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JAPANESE VERB

こぼす

to spill

  • #434 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 spill
NegativeI don’t spill

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI spilled
NegativeI didn’t spill

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formspilling, and…
Doing now (て います)I am spilling
Please (て ください)please spill

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can spill
NegativeI can’t spill

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s spill

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am spilled
CausativeI make someone spill

How to use こぼす

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

  1. Present and future

    むすこ は よく ぎゅうにゅう を こぼします。

    My son often spills his milk.

  2. Past

    しろい シャツ に コーヒー を こぼした。

    I spilled coffee on my white shirt.

  3. Te-form

    スープ を こぼして、 ズボン が よごれた。

    I spilled soup and my trousers got dirty.

  4. Potential

    この コップ なら、 こども でも こぼせません。

    With this cup, even a child can't spill.

  5. Want to

    ぐち を こぼしたい ひ も ある よ。

    There are days you want to grumble too.

  6. Volitional

    こぼそう と して こぼした わけ じゃ ない。

    I didn't spill it on purpose.

  7. Conditional

    こぼしたら、 すぐ ふいて ね。

    If you spill, wipe it up right away.

  8. Commands and requests

    ジュース を こぼさないで ください ね。

    Please don't spill the juice.

  9. Passive and causative

    となり の ひと に ビール を こぼされた。

    The person next to me spilled beer on me.

Good to know

  • こぼす is to spill something; こぼれる is for what spills by itself. ぐち を こぼす is to grumble.

Where you hear こぼす

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

Japanese · Intermediate Level 2

  • ベン は よく コーヒー を こぼす。 Ben often spills his coffee.
  • シャツ に ラーメン を こぼした。 I spilled ramen on my shirt.
  • ベン は きっと また こぼす。 Ben's sure to spill it again.

Verbs like this one

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