How to Learn Japanese
Free course
Home/Verbs/話す
Godan · Group 1 · transitive

話す

はなす

hanasu

to speak; to talk

Forms of 話す

The verb keeps the same form for “I”, “you”, and other subjects. Choose an ending for the time, negative meaning, and style you need.

FormJapanese and readingAudio
Dictionary · plain nonpastHabits, facts, or future actions depend on context.話すはなす
Polite nonpastA polite statement; it can refer to the future.話しますはなします
Polite negativeA polite negative in a nonpast context.話しませんはなしません
Polite pastA polite statement about the past.話しましたはなしました
Polite past negativeA polite negative about the past.話しませんでしたはなしませんでした
Plain negativeThe ない-form.話さないはなさない
Plain pastThe た-form; its ending can also be だ.話したはなした
Plain past negativeThe negative counterpart of the plain past.話さなかったはなさなかった
Te-formConnects to constructions such as 〜てください and 〜ている; it is not a tense by itself.話してはなして
Potential · canA standard potential form. Whether it is natural depends on the meaning and situation.話せるはなせる

In context

I .
Tap matching words · or open the guide below
How the words match

Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.

  1. ともだちtomodachi
    a friend
  2. とto
    companion marker
  3. にほんごnihongo
    Japanese language
  4. でde
    means / language markerMarks the language used. English “speak Japanese” does not need a separate preposition.
  5. はなします。hanashimasu
    speak (polite)

“I” is understood from context. Japanese does not write a separate word for “I” in this sentence.

Original teaching example.

Practise a form

Choose a form of 話す, then type it in Japanese. Its written form or hiragana reading is accepted.

Japanese in sentences

Time, aspect, and style

The table above gives forms of 話す. These comparison examples use familiar verbs to explain how the forms work in a sentence.

A conjugation pattern does not guarantee that every construction fits every meaning. In particular, 〜ている and potential forms depend on the situation and the kind of verb.

Nonpast: habits and future

食べます / 食べる

The nonpast form can describe a routine or a future action. Time words and context make the intended time clear.

I .
Tap matching words · or open the guide below
How the words match

Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.

  1. まいあさ、maiasa
    every morning
  2. パンpan
    bread
  3. をo
    object markerPronounced o. Marks the object the verb applies to; it has no separate English word here.
  4. たべます。tabemasu
    eat (polite)

“I” is understood from context. There is no written word for “I” in this Japanese sentence.

I .
Tap matching words · or open the guide below
How the words match

Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.

  1. あした、ashita
    tomorrow
  2. ともだちtomodachi
    a friend
  3. とto
    companion marker
  4. ひるごはんhirugohan
    lunch
  5. をo
    object markerPronounced o. Marks the object the verb applies to; it has no separate English word here.
  6. たべます。tabemasu
    will eat / have (a meal)

“I” is understood from context. There is no written word for “I” in this Japanese sentence.

Past and negative

食べました / 食べませんでした

Japanese changes the verb ending to express past and negative meanings. In plain style these forms are 食べた and 食べなかった.

I .
Tap matching words · or open the guide below
How the words match

Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.

  1. きのう、kinou
    yesterday
  2. すしsushi
    sushi
  3. をo
    object markerPronounced o. Marks the object the verb applies to; it has no separate English word here.
  4. たべました。tabemashita
    ate (polite)

“I” is understood from context. There is no written word for “I” in this Japanese sentence.

I .
Tap matching words · or open the guide below
How the words match

Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.

  1. きのう、kinou
    yesterday
  2. あさごはんasagohan
    breakfast
  3. をo
    object markerPronounced o. Marks the object the verb applies to; it has no separate English word here.
  4. たべませんでした。tabemasendeshita
    did not eat (polite past negative)

“I” is understood from context. There is no written word for “I” in this Japanese sentence.

The te-form connects

食べて + ください / います

The te-form is not a tense on its own. It joins other expressions: 〜てください makes a request, while 〜ている has several aspectual uses.

and .
Tap matching words · or open the guide below
How the words match

Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.

  1. どうぞdouzo
    go ahead
  2. たべてtabete
    eat (te-form)
  3. ください。kudasai
    please (request)

Japanese places the request after the action: 食べて + ください. English uses “please” before it.

Activity in progress

食べています

With an activity such as eating, 〜ている can describe an action in progress. The polite form is 〜ています.

I .
Tap matching words · or open the guide below
How the words match

Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.

  1. いま、ima
    now
  2. ひるごはんhirugohan
    lunch
  3. をo
    object markerPronounced o. Marks the object the verb applies to; it has no separate English word here.
  4. たべています。tabeteimasu
    am eating (polite)

“I” is understood from context. There is no written word for “I” in this Japanese sentence.

An ongoing state

住んでいます / 知っています

The same 〜ている construction can describe a state. It does not always translate as “is doing”. Learn the whole expression with its meaning.

I .
Tap matching words · or open the guide below
How the words match

Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.

  1. とうきょうtoukyou
    Tokyo
  2. にni
    location marker
  3. すんでいます。sundeimasu
    live (ongoing state, polite)

“I” is understood from context. There is no written word for “I” in this Japanese sentence.

I .
Tap matching words · or open the guide below
How the words match

Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.

  1. そのsono
    that
  2. みせmise
    shop
  3. をo
    object markerPronounced o. Marks the object the verb applies to; it has no separate English word here.
  4. しっています。shitteimasu
    know (a state, polite)

“I” is understood from context. There is no written word for “I” in this Japanese sentence.

Plain and polite

行く ↔ 行きます

Plain and polite forms express different styles, not different people. Use polite forms with new acquaintances. Plain forms also appear inside many grammatical constructions.

I . (polite)
Tap matching words · or open the guide below
How the words match

Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.

  1. あした、ashita
    tomorrow
  2. きょうとkyouto
    Kyoto
  3. にni
    destination marker
  4. いきます。ikimasu
    will go (polite)

“I” is understood from context. There is no written word for “I” in this Japanese sentence.

I . (plain)
Tap matching words · or open the guide below
How the words match

Tap a word in either language to see its partner. Some phrases work as a group; particles explain the grammar.

  1. あした、ashita
    tomorrow
  2. きょうとkyouto
    Kyoto
  3. にni
    destination marker
  4. いく。iku
    will go (plain)

“I” is understood from context. There is no written word for “I” in this Japanese sentence.

Grammar references and example notes

These comparison sentences are original teaching examples. They show common uses and do not cover every meaning of a verb.

Word meaning, reading, and class are adapted from JMdict entry 1562350-1, by the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Original examples use the same license. Conjugations are generated from explicit dictionary classes and checked exception rules. Sources and editorial scope.

All verbsNext: 読む

Search resources and lessons