伺う|うかがうukagau[0]heiban (flat)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto call on someone; to call at a place; to pay a visit; to wait on someone
- godan verb, transitive verbto ask; to inquire
- godan verb, transitive verbto hear; to be told
- godan verb, transitive verbto implore (a god for an oracle); to seek direction (from your superior)
- godan verb, intransitive verbto speak to (a large crowd at a theatre, etc.)from 御機嫌を伺う
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 伺う（うかがう） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 伺います（うかがいます） |
| Negative (nai) | 伺わない（うかがわない） |
| polite (masen) | 伺いません（うかがいません） |
| classical zu / nu | 伺わず・伺わぬ（うかがわず・うかがわぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 伺った（うかがった） |
| polite (mashita) | 伺いました（うかがいました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 伺わなかった（うかがわなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 伺いませんでした（うかがいませんでした） |
| Te form | 伺って（うかがって） |
| Potential | 伺える（うかがえる） |
| Passive | 伺われる（うかがわれる） |
| Causative | 伺わせる（うかがわせる） |
| Causative passive | 伺わせられる・伺わされる（うかがわせられる・うかがわされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 伺えば（うかがえば） |
| tara | 伺ったら（うかがったら） |
| Volitional | 伺おう（うかがおう） |
| polite (mashou) | 伺いましょう（うかがいましょう） |
| Imperative | 伺え（うかがえ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym問い合わせるといあわせるNeutralAsks about something unclear to confirm it, of institutions or individuals, as in 「窓口に問い合わせる」; it shows no deference, unlike humble 「伺う」.
- Synonym問うとうWrittenWritten prose for posing a question or pressing a charge, as in 「責任を問う」; it carries no honorifics, while 「伺う」 asks with humility.
- Synonym問いかけるといかけるNeutralPoses a question to a person or raises it to society at large, as in 「読者に問いかける」; 「伺う」 humbly asks or visits.
- Synonym訊くきくCasualEveryday, colloquial word for asking, as in 「名前を訊く」; it has no honorific sense, unlike the deferential 「伺う」.
- Related尋ねるたずねるNeutralPlain word for asking or seeking someone or something out, as in 「道を尋ねる」; it carries no honorifics, while 「伺う」 is the humble term for asking or calling on someone.
- Related問いただすといただすNeutralMeans pressing someone for answers, as in 「真意を問いただす」; it has an interrogating tone and can offend superiors, whereas 「伺う」 asks humbly.
- RelatedただすWrittenWritten-language word for asking to confirm something, as in 「真偽を質す」; it centres on establishing what is true, while 「伺う」 is humble.
- Related聞き合わせるききあわせるNeutralUsed for making inquiries to check something, and also for comparing and verifying, as in 「条件を聞き合わせる」; 「伺う」 is the humble way to ask.
- Antonym告げるつげるWrittenWritten-language antonym of the asking sense of 「伺う」: it tells or announces something to someone, as in 「別れを告げる」.
- Antonym話すはなすNeutralAntonym of the listening sense of 「伺う」: it means speaking to someone, telling them something, as in 「事情を話す」.
Default to 「伺う」 for asking or visiting with humility. For plain asking use 「尋ねる」 or 「聞く」, for contacting a counter 「問い合わせる」, for pressing someone 「問いただす」, for holding to account 「問う」; to inform, use 「告げる」 or 「話す」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
