捕まえる · ichidan verb
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 捕まえる | 捕まえない |
| Polite | 捕まえます | 捕まえません |
| Past polite | 捕まえました | 捕まえませんでした |
| Past | 捕まえた | 捕まえなかった |
| Te-form | 捕まえて | 捕まえないで |
| Desire | 捕まえたい | 捕まえたくない |
| Potential | 捕まえられるalso 捕まえれる | 捕まえられないalso 捕まえれない |
| Passive | 捕まえられる | 捕まえられない |
| Causative | 捕まえさせる | 捕まえさせない |
| Causative passive | 捕まえさせられる | 捕まえさせられない |
| Volitional | 捕まえよう | |
| Polite volitional | 捕まえましょう | |
| Imperative | 捕まえろ | 捕まえるな |
| Conditional | 捕まえれば | 捕まえなければ |
| Tara conditional | 捕まえたら | 捕まえなかったら |
ichidan verb, transitive verb
Used for physically catching a person or animal, especially by authorities or in pursuit. Also used for seizing or restraining someone.
The police caught the criminal.
I tried to catch the cat, but it got away.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
Focuses on physically grasping or holding something firmly, often with the hand. Can be used for objects or people.
He grabbed my arm and wouldn't let go.
I caught the cup just as it was about to fall.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
stop (someone); hail (a taxi); detain
Used for stopping a person to talk, hailing a taxi or waiter, or holding someone back momentarily. Often implies a brief, intentional interruption.
I hailed a taxi in front of the station.
I stopped the teacher in the hallway and asked a question.
ichidan verb, transitive verb
towards (someone); at (someone); in (someone's) face
Used in the pattern 〜をつかまえて to mean directing an action or words at someone, often with a confrontational or emphatic nuance. Limited to this fixed expression.
He grabbed me and started complaining.
Saying something like that right to that person's face.
It was hard to hail a taxi in the rain.
He grabbed me and launched into an endless explanation.
She grabbed her brother's hand as he tried to run off.
The children played by catching cicadas in the park.
捕まえる is a general verb for catching or arresting someone, while 取り押さえる emphasizes physically grabbing and forcibly restraining them.
捕まえる emphasizes physically grabbing and holding something (often a person or animal), while 捕る is more neutral and covers catching fish, insects, or a ball as well.
捕まえる focuses on catching or apprehending a person or animal, while 押さえる (sense 3) can also mean seizing evidence or a situation, not just a living target.
捕まえる is the plain, everyday verb for catching or arresting someone, while 挙げる is the more formal term used in police reports and news.
捕まえる is a general native verb for physically grabbing or catching something (like a person or animal), whereas キャッチ is a loanword typically used for balls, signals, or information.
Rarely used kanji form.