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JAPANESE VERB

つく

to come on, of a light

  • #363 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 come on
NegativeI don’t come on

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI came on
NegativeI didn’t come on

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formcoming on, and…
Doing now (て います)I am coming on
Please (て ください)please come on

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can come on
NegativeI can’t come on

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to come on
NegativeI don’t want to come on

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s come on

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

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

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

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

Passive and causative

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

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am come on
CausativeI make someone come on

How to use つく

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

  1. Present and future

    この ライト は、 ひと が とおる と つきます。

    This light comes on when someone walks past.

  2. Past

    スイッチ を おしたら、 でんき が ついた。

    When I pressed the switch, the light came on.

  3. Te-form

    となり の へや の でんき が ついて いる。

    The light in the next room is on.

  4. Potential

    でんき が つかなくて、 なにも みえません。

    The light won't come on and I can't see anything.

  5. Want to

    でんき が つく まで、 ここ で まちたい。

    I want to wait here until the lights come on.

  6. Volitional

    でんき が つかない。 でんきや を よぼう。

    The light won't come on. Let's call an electrician.

  7. Conditional

    あかい ランプ が ついたら、 ボタン を おして。

    When the red lamp comes on, press the button.

  8. Commands and requests

    でんき が ついて いる から、 まだ はいらないで。

    The light's on, so don't go in yet.

  9. Passive and causative

    でんき が ついた まま で、 はは に しかられた。

    The light was left on and Mum told me off.

Good to know

  • つく is for a light or a machine coming on by itself; つける is to turn it on: でんき を つける.
  • Lights come on by themselves, so where a form isn't used, the sentence shows つく beside another verb.

Where you hear つく

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

Japanese · Intermediate Level 2

  • この へや の でんき は、 すぐ つく。 The light in this room comes on straight away.
  • よる の くじ に、 でんき が ついた。 The lights came back on at nine at night.
  • だいじょうぶ、 すぐ でんき が つく よ。 Don't worry, the lights will come on soon.
17
The Typhoon

Intermediate Level 2 · ついた

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Verbs like this one

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