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JAPANESE VERB

もどす

戻す

to put back, to return something

  • #464 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 put back
NegativeI don’t put back

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI put back
NegativeI didn’t put back

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formputting back, and…
Doing now (て います)I am putting back
Please (て ください)please put back

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can put back
NegativeI can’t put back

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to put back
NegativeI don’t want to put back

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s put back

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am put back
CausativeI make someone put back

How to use もどす

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

  1. Present and future

    つかった ほん は たな に もどします。

    I put the books I've used back on the shelf.

  2. Past

    かぎ を もと の ばしょ に もどした。

    I put the key back where it was.

  3. Te-form

    よんだら、 もと に もどして ね。

    When you've read it, put it back.

  4. Potential

    こわれて、 もと に もどせない。

    It's broken and can't be put back the way it was.

  5. Want to

    できる なら、 じかん を もどしたい。

    If I could, I'd turn back time.

  6. Volitional

    いす を もと の ばしょ に もどそう。

    Let's put the chairs back where they were.

  7. Conditional

    もどせば、 だれ も きづかない よ。

    If you put it back, nobody will notice.

  8. Commands and requests

    つかったら、 もと の ばしょ に もどしなさい。

    When you have used it, put it back where it was.

  9. Passive and causative

    にもつ は おくりぬし に もどされた。

    The parcel was returned to the sender.

Good to know

  • もどす is also, bluntly, to throw up.

Where you hear もどす

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

Japanese · Intermediate Level 1

  • よんだ ほん は ほんだな に もどす。 I put books back on the shelf after reading them.
  • ざっし を テーブル に もどした。 I put the magazine back on the table.
  • あと で、 いす を もと の ばしょ に もどす。 Later, I'll put the chair back where it was.
19
The Big Clean

Intermediate Level 1 · もどして

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Verbs like this one

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