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JAPANESE VERB

ささえる

支える

to support

  • #246 most used
  • Ichidan verb (ru-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 support
NegativeI don’t support

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI supported
NegativeI didn’t support

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formsupporting, and…
Doing now (て います)I am supporting
Please (て ください)please support

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can support
NegativeI can’t support

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s support

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am supported
CausativeI make someone support

How to use ささえる

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

  1. Present and future

    ふとい はしら が、 この ふるい いえ を ささえます。

    A thick pillar holds up this old house.

  2. Past

    びょうき の あいだ、 つま が ずっと わたし を ささえた。

    While I was ill, my wife supported me the whole way.

  3. Te-form

    おばあさん の からだ を ささえて、 かいだん を おりた。

    I supported Grandma and went down the stairs.

  4. Potential

    ひとり で は、 この おもい たな を ささえられません。

    I can't hold up this heavy shelf alone.

  5. Want to

    こまって いる ひと を、 すこし でも ささえたい。

    I want to support people in trouble, even a little.

  6. Volitional

    おたがい を ささえよう。 ふうふ だ から。

    Let's support each other. We're married, after all.

  7. Conditional

    みんな で ささえれば、 かれ も たちなおれる。

    If we all support him, he can get back on his feet.

  8. Commands and requests

    おじいちゃん の うで を しっかり ささえなさい。

    Hold Grandpa's arm firmly.

  9. Passive and causative

    おおく の ひと に ささえられて、 きょう が あります。

    I owe today to the support of many people.

Good to know

  • ささえる is to hold someone up, with your arm or through hard times; おうえん する is to cheer them on.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: ichidan verb (ru-verb).