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JAPANESE VERB

つかまる

掴まる

to hold on to something

  • 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 hold on to something
NegativeI don’t hold on to something

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI held on to something
NegativeI didn’t hold on to something

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formholding on to something, and…
Doing now (て います)I am holding on to something
Please (て ください)please hold on to something

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can hold on to something
NegativeI can’t hold on to something

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to hold on to something
NegativeI don’t want to hold on to something

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s hold on to something

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

  1. If (ば) if I hold on to something
  2. If, when (たら) if I hold on to something

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

  1. Do it (なさい) hold on to something (do it)
  2. Plain command hold on to something!
  3. Please don’t please don’t hold on to something

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am held on to something
CausativeI make someone hold on to something

How to use つかまる

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

  1. Present and future

    バス で は、 いつも てすり に つかまります。

    On the bus, I always hold on to the rail.

  2. Past

    ころびそう に なって、 かべ に つかまった。

    I nearly fell and grabbed hold of the wall.

  3. Te-form

    むすめ は、 テーブル に つかまって たって いる。

    My daughter's standing holding on to the table.

  4. Potential

    こんで いて、 つりかわ に も つかまれない。

    It's so crowded I can't even hold a strap.

  5. Want to

    こわい から、 だれか の うで に つかまりたい。

    I'm scared, I want to hold on to someone's arm.

  6. Volitional

    これ から ゆれる から、 しっかり つかまろう。

    It's going to shake now, so let's hold on tight.

  7. Conditional

    てすり に つかまれば、 かいだん も こわく ない。

    If you hold the rail, the stairs aren't scary either.

  8. Commands and requests

    でんしゃ が うごく よ、 つかまりなさい。

    The train's moving, hold on.

  9. Passive and causative

    えき で、 よっぱらい に かた に つかまられた。

    At the station, a drunk held on to my shoulder.

Good to know

  • つかまる takes に: てすり に つかまる, hold the rail. The bus driver says つりかわ に おつかまり ください. つかむ is to grab something with your hand.
  • Same kana as つかまる, to get caught: けいさつ に つかまる, caught by the police.

Where you hear つかまる

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Japanese · Fluency Level 1

  • はな は、 たな に つかまって たつ。 Hana holds on to the shelf and stands.
  • きょう は、 いす に つかまりました。 Today she held on to the chair.
  • あした は、 ぼく の て に つかまる かな。 Tomorrow maybe she'll hold on to my hand.
20
The daycare notebook

Fluency Level 1 · たな に つかまって、 たちました！

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Verbs like this one

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