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JAPANESE VERB

しまう

to put away

  • #352 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 put away
NegativeI don’t put away

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI put away
NegativeI didn’t put away

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formputting away, and…
Doing now (て います)I am putting away
Please (て ください)please put away

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can put away
NegativeI can’t put away

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to put away
NegativeI don’t want to put away

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s put away

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am put away
CausativeI make someone put away

How to use しまう

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

  1. Present and future

    つかった もの は もと の ばしょ に しまいます。

    I put what I used back where it was.

  2. Past

    ふゆ の ふく を ぜんぶ おしいれ に しまった。

    I put all the winter clothes away in the closet.

  3. Te-form

    はさみ を ひきだし に しまって ください。

    Please put the scissors away in the drawer.

  4. Potential

    この はこ に おもちゃ が ぜんぶ しまえます。

    All the toys can go away in this box.

  5. Want to

    なつ の あいだ、 ストーブ を どこか に しまいたい。

    Over the summer I want to put the heater away somewhere.

  6. Volitional

    たたんだ せんたくもの を たんす に しまおう。

    Let's put the folded laundry in the chest of drawers.

  7. Conditional

    ちゃんと しまえば、 なくさない よ。

    If you put it away properly, you won't lose it.

  8. Commands and requests

    あそんだ あと は、 おもちゃ を しまいなさい。

    After you play, put your toys away.

  9. Passive and causative

    たいせつな てがみ を はは に どこか に しまわれた。

    My mother put my precious letter away somewhere.

Good to know

  • しまう is to put something back where it belongs; after a て form, て しまう means to finish, or to do something by accident: わすれて しまった.

Verbs like this one

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