頼む · godan verb (-mu)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 頼む | 頼まない |
| Polite | 頼みます | 頼みません |
| Past polite | 頼みました | 頼みませんでした |
| Past | 頼んだ | 頼まなかった |
| Te-form | 頼んで | 頼まないで |
| Desire | 頼みたい | 頼みたくない |
| Potential | 頼める | 頼めない |
| Passive | 頼まれる | 頼まれない |
| Causative | 頼ませる | 頼ませない |
| Causative passive | 頼ませられるalso 頼まされる | 頼ませられないalso 頼まされない |
| Volitional | 頼もう | |
| Polite volitional | 頼みましょう | |
| Imperative | 頼め | 頼むな |
| Conditional | 頼めば | 頼まなければ |
| Tara conditional | 頼んだら | 頼まなかったら |
godan verb (-mu), transitive verb
General word for asking someone to do something for you. Can range from a polite request to a strong plea depending on context.
I asked a friend to help me move.
He asked the teacher to explain it one more time.
godan verb (-mu), transitive verb
Used when ordering goods, services, or reserving something. Common with nouns like 料理, タクシー, 席.
I ordered a pizza at the restaurant.
Please call a taxi for me at the hotel.
godan verb (-mu), transitive verb
entrust; leave to
Used when leaving a task or matter in someone else's hands, trusting them to handle it. Often appears as 〜に頼む.
If we leave this job to him, it'll be fine.
I entrusted an important errand to my secretary.
godan verb (-mu), transitive verb
Used when counting on someone or something as a source of support. The kanji 恃む is especially associated with this sense, though 頼む is also used.
He got the job by relying on his father's connections.
I'm counting on you when the time comes.
please; help me out
Colloquial interjection used to plead or urge someone to do something. Often used as a standalone exclamation or at the end of a request.
Please! Just give me one more chance.
Come on, help me out here.
I asked my friend for help.
I ordered sushi at the restaurant.
I'll leave the rest to you.
He relies on his older brother.
I asked them to be quiet.
依頼する is a formal, often written-register word for making a request, typically in business contexts, whereas 頼む is the everyday spoken equivalent.
頼る means to lean on or depend on someone or something for support in general, while 頼む in this sense specifically means counting on someone as a source of help.
頼む is a neutral word for asking a favor, while 拝む in its begging sense carries a more desperate, pleading tone, often with an imagined bowing gesture.
頼む is a neutral, straightforward request, while ねだる implies persistent, often childish begging.
頼む is the plain, everyday verb for asking someone to do something, whereas お願いいたします is a fixed, highly polite formula used in formal or business contexts.
頼む is the everyday verb for asking someone a favor, while 請う is more formal and rarely used in casual conversation.
頼む is a plain, neutral verb meaning 'to ask/request', while お願いします is the humble, more polite set phrase used in the same situation.
頼む is the common, casual verb for asking a specific person to do something, while 求める is more formal and often directed at an unspecified party or institution.
頼む means to request or ask someone to do something, while 頼る means to rely on someone or something for support; the two are easy to mix up due to their similar kanji and sound.
request; favor · reliance; dependence; trust
praying to a god for help; entreaty to a deity
request earnestly; plead; implore
relying on others; depending on others
relying on strength; dependence on force
Rare kanji form; lists it without a specific sense restriction.
entreat; request earnestly
reliability; dependability; trustworthiness
helpless; with no one to rely on