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JAPANESE VERB

さそう

誘う

to invite

  • #139 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 invite
NegativeI don’t invite

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI invited
NegativeI didn’t invite

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-forminviting, and…
Doing now (て います)I am inviting
Please (て ください)please invite

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can invite
NegativeI can’t invite

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s invite

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am invited
CausativeI make someone invite

How to use さそう

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

  1. Present and future

    こんど、 ベン さん も さそいます。

    Next time I'll invite Ben too.

  2. Past

    ゆい を えいが に さそった。

    I asked Yui to the cinema.

  3. Te-form

    きょう は さそって くれて、 ありがとう。

    Thanks for inviting me today.

  4. Potential

    さとう さん も さそえます か？

    Can we invite Mrs. Sato too?

  5. Want to

    けんた を はなみ に さそいたい。

    I want to invite Kenta to see the cherry blossoms.

  6. Volitional

    あとで みんな を のみ に さそおう。

    Let's invite everyone for a drink later.

  7. Conditional

    さそえば、 きっと きて くれます よ。

    If you invite him, I'm sure he'll come.

  8. Commands and requests

    パーティー に ともだち も さそいなさい。

    Invite your friends to the party too.

  9. Passive and causative

    ともだち に パーティー に さそわれました。

    I was invited to a party by a friend.

Good to know

  • さそう is to ask someone along; しょうたい する is a formal invitation, to a wedding.

Where you hear さそう

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

Japanese · Beginner Level 2

  • ときどき ともだち を しょくじ に さそいます。 I sometimes invite friends to a meal.
  • ベン さん を はこね に さそいました。 I invited Ben to Hakone.
  • つぎ は ほか の せんせい も さそいます。 Next time I'll invite the other teachers too.

Japanese · Intermediate Level 2

  • だいち は いつも みんな を フットサル に さそう。 Daichi always invites everyone to futsal.
  • あや さん が ぼく を さそいました。 Aya asked me out.
  • こんど は ぼく が みお を さそう。 Next time, I'll ask Mio out.
20
The Hot Spring

Beginner Level 2 · さそって くれて

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Mike's News

Intermediate Level 2 · さそった

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Verbs like this one

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