変える|かえるkaeru[0]heiban (flat)
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Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto change; to alter; to transform; to convert; to turn; to vary
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto reform; to revise; to amend
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 変える（かえる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 変えます（かえます） |
| Negative (nai) | 変えない（かえない） |
| polite (masen) | 変えません（かえません） |
| classical zu / nu | 変えず・変えぬ（かえず・かえぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 変えた（かえた） |
| polite (mashita) | 変えました（かえました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 変えなかった（かえなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 変えませんでした（かえませんでした） |
| Te form | 変えて（かえて） |
| Potential | 変えられる（かえられる） |
| Passive | 変えられる（かえられる） |
| Causative | 変えさせる（かえさせる） |
| Causative passive | 変えさせられる（かえさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 変えれば（かえれば） |
| tara | 変えたら（かえたら） |
| Volitional | 変えよう（かえよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 変えましょう（かえましょう） |
| Imperative | 変えろ（かえろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
色が変わる
色を変える
変わる describes a change that happens by itself or without a specified agent, while 変える focuses on an agent deliberately causing the change.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym改めるあらためるWrittenWritten/formal: to revise something for the better or change it in a deliberate, formal way, as in 「規則を改める」「態度を改める」.
- Synonym転ずるてんずるWrittenWritten style for turning or shifting direction, or redirecting attention, as in 「話題を転ずる」.
- Synonym改変かいへんWrittenWritten style: altering content so it differs from the original; mostly for works and rules, often with a negative nuance.
- Synonym変更へんこうNeutralSino-Japanese word for changing plans or settings, as in 「予定を変更する」; common in both speech and writing.
- Synonym転じるてんじるWrittenWritten style for turning or switching to something, as in 「攻勢に転じる」; focuses on a change of direction.
- Synonym化するかするWrittenWritten style for turning into a state, as in 「廃墟と化する」; also a suffix as in 「自動化する」.
- Synonym化すかすWrittenA godan verb meaning the same as 「化する」: to turn into a state, as in 「廃墟と化す」. Strongly literary; say 「変わる」 in daily speech.
- Synonym改定かいていWrittenWritten style: revising rules or prices and setting them anew, as in 「料金改定」.
- Synonym変換へんかんWrittenWritten style: conversion between forms, mostly for input methods and math, as in 「漢字変換」.
- Synonym変ずるへんずるWrittenWritten prose for changing into another state or making it so; an older, more literary form of 「変じる」, rarely used today.
- Related変じるへんじるWrittenWritten prose for becoming or making something change, as in 「顔色を変じる」; in everyday speech say 「変わる」.
- Related切り替えるきりかえるNeutralTo switch modes or moods, as in 「気持ちを切り替える」; stresses swapping one thing for another.
- Related入れ替えるいれかえるNeutralTo replace or swap out contents, as in 「空気を入れ替える」; stresses exchanging what is inside.
- Related直すなおすNeutralTo fix, repair or correct, and also to translate or convert; the focus is on repair rather than change.
- Related改正かいせいWrittenWritten/formal: revising laws or regulations, as in 「法改正」; operates at the level of rules and institutions.
- Related修正しゅうせいWrittenWritten/formal: correcting errors or adjusting deviations, as in 「軌道修正」.
- Related刷新さっしんWrittenWritten/formal: thorough reform that makes something completely new, as in 「人事を刷新する」.
- Related変形へんけいWrittenWritten style: change of shape or form, as in 「変形した車」; focuses on outward shape.
- Related手直してなおしNeutralSmall touch-ups to something nearly finished, as in 「原稿を手直しする」.
- Related改まるあらたまるWrittenWritten style, intransitive: the thing itself is the subject that becomes renewed or reformed; 「変える」 is transitive and takes the thing changed as its object.
- RelatedチェンジCasualColloquial loanword for changing or swapping, as in 「イメージチェンジ」.
- Related変化へんかNeutralA noun for change itself, objective in tone, as in 「気温の変化」; does not express actively changing something.
- Related改造かいぞうWrittenWritten style: remodeling machines, buildings or organizations, as in 「改造車」.
- Related切り替わるきりかわるNeutralIntransitive: the thing switching over is the subject, as in 「画面が切り替わる」; 「変える」 is transitive and puts the focus on who changes it.
- Related変わるかわるNeutralIntransitive: the thing that changes is the subject, whatever the cause; 「変える」 is the transitive verb for making something change.
- Relatedすげ替えるすげかえるCasualColloquial: to swap out people or parts, as in 「首をすげ替える」.
- Antonym変えないNeutralThe negative of 「変える」: to leave something as it is without changing it.
- AntonymそのままにするCasualColloquial: to keep things as they are and leave them untouched.
To change something, use the transitive 「変える」; when the changing thing is the subject, use the intransitive 「変わる」. For plans or settings use 「変更」, for revising rules 「改める」 or 「改正」, for correcting errors 「修正」, for switching 「切り替える」, and for replacing 「入れ替える」. The rest are narrower: 「転じる」「化する」 are literary for shifts of direction or state, 「改造」 remodels machines or buildings, 「変換」 converts forms, and 「変化」 names change itself. The antonyms 「変えない」 and 「そのままにする」 mean leaving things as they are.
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
