Japanese verb · ru-verb · first needed at intermediate level (B1)
覚える
oboeru
to learn by heart, to remember
(oboeru) means to memorise or learn; (oboete imasu) means “I remember” and (oboete imasen) “I don't remember”.
Present
現在形
Now, habits and the future. The plain form is for friends and family; polite ～ます is the default.
| plain | 覚えるoboeru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 覚えますoboemasu | |
| plain negative | 覚えないoboenai | |
| polite negative | 覚えませんoboemasen |
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 | 覚えたoboeta | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 覚えましたoboemashita | |
| plain negative | 覚えなかったoboenakatta | |
| polite negative | 覚えませんでしたoboemasen deshita |
Te-form
て形
Joins actions and builds requests. (oboete imasu) means “I remember” (a state), not “I am memorising”.
| te-form | 覚えてoboete | |
|---|---|---|
| -te imasu (doing now) | 覚えていますoboete imasu | |
| -te kudasai (please do) | 覚えてくださいoboete kudasai |
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) | 覚えようoboeyō | |
|---|---|---|
| polite (let's) | 覚えましょうoboemashō | |
| polite (shall we?) | 覚えましょうかoboemashō ka |
Potential
可能形
Can memorise: (tango ga nakanaka oboerarenai), I just can't memorise the words.
| plain | 覚えられるoboerareru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 覚えられますoboeraremasu | |
| plain negative | 覚えられないoboerarenai | |
| polite negative | 覚えられませんoboeraremasen |
Causative
使役形
Making someone memorise: (gakusei ni tango o oboesaseru), to have the students learn words by heart.
| plain | 覚えさせるoboesaseru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 覚えさせますoboesasemasu | |
| plain negative | 覚えさせないoboesasenai | |
| polite negative | 覚えさせませんoboesasemasen |
Conditional
条件形
If: ～ば for general conditions, ～たら for “if” and “when, once”, ～なければ for “if not”.
| -ba | 覚えればoboereba | |
|---|---|---|
| -tara | 覚えたらoboetara | |
| -nakereba (if not) | 覚えなければoboenakereba |
Examples
- 毎日漢字を五つ覚えます。Mainichi kanji o itsutsu oboemasu.I learn five kanji every day.
- 私のことを覚えていますか。Watashi no koto o oboete imasu ka.Do you remember me?
- 新しい単語がなかなか覚えられません。Atarashii tango ga nakanaka oboeraremasen.I just can't memorise new words.