Japanese verb · ru-verb · first needed at intermediate level (B1)
忘れる
wasureru
to forget
It also means to leave something behind: (densha ni kasa o wasureta), I left my umbrella on the train. (wasurenaide kudasai) means “please don't forget”.
Present
現在形
Now, habits and the future. The plain form is for friends and family; polite ～ます is the default.
| plain | 忘れるwasureru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 忘れますwasuremasu | |
| plain negative | 忘れないwasurenai | |
| polite negative | 忘れませんwasuremasen |
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 | 忘れたwasureta | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 忘れましたwasuremashita | |
| plain negative | 忘れなかったwasurenakatta | |
| polite negative | 忘れませんでしたwasuremasen deshita |
Te-form
て形
Joins actions and builds requests. (wasurete imasu): “has forgotten (and still hasn't remembered)”; (wasurete kudasai): “please forget it”.
| te-form | 忘れてwasurete | |
|---|---|---|
| -te imasu (doing now) | 忘れていますwasurete imasu | |
| -te kudasai (please do) | 忘れてくださいwasurete kudasai |
Volitional
意向形
Let's forget: (mō wasureyō), let's just forget it.
| plain (let's) | 忘れようwasureyō | |
|---|---|---|
| polite (let's) | 忘れましょうwasuremashō | |
| polite (shall we?) | 忘れましょうかwasuremashō ka |
Potential
可能形
Can forget: (wasurerarenai omoide), a memory I can't forget. Same form as the passive.
| plain | 忘れられるwasurerareru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 忘れられますwasureraremasu | |
| plain negative | 忘れられないwasurerarenai | |
| polite negative | 忘れられませんwasureraremasen |
Passive
受身形
Being forgotten: (minna ni wasurerareru), to be forgotten by everyone. Same form as the potential.
| plain | 忘れられるwasurerareru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 忘れられますwasureraremasu | |
| plain negative | 忘れられないwasurerarenai | |
| polite negative | 忘れられませんwasureraremasen |
Causative
使役形
Making someone forget: (iya na koto o wasuresaseru), to take someone's mind off something unpleasant.
| plain | 忘れさせるwasuresaseru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 忘れさせますwasuresasemasu | |
| plain negative | 忘れさせないwasuresasenai | |
| polite negative | 忘れさせませんwasuresasemasen |
Conditional
条件形
If: ～ば for general conditions, ～たら for “if” and “when, once”, ～なければ for “if not”.
| -ba | 忘れればwasurereba | |
|---|---|---|
| -tara | 忘れたらwasuretara | |
| -nakereba (if not) | 忘れなければwasurenakereba |
Examples
- 電車に傘を忘れました。Densha ni kasa o wasuremashita.I left my umbrella on the train.
- すみません、お名前を忘れてしまいました。Sumimasen, onamae o wasurete shimaimashita.Sorry, I've forgotten your name.
- あの日のことは忘れられません。Ano hi no koto wa wasureraremasen.I can't forget that day.