Present and future
now, habits, and what is to come
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI smoke | ||
| NegativeI don’t smoke |
JAPANESE VERB
すう
吸う
to smoke
- #198 most used
- Godan verb (u-verb)
Conjugation
Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.
Past
finished actions
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI smoked | ||
| NegativeI didn’t smoke |
Te-form
て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| て-formsmoking, and… | ||
| Doing now (て います)I am smoking | ||
| Please (て ください)please smoke |
Potential
可能形 · “can”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI can smoke | ||
| NegativeI can’t smoke |
Want to
たい形 · “want to”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI want to smoke | ||
| NegativeI don’t want to smoke |
Volitional
意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| Let’slet’s smoke |
Conditional
条件形 · “if” and “when”
- If (ば) if I smoke
- If, when (たら) if I smoke
Commands and requests
命令形 · from gentle to blunt
- Do it (なさい) smoke (do it)
- Plain command smoke!
- Please don’t please don’t smoke
Passive and causative
受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| PassiveI am smoked | ||
| CausativeI make someone smoke |
How to use すう
One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.
-
Present and future
ちち は いちにち に じゅっぽん タバコ を すいます。
My father smokes ten cigarettes a day.
-
Past
わかい とき は タバコ を すった。
I smoked when I was young.
-
Te-form
ここ で タバコ を すって も いい です か？
May I smoke here?
-
Potential
この レストラン で は すえません。
You can't smoke in this restaurant.
-
Want to
やまの くうき を いっぱい すいたい。
I want to breathe in the mountain air deeply.
-
Volitional
そと で いっぽん すおう。
Let's go and have a cigarette outside.
-
Conditional
ここ で すえば、 おこられます よ。
If you smoke here, you'll get told off.
-
Commands and requests
こども の まえ で すわないで ください。
Please don't smoke in front of the children.
-
Passive and causative
となり で タバコ を すわれて、 いや でした。
Someone smoked next to me and I hated it.
Good to know
- すう is to breathe in, so it is also to smoke: タバコ を すう. A no-smoking seat is きんえんせき.
Where you hear すう
The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.
Japanese · Beginner Level 2
- ちち は たばこ を すいます。 My father smokes.
- むかし は たばこ を すいました。 I used to smoke, long ago.
- あした から たばこ は すいません。 From tomorrow, I won't smoke.
Japanese · Intermediate Level 1
- ここ で は たばこ を すわない。 We don't smoke here.
- おきゃくさん は そと で たばこ を すった。 The guest smoked outside.
- あした も へや で すわないで ね。 Don't smoke in the room tomorrow either.
Verbs like this one
The same pattern, on other verbs: godan verb (u-verb).