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JAPANESE VERB

かえる

変える

to change, to replace

  • #58 most used
  • Ichidan verb (ru-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 change
NegativeI don’t change

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI changed
NegativeI didn’t change

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formchanging, and…
Doing now (て います)I am changing
Please (て ください)please change

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can change
NegativeI can’t change

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s change

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am changed
CausativeI make someone change

How to use かえる

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

  1. Present and future

    らいげつ から しごと を かえます。

    From next month I'm changing jobs.

  2. Past

    へや の かぐ の ばしょ を かえた。

    I moved the furniture around in the room.

  3. Te-form

    よてい を かえて、 あした に しよう。

    Let's change the plan and do it tomorrow.

  4. Potential

    いちど した やくそく は かえられない。

    A promise once made can't be changed.

  5. Want to

    かみがた を かえたい ん だ けど。

    I'd like to change my hairstyle.

  6. Volitional

    たまには みち を かえよう か。

    Shall we take a different route for once?

  7. Conditional

    かんがえかた を かえれば、 らく に なる。

    If you change how you think, it gets easier.

  8. Commands and requests

    やくそく の ひ を かえないで ください。

    Please don't change the date we agreed.

  9. Passive and causative

    かいぎ の じかん が きゅう に かえられた。

    The meeting time was suddenly changed.

Good to know

  • かえる is to change something; かわる is to change by itself: よてい を かえる, よてい が かわる.
  • Not the godan かえる, to go home: かえります and かわります sound alike, so listen for the particle.

Where you hear かえる

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

Japanese · Intermediate Level 1

  • まいにち、 へや の シーツ を かえる。 I change the sheets in the rooms every day.
  • ごご、 シーツ を ぜんぶ かえた。 In the afternoon I changed all the sheets.
  • あした は ぼく が シーツ を かえる よ。 Tomorrow I'll change the sheets.
12
A Favour

Intermediate Level 1 · シーツ を かえる

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Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: ichidan verb (ru-verb).