Present and future
now, habits, and what is to come
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI live | ||
| NegativeI don’t live |
JAPANESE VERB
くらす
暮らす
to live, to make a life somewhere
- Godan verb (u-verb)
Conjugation
Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.
Past
finished actions
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI lived | ||
| NegativeI didn’t live |
Te-form
て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| て-formliving, and… | ||
| Doing now (て います)I am living | ||
| Please (て ください)please live |
Potential
可能形 · “can”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI can live | ||
| NegativeI can’t live |
Want to
たい形 · “want to”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI want to live | ||
| NegativeI don’t want to live |
Volitional
意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| Let’slet’s live |
Conditional
条件形 · “if” and “when”
- If (ば) if I live
- If, when (たら) if I live
Commands and requests
命令形 · from gentle to blunt
- Do it (なさい) live (do it)
- Plain command live!
- Please don’t please don’t live
Passive and causative
受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| PassiveI am lived | ||
| CausativeI make someone live |
How to use くらす
One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.
-
Present and future
ていねん したら、 うみ の ちかく で くらします。
When I retire, I'll live near the sea.
-
Past
がくせい の ころ、 ひとり で くらした。
As a student, I lived on my own.
-
Te-form
かぞく よにん で、 おおさか で くらして いる。
The four of us live in Osaka.
-
Potential
この きゅうりょう で、 とうきょう で くらせます か？
Can you live in Tokyo on this salary?
-
Want to
いつか、 かぞく と きょうと で くらしたい。
One day I want to live in Kyoto with my family.
-
Volitional
けっこん したら、 うみ の みえる まち で くらそう。
When we're married, let's live in a town with a view of the sea.
-
Conditional
いなか で くらせば、 やちん は やすく なる。
If you live in the country, the rent is cheaper.
-
Commands and requests
からだ に き を つけて、 げんき に くらしなさい。
Look after yourself and live well.
-
Passive and causative
むすめ を、 いちねん がいこく で くらさせた。
I had my daughter live abroad for a year.
Good to know
- くらす is living your daily life somewhere: とうきょう で くらす, ひとり で くらす. すむ is only to have your address somewhere; いきる is to be alive. くらし is daily life.
Where you hear くらす
The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.
Japanese · Fluency Level 3
- かぞく さんにん で、 とうきょう で くらして いる。 We live in Tokyo, the three of us.
- むかし は、 きょうと で くらして いた。 We used to live in Kyoto.
- らいねん も、 ここ で くらします。 Next year too, we'll live here.
Verbs like this one
The same pattern, on other verbs: godan verb (u-verb).