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fluentbyear

JAPANESE VERB

せつめい する

説明 する

to explain

  • #146 most used
  • する 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 explain
NegativeI don’t explain

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI explained
NegativeI didn’t explain

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formexplaining, and…
Doing now (て います)I am explaining
Please (て ください)please explain

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can explain
NegativeI can’t explain

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s explain

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am explained
CausativeI make someone explain

How to use せつめい する

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

  1. Present and future

    いま から つかいかた を せつめい します。

    I'll now explain how to use it.

  2. Past

    いしゃ が くすり の のみかた を せつめい した。

    The doctor explained how to take the medicine.

  3. Te-form

    もう いちど ゆっくり せつめい して ください。

    Please explain once more, slowly.

  4. Potential

    にほんご で うまく せつめい できません。

    I can't explain it well in Japanese.

  5. Want to

    なぜ おくれた か、 せつめい したい。

    I want to explain why I was late.

  6. Volitional

    え を かいて せつめい しよう。

    Let's draw a picture and explain.

  7. Conditional

    ちゃんと せつめい すれば、 わかって くれる よ。

    If you explain properly, they'll understand.

  8. Commands and requests

    なに が あった の か、 せつめい しなさい。

    Explain what happened.

  9. Passive and causative

    けいやく の ないよう を くわしく せつめい された。

    The contents of the contract were explained to me in detail.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: する verb.