名乗る · godan verb (-ru)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 名乗る | 名乗らない |
| Polite | 名乗ります | 名乗りません |
| Past polite | 名乗りました | 名乗りませんでした |
| Past | 名乗った | 名乗らなかった |
| Te-form | 名乗って | 名乗らないで |
| Desire | 名乗りたい | 名乗りたくない |
| Potential | 名乗れる | 名乗れない |
| Passive | 名乗られる | 名乗られない |
| Causative | 名乗らせる | 名乗らせない |
| Causative passive | 名乗らせられるalso 名乗らされる | 名乗らせられないalso 名乗らされない |
| Volitional | 名乗ろう | |
| Polite volitional | 名乗りましょう | |
| Imperative | 名乗れ | 名乗るな |
| Conditional | 名乗れば | 名乗らなければ |
| Tara conditional | 名乗ったら | 名乗らなかったら |
godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb, transitive verb
give one's name; introduce oneself
Standard use for stating one's name or identity when meeting someone or in formal contexts. Can be used both intransitively and transitively (e.g., ～と名乗る).
Please give your name at the reception desk.
彼は山田と名乗った。
He introduced himself as Yamada.
godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb, transitive verb
claim to be; call oneself; style oneself
Used when someone asserts a title, role, or identity, often with a nuance of self-proclamation or pretense. Common in patterns like ～を名乗る or ～と名乗る.
彼は専門家を名乗っているが、資格はない。
He calls himself an expert, but he has no qualifications.
その団体は平和主義を名乗っている。
The group claims to be pacifist.
godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb, transitive verb
reveal oneself as; admit to being
Used when someone discloses their true identity, often after hiding it. Can carry a dramatic or confessional tone.
犯人は自ら名乗り出た。
The culprit came forward and revealed himself.
彼はついにスパイだと名乗った。
He finally admitted to being a spy.
godan verb (-ru), transitive verb
adopt as one's name; take a name
Used when someone formally takes or assumes a new name, such as a stage name, pen name, or inherited title.
彼は師匠の名を名乗ることを許された。
He was allowed to take his master's name.
作家はペンネームを名乗っている。
The writer uses a pen name.
godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb
call out one's wares
Archaic use; referred to street vendors announcing the goods they were selling. Not used in modern Japanese.
江戸時代、行商人は品物を名乗って売り歩いた。
In the Edo period, peddlers walked around calling out their goods.
He introduced himself as Tanaka.
He deceived people by claiming to be a doctor.
He finally revealed himself as the true culprit.
The culprit was going by a false name.
being declared the winner of a sumo bout
Rarely used kanji form.