曲がる・曲る|まがるmagaru[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
曲がる曲がる is the most common written form of this word; beginners should use it as their default choice.
曲る曲る is a less common written variant of 曲がる. It may be encountered, but 曲がる is the better choice for beginners.
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto bend; to curve; to warp; to wind; to twist
- godan verb, intransitive verbto turn
- godan verb, intransitive verbto be awry; to be askew; to be crooked
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 曲がる（まがる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 曲がります（まがります） |
| Negative (nai) | 曲がらない（まがらない） |
| polite (masen) | 曲がりません（まがりません） |
| classical zu / nu | 曲がらず・曲がらぬ（まがらず・まがらぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 曲がった（まがった） |
| polite (mashita) | 曲がりました（まがりました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 曲がらなかった（まがらなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 曲がりませんでした（まがりませんでした） |
| Te form | 曲がって（まがって） |
| Potential | 曲がれる（まがれる） |
| Passive | 曲がられる（まがられる） |
| Causative | 曲がらせる（まがらせる） |
| Causative passive | 曲がらせられる・曲がらされる（まがらせられる・まがらされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 曲がれば（まがれば） |
| tara | 曲がったら（まがったら） |
| Volitional | 曲がろう（まがろう） |
| polite (mashou) | 曲がりましょう（まがりましょう） |
| Imperative | 曲がれ（まがれ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
道が曲がる
曲がる describes something bending or curving on its own, as in 道が曲がる (the road bends), while 曲げる describes an agent actively bending something, as in 針金を曲げる (bend a wire).
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Related湾曲わんきょくWrittenWritten/formal term for bending into a bow shape, as in 「背骨の湾曲」; typical of medical and geographical description.
- Related曲げるまげるNeutralTransitive counterpart to 「曲がる」: bending something, or figuratively distorting the truth. 「曲がる」 is intransitive.
- RelatedカーブNeutralLoanword for a curve or bend, especially a bend in the road like 「急カーブ」; in baseball it also means a curveball.
- Related折り曲げるおりまげるNeutralBending by folding, as in 「紙を折り曲げる」; the emphasis is on the fold, unlike 「曲がる」, which just describes something becoming bent.
- Relatedひん曲げるひんまげるCasualColloquial and rough: bending something with great force, or willfully twisting the facts; the tone is coarse.
- Antonym直るなおるNeutralAntonym: a crooked thing returning to its proper state, or an error being corrected — the opposite of 「曲がる」.
- AntonymまっすぐNeutralAntonym: straight, with no bend or turn — the direct opposite of 「曲がる」.
For bending or turning, 「曲がる」 is the default. Use 「曲げる」 to bend something, 「折り曲げる」 to bend by folding, and 「カーブ」 for a curve in the road; 「真っ直ぐ」 means straight.
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
