Skip to content
fluentbyear

JAPANESE VERB

なさる

to do, respectfully

  • #491 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 do
NegativeI don’t do

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI did
NegativeI didn’t do

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formdoing, and…
Doing now (て います)I am doing
Please (て ください)please do

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can do
NegativeI can’t do

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s do

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am done
CausativeI make someone do

How to use なさる

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

  1. Present and future

    おのみもの は なに に なさいます か。

    What will you have to drink?

  2. Past

    せんせい は しゅうまつ、 なに を なさいました か。

    What did you do at the weekend, sensei?

  3. Te-form

    しゃちょう は いま、 なに を なさって います か。

    What is the president doing right now?

  4. Potential

    おきゃくさま が なさった ちゅうもん は、 へんこう できます。

    The order you placed can be changed.

  5. Want to

    せんせい が なさって いる けんきゅう を、 てつだいたい。

    I'd like to help with the research the professor is doing.

  6. Volitional

    せんせい が なさった よう に、 やって みよう。

    Let's try to do it the way the teacher did.

  7. Conditional

    さき に ごよやく なさったら、 まちません よ。

    If you book ahead, you won't have to wait.

  8. Commands and requests

    テレビ を けして、 しゅくだい を なさい。

    Turn off the TV and do your homework.

  9. Passive and causative

    せんせい の なさった こと は、 みんな に かんしゃ されて います。

    What the teacher did is appreciated by everyone.

Good to know

  • なさる is する said of someone above you: どう なさいます か; the ます-form is なさいます.
  • なさい after a verb's ます-stem is a parent's or a teacher's order: たべなさい, はやく しなさい.
  • Nobody wants to or is made to なさる, so the potential, want, volitional and passive sentences show it beside another verb.

Verbs like this one

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