Japanese verb · u-verb · first needed at beginner level (A1)
帰る
kaeru
to go home, to return
Looks like a ru-verb but is a u-verb, so it is (kaerimasu) and (kaette). Used for going back to your home, your country or your base.
Present
現在形
Now, habits and the future. The plain form is for friends and family; polite ～ます is the default.
| plain | 帰るkaeru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 帰りますkaerimasu | |
| plain negative | 帰らないkaeranai | |
| polite negative | 帰りませんkaerimasen |
Past
過去形
What happened, or what has happened. The plain form is for friends and family; polite ～ました is the default.
| plain | 帰ったkaetta | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 帰りましたkaerimashita | |
| plain negative | 帰らなかったkaeranakatta | |
| polite negative | 帰りませんでしたkaerimasen deshita |
Te-form
て形
Joins actions and builds requests and permission. (kaette imasu) means “is back home”, not “is going home”.
| te-form | 帰ってkaette | |
|---|---|---|
| -te imasu (doing now) | 帰っていますkaette imasu | |
| -te kudasai (please do) | 帰ってくださいkaette kudasai | |
| -te mo ii desu ka (may I) | 帰ってもいいですかkaette mo ii desu ka |
Volitional
意向形
Let's: the plain form between friends, ～ましょう in polite speech. ～ましょうか suggests (shall we?) or offers help (shall I?).
| plain (let's) | 帰ろうkaerō | |
|---|---|---|
| polite (let's) | 帰りましょうkaerimashō | |
| polite (shall we?) | 帰りましょうかkaerimashō ka |
Potential
可能形
Can go home: (nanji ni kaeremasu ka), what time can you go home?
| plain | 帰れるkaereru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 帰れますkaeremasu | |
| plain negative | 帰れないkaerenai | |
| polite negative | 帰れませんkaeremasen |
Causative
使役形
Making or letting someone go home. (kaerasete kudasai) means “please let me go home”.
| plain | 帰らせるkaeraseru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 帰らせますkaerasemasu | |
| plain negative | 帰らせないkaerasenai | |
| polite negative | 帰らせませんkaerasemasen |
Conditional
条件形
If: ～ば for general conditions, ～たら for “if” and “when, once”, ～なければ for “if not”.
| -ba | 帰ればkaereba | |
|---|---|---|
| -tara | 帰ったらkaettara | |
| -nakereba (if not) | 帰らなければkaeranakereba |
Examples
- 何時に家に帰りますか。Nanji ni ie ni kaerimasu ka.What time are you going home?
- 夏休みに国へ帰りました。Natsuyasumi ni kuni e kaerimashita.I went back to my home country for the summer holidays.
- もう帰ってもいいですか。Mō kaette mo ii desu ka.May I go home now?