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JAPANESE VERB

たたく

叩く

to hit, to knock

  • #275 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 hit
NegativeI don’t hit

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI hit
NegativeI didn’t hit

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formhitting, and…
Doing now (て います)I am hitting
Please (て ください)please hit

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can hit
NegativeI can’t hit

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s hit

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am hit
CausativeI make someone hit

How to use たたく

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

  1. Present and future

    はいる まえ に、 ドア を たたきます。

    I knock on the door before going in.

  2. Past

    おとうと が わたし の あたま を たたいた。

    My little brother hit me on the head.

  3. Te-form

    おじいちゃん の かた を たたいて あげた。

    I gave Grandpa's shoulders a massage.

  4. Potential

    うで が いたくて、 ふとん が たたけない。

    My arm hurts and I can't beat the futon.

  5. Want to

    おまつり で、 たいこ を たたきたい。

    I want to beat the drum at the festival.

  6. Volitional

    へんじ が ない。 もう いちど たたこう。

    No answer. Let's knock again.

  7. Conditional

    テレビ を たたけば なおる、 と ちち は いう。

    Dad says the TV works again if you hit it.

  8. Commands and requests

    ひと を たたかないで。 ことば で いいなさい。

    Don't hit people. Say it in words.

  9. Passive and causative

    よる、 ドア を だれか に たたかれた。

    At night somebody knocked at my door.

Good to know

  • ドア を たたく is to knock; かた を たたく is to pat someone's shoulder, or to massage it.

Verbs like this one

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