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JAPANESE VERB

つく

着く

to arrive

  • 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 arrive
NegativeI don’t arrive

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI arrived
NegativeI didn’t arrive

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formarriving, and…
Doing now (て います)I am arriving
Please (て ください)please arrive

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can arrive
NegativeI can’t arrive

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

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

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s arrive

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am arrived
CausativeI make someone arrive

How to use つく

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

  1. Present and future

    しんかんせん は ごご さんじ に おおさか に つきます。

    The bullet train gets to Osaka at three in the afternoon.

  2. Past

    ゆうべ おそく、 やっと ホテル に ついた。

    Late last night, we finally reached the hotel.

  3. Te-form

    えき に ついて から、 でんわ します。

    I'll call once I get to the station.

  4. Potential

    この バス なら、 くじ まえ に つけます。

    With this bus, we can get there before nine.

  5. Want to

    くらく なる まえ に やど に つきたい。

    I want to reach the inn before dark.

  6. Volitional

    あした は はやめ に くうこう に つこう。

    Let's get to the airport early tomorrow.

  7. Conditional

    ホテル に ついたら、 メール して ね。

    Message me when you get to the hotel.

  8. Commands and requests

    おそくとも ろくじ まで に つきなさい。

    Get there by six at the latest.

  9. Passive and causative

    おきゃくさま に さき に つかれて、 あわてました。

    The guests got there before us, and we panicked.

Good to know

  • つく takes に for the place: えき に つく. おくれて つく is to arrive late.
  • The passive つかれる looks like つかれる, to get tired: the context tells them apart.

Where you hear つく

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

Japanese · Intermediate Level 2

  • ひこうき は じゅうにじ に つきます。 The plane arrives at twelve.
  • おきなわ に じゅうにじ に ついた。 We arrived in Okinawa at twelve.
  • トロント に は あさ つきます。 We'll arrive in Toronto in the morning.

Verbs like this one

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