言う · godan verb (-u)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 言う | 言わない |
| Polite | 言います | 言いません |
| Past polite | 言いました | 言いませんでした |
| Past | 言った | 言わなかった |
| Te-form | 言って | 言わないで |
| Desire | 言いたい | 言いたくない |
| Potential | 言える | 言えない |
| Passive | 言われる | 言われない |
| Causative | 言わせる | 言わせない |
| Causative passive | 言わせられるalso 言わされる | 言わせられないalso 言わされない |
| Volitional | 言おう | |
| Polite volitional | 言いましょう | |
| Imperative | 言え | 言うな |
| Conditional | 言えば | 言わなければ |
| Tara conditional | 言ったら | 言わなかったら |
godan verb (-u), transitive verb
General verb for expressing something verbally. Covers stating, telling, and declaring. Often used with quoted speech or と.
He said 'yes'.
The teacher said there will be a test tomorrow.
godan verb (-u), transitive verb
Used to indicate what someone or something is named or called. Common pattern: 〜を...と言う.
This flower is called sakura.
Some people call him a genius.
godan verb (-u), intransitive verb
make a sound; go (onomatopoeia)
Only when written 言う
Describes a sound being produced, often with onomatopoeic expressions. Restricted to the 言う kanji form. Intransitive use.
The alarm clock went 'ring ring'.
The window is rattling in the wind.
I told the teacher the truth.
This animal is called a fox.
He always complains.
He likes to joke around.
To put it plainly, I think that's wrong.
She often talks to herself.
語る means to narrate or tell at length (like a story or experience), while 言う simply means to say or state something.
言う means simply 'to say', while 言える is its potential form meaning 'can say' or 'it can be said that'.
言う is the neutral, general verb for saying something, while 口にする adds a nuance of deliberately or reluctantly putting a specific thing into words.
言う is the neutral, general verb for 'to say', while 口に出す specifically stresses turning an internal thought or feeling into spoken words.
言う is the neutral, all-purpose verb for 'to say', while ほざく is a crude, contemptuous term implying the speaker is talking nonsense.
言う is the plain, neutral verb for 'to say', while 抜かす is a vulgar, contemptuous way of quoting someone's speech.
言う is the plain, general verb for 'say' anything at all, while 言い出す narrows this to the moment someone begins saying something or first brings up a topic.
おっしゃる is the honorific form used when someone of higher status says something, while 言う is the plain, neutral verb.
申す is the humble form used when the speaker says something to a superior, while 言う is the plain, neutral verb.
申し上げる is an even more formal humble form than 申す, used for very polite speech, while 言う is the plain, neutral verb.
言う (いう) is the common verb meaning 'to say' and happens to share the alternate reading いう with 結う, so learners may confuse them despite the completely unrelated meanings.
such; like that; that kind of
meaning; called; said
such; this sort of; like this
what kind of; what sort of; what
way of saying; wording; phrasing; expression
Rarely used kanji form; may appear in older or literary texts.
Rarely used kanji form; may appear in older or literary texts.
begin to say; start talking; broach; bring up · be the first to say; suggest; propose
exaggeration; overstatement; saying too much
doing as one is told; being at someone's beck and call; yes-man
rephrasing; paraphrase; rewording
expression; turn of phrase; wording
manner of speaking; way of putting things · verbal argument; quarrel · objection; protest of a decision · rumor; talk
tradition; legend; oral tradition
rephrase; put another way; say in other words
insist; assert; maintain stubbornly
false accusation; trumped-up charge; pretext; picking a quarrel · statement one cannot take back; irrevocable remark
pronouncement; sentence; order
quarrel; dispute; argument
evasion; excuse; subterfuge
reply; retort; talking back
asking price; price named by the seller
tell; explain; persuade; admonish
order; command; instructions
declare; assert; say bluntly
remarks; comments; way of talking · excuse · topic of conversation
declare; assert; state definitively · finish saying; say everything; tell all
quarrel; argument; dispute
say to each other; exchange words · quarrel; argue; dispute