Japanese verb · u-verb · first needed at intermediate level (B1)
呼ぶ
yobu
to call, to invite
The person called takes (o): (takushī o yobu); the event you invite someone to takes (ni): (tomodachi o pātī ni yobu). ～と呼ぶ means “to call (by a name)”.
Present
現在形
Now, habits and the future. The plain form is for friends and family; polite ～ます is the default.
| plain | 呼ぶyobu | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 呼びますyobimasu | |
| plain negative | 呼ばないyobanai | |
| polite negative | 呼びませんyobimasen |
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 | 呼んだyonda | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 呼びましたyobimashita | |
| plain negative | 呼ばなかったyobanakatta | |
| polite negative | 呼びませんでしたyobimasen deshita |
Te-form
て形
Joins actions (“and then”) and builds ～ています (doing now), ～てください (please do) and ～てもいいですか (may I).
| te-form | 呼んでyonde | |
|---|---|---|
| -te imasu (doing now) | 呼んでいますyonde imasu | |
| -te kudasai (please do) | 呼んでくださいyonde kudasai | |
| -te mo ii desu ka (may I) | 呼んでもいいですかyonde 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) | 呼ぼうyobō | |
|---|---|---|
| polite (let's) | 呼びましょうyobimashō | |
| polite (shall we?) | 呼びましょうかyobimashō ka |
Potential
可能形
Can call or invite. The object usually takes (ga) instead of (o).
| plain | 呼べるyoberu | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 呼べますyobemasu | |
| plain negative | 呼べないyobenai | |
| polite negative | 呼べませんyobemasen |
Passive
受身形
Being called or invited: (namae o yobareru), to have your name called. ～と呼ばれる: “is called (by a name)”.
| plain | 呼ばれるyobareru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 呼ばれますyobaremasu | |
| plain negative | 呼ばれないyobarenai | |
| polite negative | 呼ばれませんyobaremasen |
Causative
使役形
Having someone call or fetch: (kodomo ni sensei o yobaseru), to have a child fetch the teacher.
| plain | 呼ばせるyobaseru | |
|---|---|---|
| polite | 呼ばせますyobasemasu | |
| plain negative | 呼ばせないyobasenai | |
| polite negative | 呼ばせませんyobasemasen |
Conditional
条件形
If: ～ば for general conditions, ～たら for “if” and “when, once”, ～なければ for “if not”.
| -ba | 呼べばyobeba | |
|---|---|---|
| -tara | 呼んだらyondara | |
| -nakereba (if not) | 呼ばなければyobanakereba |
Examples
- タクシーを呼んでください。Takushī o yonde kudasai.Please call a taxi.
- 友達を誕生日パーティーに呼びました。Tomodachi o tanjōbi pātī ni yobimashita.I invited friends to my birthday party.
- 名前を呼ばれたら、入ってください。Namae o yobaretara, haitte kudasai.When your name is called, please come in.