JAPANESE VERB

かく

書く

to write

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Say it firstHide the forms and test yourself

now, habits, and what is to come

Form	Polite	Plain
AffirmativeI write
NegativeI don’t write

finished actions

Form	Polite	Plain
AffirmativeI wrote
NegativeI didn’t write

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

可能形 · “can”

Form	Polite	Plain
AffirmativeI can write
NegativeI can’t write

たい形 · “want to”

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

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form	Polite	Plain
Let’slet’s write

条件形 · “if” and “when”

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Form	Polite	Plain
PassiveI am written
CausativeI make someone write

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

Present and future

まいばんにっきを かきます。

I write a diary every evening.
Past

せんせいにてがみを かいた。

I wrote a letter to my teacher.
Te-form

ここになまえを かいて ください。

Please write your name here.
Potential

ひらがなはぜんぶ かけます。

I can write all the hiragana.
Want to

いつかにほんごでほんを かきたい です。

One day I want to write a book in Japanese.
Volitional

みんなでねんがじょうを かこう。

Let's all write New Year's cards.
Conditional

かんじで かけば、もっとみじかくなります。

If you write it in kanji, it gets shorter.
Commands and requests

もっとおおきくじを かきなさい。

Write the letters bigger.
Passive and causative

このほんはえいごでかかれています。

This book is written in English.