
Please (て ください)please meet

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can meet
NegativeI can’t meet

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s meet

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am met
CausativeI make someone meet

How to use あう

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

  1. Present and future

    あした、 えき で けんた に あいます。

    Tomorrow I'm meeting Kenta at the station.

  2. Past

    ひさしぶり に だいがく の ともだち に あいました。

    I met a college friend for the first time in ages.

  3. Te-form

    さんじ に おきゃくさん に あって きます。

    I'll go and meet a customer at three.

  4. Potential

    また あえて、 よかった です。

    I'm glad we could meet again.

  5. Want to

    はやく かぞく に あいたい です。

    I want to see my family soon.

  6. Volitional

    こんど、 また どこ か で あおう。

    Let's meet again somewhere sometime.

  7. Conditional

    さとう さん に あったら、 よろしく つたえて ください。

    If you see Mrs. Sato, please give her my regards.

  8. Commands and requests

    いちど せんせい に あいなさい。

    Go and see the teacher once.

  9. Passive and causative

    しゃちょう は あした おきゃくさま に あわれます。

    The president will meet the client tomorrow.

Good to know

  • Who you meet takes に, not を: ともだち に あいます.
  • はじめまして is what you say when you meet someone for the first time.
  • あわれます in the passive sentence is the polite (honorific) use of that form.

Where you hear あう

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

Japanese · Beginner Level 1

  • えき で ともだち に あいます。 I meet my friend at the station.
  • ゆい さん の かぞく に あいました。 I met Yui's family.
  • あした、 りく さん に あいます。 I'll meet Riku tomorrow.

Japanese · Beginner Level 2

  • ときどき ともだち と あいます。 I meet friends sometimes.
  • えき で みなさん と あいました。 I met everyone at the station.
  • どようび に しんじゅく えき で あいます。 We'll meet at Shinjuku station on Saturday.

And 2 more lessons.

Verbs like this one

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