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fluentbyear

JAPANESE VERB

おもいだす

思い出す

to recall, to remember

  • #180 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 recall
NegativeI don’t recall

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI recalled
NegativeI didn’t recall

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formrecalling, and…
Doing now (て います)I am recalling
Please (て ください)please recall

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can recall
NegativeI can’t recall

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s recall

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am recalled
CausativeI make someone recall

How to use おもいだす

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

  1. Present and future

    この うた を きく と、 こうこう じだい を おもいだします。

    When I hear this song, I remember my high-school days.

  2. Past

    やっと あの ひと の なまえ を おもいだした。

    I finally remembered that person's name.

  3. Te-form

    こきょう の うみ を おもいだして、 なきそう に なった。

    I remembered the sea back home and nearly cried.

  4. Potential

    パスワード が どうして も おもいだせない。

    I just can't remember the password.

  5. Want to

    あの えいが の だいめい を おもいだしたい。

    I want to remember the title of that film.

  6. Volitional

    むかし の しゃしん を みて、 おもいだそう。

    Let's look at old photos and jog our memories.

  7. Conditional

    なまえ を おもいだしたら、 おしえて ね。

    If you remember the name, tell me.

  8. Commands and requests

    どこ に おいた か、 よく おもいだしなさい。

    Think hard about where you put it.

  9. Passive and causative

    この におい は そぼ の いえ を おもいださせる。

    This smell reminds me of my grandmother's house.

Good to know

  • おもいだす is to bring something back to mind; おぼえる is to learn it so you remember it later.

Verbs like this one

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