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JAPANESE VERB

ちかう

誓う

to vow

  • #486 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 vow
NegativeI don’t vow

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI vowed
NegativeI didn’t vow

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formvowing, and…
Doing now (て います)I am vowing
Please (て ください)please vow

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can vow
NegativeI can’t vow

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s vow

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am vowed
CausativeI make someone vow

How to use ちかう

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

  1. Present and future

    わたし は ベン を いっしょう あいする こと を ちかいます。

    I vow to love Ben all my life.

  2. Past

    ふたり は かみさま の まえ で ちかった。

    The two made their vows before the gods.

  3. Te-form

    まもる と ちかって、 ゆびわ を はめた。

    Vowing to protect her, he put the ring on her finger.

  4. Potential

    いっしょう の こと は、 かんたん に ちかえません。

    You can't lightly vow something for life.

  5. Want to

    ちゃんと した ことば で ちかいたい。

    I want to make my vow in proper words.

  6. Volitional

    まいにち ありがとう と いう こと を ちかおう。

    Let's vow to say thank you every day.

  7. Conditional

    いちど ちかえば、 まもらなければ ならない。

    Once you vow, you have to keep it.

  8. Commands and requests

    もう おさけ で しっぱい しない と ちかいなさい。

    Vow that you'll never mess up with drink again.

  9. Passive and causative

    かみさま の まえ で ちかわれた ことば は、 おもい。

    Words vowed before the gods carry weight.

Good to know

  • ちかい is the vow itself: ちかい の ことば, the words of the vows.

Where you hear ちかう

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

Japanese · Intermediate Level 2

  • かみさま の まえ で ちかいます。 You vow before the gods.
  • きょう、 ゆい と ちかった。 Today, I made my vows with Yui.
  • あした、 ふたり で ちかいます。 Tomorrow, we'll make our vows together.
26
The Ceremony

Intermediate Level 2 · ちかいます

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Verbs like this one

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