言う — to say, to tell
言う is the #31 most common word in Japanese, a verb. It means “to say, to tell” and is pronounced [jɯ̟ː].
#31frequency rank
0.07%of everyday Japanese text
Level 1Beginner 1
Forms of 言う
| Form | What it is | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 言う | dictionary form | to say |
| 言った | past | said |
| 言わ | present | say |
| いわ | present | say |
| 言え | command | say! |
| いえ | command | say! |
| 言われる | passive | be said |
| いわれる | passive | be said |
| 言わない | negative | do not say |
| いわない | negative | do not say |
| 言わず | negative | saying (stem form) |
| いわず | negative | saying (stem form) |
| 言います | polite | |
| いいます | polite | |
| いった | past | said |
| 言えば | conditional | if ... say |
| いえば | conditional | if ... say |
| 言は | irrealis | saying (stem form) |
| いは | irrealis | saying (stem form) |
| 言へ | realis | saying (stem form) |
| いへ | realis | saying (stem form) |
| 言へ | command | say! |
| いへ | command | say! |
| 言はず | negative | do not say |
| いはず | negative | do not say |
| 言へど | contrastive | |
| いへど | contrastive | |
| 言はば | conditional | if ... say |
| いはば | conditional | if ... say |
| 言ひき | past | said |
| いひき | past | said |
| 言ひけり | past | said |
| いひけり | past | said |
| 言ひつ | past | said |
| いひつ | past | said |
| 言ひぬ | past | said |
| いひぬ | past | said |
| 言へり | past | saying (stem form) |
| 言ひたり | past | saying (stem form) |
| いへり | past | saying (stem form) |
| いひたり | past | saying (stem form) |
| 謂う | alternative, kanji | |
| 云う | alternative, kanji, literary | |
| 曰う | alternative, kanji | |
| 道う | alternative, kanji |