Present and future
now, habits, and what is to come
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI refrain | ||
| NegativeI don’t refrain |
JAPANESE VERB
ひかえる
控える
to refrain, to hold back
- Ichidan verb (ru-verb)
Conjugation
Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.
Past
finished actions
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI refrained | ||
| NegativeI didn’t refrain |
Te-form
て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| て-formrefraining, and… | ||
| Doing now (て います)I am refraining | ||
| Please (て ください)please refrain |
Potential
可能形 · “can”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI can refrain | ||
| NegativeI can’t refrain |
Want to
たい形 · “want to”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI want to refrain | ||
| NegativeI don’t want to refrain |
Volitional
意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| Let’slet’s refrain |
Conditional
条件形 · “if” and “when”
- If (ば) if I refrain
- If, when (たら) if I refrain
Commands and requests
命令形 · from gentle to blunt
- Do it (なさい) refrain (do it)
- Plain command refrain!
- Please don’t please don’t refrain
Passive and causative
受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| PassiveI am refrained | ||
| CausativeI make someone refrain |
How to use ひかえる
One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.
-
Present and future
けんこう の ため に、 あまい もの を ひかえます。
For my health, I cut down on sweets.
-
Past
しゅじゅつ の まえ、 いっしゅうかん おさけ を ひかえた。
Before the operation, I stayed off alcohol for a week.
-
Te-form
いま、 しお を ひかえて います。
I'm cutting down on salt at the moment.
-
Potential
コーヒー は、 ひかえられる じしん が ない。
I'm not confident I can cut down on coffee.
-
Want to
よる の スマホ は、 すこし ひかえたい。
I want to cut back a bit on my phone at night.
-
Volitional
かいぎ ちゅう の しつもん は、 ひかえよう。
Let's hold back on questions during the meeting.
-
Conditional
あぶら を ひかえれば、 おなか の ちょうし が よく なる。
If you cut down on fat, your stomach gets better.
-
Commands and requests
びょういん で は、 おおきな こえ を ひかえなさい。
Keep your voice down in the hospital.
-
Passive and causative
いしゃ に、 おさけ を ひかえさせられて いる。
The doctor has me cutting down on drink.
Good to know
- ひかえる is cutting down on something or keeping quiet: おさけ を ひかえる, はつげん を ひかえる. ひかえめ is "modest", also of seasoning: あじ は ひかえめ に.
- It also means to have something coming up, しけん を ひかえて いる, with an exam ahead, and to jot down: ばんごう を ひかえる.
Where you hear ひかえる
The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.
Japanese · Advanced Level 2
- おさけ は、 ひかえて います。 I'm holding back on drink.
- きのう は、 コーヒー を ひかえた。 Yesterday I held off the coffee.
- あした から、 けいご を すこし ひかえます。 From tomorrow, I'll tone down the keigo a little.
Verbs like this one
The same pattern, on other verbs: ichidan verb (ru-verb).