得る · ichidan verb
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 得る | 得ない |
| Polite | 得ます | 得ません |
| Past polite | 得ました | 得ませんでした |
| Past | 得た | 得なかった |
| Te-form | 得て | 得ないで |
| Desire | 得たい | 得たくない |
| Potential | 得られるalso 得れる | 得られないalso 得れない |
| Passive | 得られる | 得られない |
| Causative | 得させる | 得させない |
| Causative passive | 得させられる | 得させられない |
| Volitional | 得よう | |
| Polite volitional | 得ましょう | |
| Imperative | 得ろ | 得るな |
| Conditional | 得れば | 得なければ |
| Tara conditional | 得たら | 得なかったら |
ichidan verb, transitive verb
A broad transitive verb for getting something through effort, opportunity, purchase, work, or success. 獲る is a much narrower spelling associated with catching or securing game, fish, or a catch, but may be read as とる in many modern contexts.
彼女は努力して奨学金を得た。
She worked hard and obtained a scholarship.
The company gained a large profit.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
Only when written 得る
Formal or literary use meaning to grasp someone's meaning, intention, or point. In everyday speech, 分かる or 理解する is usually more natural.
It is difficult to grasp his true intention from such a brief explanation.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
contract an illness; incur something undesirable
Only when written 得る
Formal or literary use for receiving something bad, especially in phrases like 病を得る, 'to contract an illness.' The punishment sense is rare in modern ordinary language, where 罰を受ける is more usual.
My grandfather contracted an illness when he was young and returned to his hometown.
auxiliary verb, ichidan verb, transitive verb
can; be able to; be possible
Only when written 得る
Auxiliary use after the masu-stem of another verb, expressing possibility. Common in written or somewhat formal expressions such as あり得る, 起こり得る, and 考え得る; negative forms often appear as 得ない.
That kind of accident can happen anywhere.
It is also possible that he will forget the promise.
He obtained valuable data from that research.
He contracted an illness while traveling.
That mistake could well have been predicted.
I got permission from my boss for the business trip.
He gained the trust of his colleagues.
得る is a neutral, formal word for obtaining something, while 掴む carries a nuance of actively seizing or fighting for what one gets.
得る is a broader, more literary verb for 'gain' or 'acquire', while 手にする keeps a concrete sense of something passing into one's hand or possession.
取る is the everyday verb for obtaining things like a qualification or prize, while 得る is a more formal, literary word for gaining or acquiring something.
得る is a general verb for obtaining or gaining anything, while 稼ぐ is specifically used for earned income, accumulated points, or bought time.
know; understand; be aware of · accept (a responsibility); understand and undertake · have a command of; know how to; be versed in
hard to get; hard to come by; rare; precious
dramatic pose; striking attitude
weapon; hand weapon · forte; special skill; weapon one is skilled in using
impossible · unthinkable; unbelievable; ridiculous; absurd
hooray!; got it!; just what I wanted!
cannot; unable to
triumphant look; look of triumph
possible; conceivable; likely; probable
unavoidably; inevitably; reluctantly
achieve; win; gain; attain
unforgettable; never to be forgotten
can know; be able to know; acquire knowledge