Present and future
now, habits, and what is to come
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI shine | ||
| NegativeI don’t shine |
JAPANESE VERB
てる
照る
to shine, of the sun
- 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 shone | ||
| NegativeI didn’t shine |
Te-form
て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| て-formshining, and… | ||
| Doing now (て います)I am shining | ||
| Please (て ください)please shine |
Potential
可能形 · “can”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI can shine | ||
| NegativeI can’t shine |
Want to
たい形 · “want to”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI want to shine | ||
| NegativeI don’t want to shine |
Volitional
意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| Let’slet’s shine |
Conditional
条件形 · “if” and “when”
- If (ば) if I shine
- If, when (たら) if I shine
Commands and requests
命令形 · from gentle to blunt
- Do it (なさい) shine (do it)
- Plain command shine!
- Please don’t please don’t shine
Passive and causative
受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| PassiveI am shone | ||
| CausativeI make someone shine |
How to use てる
One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.
-
Present and future
あした は、 あさ から ひ が てります。
Tomorrow the sun will shine from the morning.
-
Past
きのう は、 いちにち じゅう ひ が てった。
Yesterday the sun shone all day.
-
Te-form
ひ が てって いる うち に、 せんたくもの を ほそう。
While the sun's out, let's hang out the washing.
-
Potential
「たいよう は、 どこ まで てれる の？」 と むすめ が きく。
"How far can the sun shine?" my daughter asks.
-
Want to
ぼく が たいよう なら、 まいにち てりたい。
If I were the sun, I'd want to shine every day.
-
Volitional
あした は てろう と ふろう と、 でかけます。
Rain or shine, we're going out tomorrow.
-
Conditional
ひ が てれば、 せんたくもの は ひる まで に かわく。
If the sun shines, the washing dries by noon.
-
Commands and requests
おひさま、 うんどうかい の ひ は てりなさい ね。
Sun, you shine on sports day, all right?
-
Passive and causative
いちにち じゅう ひ に てられて、 うで が やけた。
Under the sun all day, my arms got burned.
Good to know
- てる is godan: てります, てって. The sun is its usual subject: ひ が てる. てる てる ぼうず is the little paper doll children hang up to ask for fine weather.
- ひでり is a drought; てらす is to shine a light on something: かいちゅう でんとう で てらす.
Where you hear てる
The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.
Japanese · Fluency Level 1
- きょう は、 ひ が てって います ね。 The sun is shining today.
- きのう は、 いちにち、 ひ が てった。 Yesterday the sun shone all day.
- あした は、 ひ が てる よ。 Tomorrow the sun will shine.
Verbs like this one
The same pattern, on other verbs: godan verb (u-verb).