Present and future
now, habits, and what is to come
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI work | ||
| NegativeI don’t work |
Conjugation
Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.
Past
finished actions
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI worked | ||
| NegativeI didn’t work |
Te-form
て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| て-formworking, and… | ||
| Doing now (て います)I am working | ||
| Please (て ください)please work |
Potential
可能形 · “can”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI can work | ||
| NegativeI can’t work |
Want to
たい形 · “want to”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI want to work | ||
| NegativeI don’t want to work |
Volitional
意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| Let’slet’s work |
Conditional
条件形 · “if” and “when”
- If (ば) if I work
- If, when (たら) if I work
Commands and requests
命令形 · from gentle to blunt
- Do it (なさい) work (do it)
- Plain command work!
- Please don’t please don’t work
Passive and causative
受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| PassiveI am worked | ||
| CausativeI make someone work |
How to use しごと する
One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.
-
Present and future
どようび も しごと します か。
Do you work on Saturdays too?
-
Past
きのう は よる じゅうじ まで しごと した。
Yesterday I worked until ten at night.
-
Te-form
ちち は いま カフェ で しごと して います。
My father is working at a café right now.
-
Potential
いえ で も しごと できます か。
Can you work from home too?
-
Want to
しょうらい は かいがい で しごと したい です。
In the future I want to work abroad.
-
Volitional
さあ、 きょう も がんばって しごと しよう。
Right, let's work hard again today.
-
Conditional
あさ はやく しごと すれば、 ごご は ひま です。
If I work early in the morning, my afternoon is free.
-
Commands and requests
スマホ を みないで、 ちゃんと しごと しなさい。
Stop looking at your phone and do your work properly.
-
Passive and causative
ぶちょう は わたしたち に にちようび も しごと させました。
The manager made us work on Sunday too.
Good to know
- はたらく is to work in general; しごと する is to do your job, to get some work done.
Verbs like this one
The same pattern, on other verbs: する verb.