Present and future
now, habits, and what is to come
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI smile | ||
| NegativeI don’t smile |
JAPANESE VERB
わらう
笑う
to smile, to laugh
- #59 most used
- 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 smiled | ||
| NegativeI didn’t smile |
Te-form
て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| て-formsmiling, and… | ||
| Doing now (て います)I am smiling | ||
| Please (て ください)please smile |
Potential
可能形 · “can”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI can smile | ||
| NegativeI can’t smile |
Want to
たい形 · “want to”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI want to smile | ||
| NegativeI don’t want to smile |
Volitional
意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| Let’slet’s smile |
Conditional
条件形 · “if” and “when”
- If (ば) if I smile
- If, when (たら) if I smile
Commands and requests
命令形 · from gentle to blunt
- Do it (なさい) smile (do it)
- Plain command smile!
- Please don’t please don’t smile
Passive and causative
受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| PassiveI am smiled | ||
| CausativeI make someone smile |
How to use わらう
One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.
-
Present and future
ベン さん は よく わらいます。
Ben laughs a lot.
-
Past
ゆい の じょうだん に みんな わらった。
Everyone laughed at Yui's joke.
-
Te-form
はい、 チーズ！ わらって ください！
Say cheese! Smile!
-
Potential
きょう は つかれて いて、 わらえない。
I'm so tired today I can't laugh.
-
Want to
こんや は えいが を みて、 おもいきり わらいたい です。
Tonight I want to watch a film and laugh my head off.
-
Volitional
しっぱい した けど、 わらおう。
I messed up, but let's laugh about it.
-
Conditional
わらえば、 げんき に なります よ。
If you laugh, you'll feel better.
-
Commands and requests
ひと の しっぱい を わらわないで ください。
Please don't laugh at people's mistakes.
-
Passive and causative
はつおん を ともだち に わらわれました。
My friends laughed at my pronunciation.
Good to know
- One verb for smiling and laughing; わらわれる is to be laughed at.
Where you hear わらう
The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.
Japanese · Beginner Level 3
- ベン さん は よく わらいます ね。 Ben, you laugh a lot.
- みんな で たくさん わらいました。 We all laughed a lot.
- あした は しゃしん の とき、 わらいます。 Tomorrow, I'll smile for the photo.
Japanese · Intermediate Level 1
- ゆい は いつも わらって いる。 Yui is always smiling.
- みんな で たくさん わらった。 We all laughed a lot.
- しゃしん の とき は わらう よ。 I'll smile for the photo.
Verbs like this one
The same pattern, on other verbs: godan verb (u-verb).