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JAPANESE VERB

はなす

離す

to let go

  • 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 let go
NegativeI don’t let go

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI let go
NegativeI didn’t let go

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formletting go, and…
Doing now (て います)I am letting go
Please (て ください)please let go

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can let go
NegativeI can’t let go

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to let go
NegativeI don’t want to let go

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s let go

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am let go
CausativeI make someone let go

How to use はなす

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

  1. Present and future

    この こ は、 ママ の て を はなしません。

    This child won't let go of Mum's hand.

  2. Past

    いぬ の リード を、 いっしゅん はなした。

    I let go of the dog's lead for a second.

  3. Te-form

    あつい から、 なべ から て を はなして！

    It's hot, take your hand off the pan!

  4. Potential

    こわくて、 てすり から て が はなせなかった。

    I was scared and couldn't let go of the rail.

  5. Want to

    むすめ の て を、 まだ はなしたく ない。

    I don't want to let go of my daughter's hand yet.

  6. Volitional

    こうえん で、 いぬ の リード を はなそう か。

    Shall we let the dog off the lead in the park?

  7. Conditional

    め を はなせば、 すぐ に いなく なる。

    If you take your eyes off him, he's gone in a flash.

  8. Commands and requests

    おにいちゃん の おもちゃ は、 はなしなさい。

    Let go of your brother's toy.

  9. Passive and causative

    つかれた の か、 むすめ に て を はなされた。

    Maybe she was tired; my daughter let go of my hand.

Good to know

  • はなす, to let go, has the kanji 離す; はなす, to speak, is 話す. Both go はなします, はなして. め を はなす is to take your eyes off something: こども から め を はなさないで.
  • はなれる is to move away by yourself: えき から はなれて いる, far from the station.

Where you hear はなす

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

Japanese · Fluency Level 1

  • はな は、 おもち を はなさない。 Hana won't let go of the rice cake.
  • はな が、 やっと おもち を はなした。 Hana finally let go of the rice cake.
  • あした に なったら、 はなす よ。 Come tomorrow, she'll let go.
21
The rice cake on her back

Fluency Level 1 · ないて も、 おもち は はなさない。

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Verbs like this one

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