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JAPANESE VERB

くむ

組む

to fold, hands or arms

  • #474 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 fold
NegativeI don’t fold

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI folded
NegativeI didn’t fold

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formfolding, and…
Doing now (て います)I am folding
Please (て ください)please fold

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can fold
NegativeI can’t fold

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s fold

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am folded
CausativeI make someone fold

How to use くむ

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

  1. Present and future

    さとう さん は、 かんがえる とき うで を くみます。

    Mrs. Sato folds her arms when she thinks.

  2. Past

    ベン は かみさま の まえ で て を くんだ。

    Ben clasped his hands before the gods.

  3. Te-form

    あし を くんで、 テレビ を みて いた。

    I was watching TV with my legs crossed.

  4. Potential

    ひざ が いたくて、 あし が くめません。

    My knee hurts and I can't cross my legs.

  5. Want to

    つぎ の しごと は、 ベン と くみたい。

    On the next job I want to team up with Ben.

  6. Volitional

    テニス の ダブルス は、 ベン と くもう。

    For the tennis doubles, let's pair up with Ben.

  7. Conditional

    うで を くめば、 こわそう に みえる よ。

    If you fold your arms, you look scary.

  8. Commands and requests

    て を まえ で くみなさい。

    Clasp your hands in front of you.

  9. Passive and causative

    せんせい は せいと を ふたり ずつ くませた。

    The teacher put the students in pairs.

Good to know

  • うで を くむ is to fold your arms, て を くむ to clasp your hands, あし を くむ to cross your legs.
  • くむ is also to team up: ふたり で くむ.

Where you hear くむ

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

Japanese · Intermediate Level 2

  • て は まえ で くみます。 You fold your hands in front.
  • リハーサル で、 て を まえ で くんだ。 At the rehearsal, I folded my hands in front.
  • あした は、 ちゃんと て を くむ。 Tomorrow I'll fold my hands properly.
23
The Rehearsal

Intermediate Level 2 · くんで

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Verbs like this one

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