言い出す|いいだすiidasu[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto begin to say; to start talking; to broach (a matter); to bring up; to come out with
- godan verb, transitive verbto be the first to say; to suggest (doing); to propose
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 言い出す（いいだす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 言い出します（いいだします） |
| Negative (nai) | 言い出さない（いいださない） |
| polite (masen) | 言い出しません（いいだしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 言い出さず・言い出さぬ（いいださず・いいださぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 言い出した（いいだした） |
| polite (mashita) | 言い出しました（いいだしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 言い出さなかった（いいださなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 言い出しませんでした（いいだしませんでした） |
| Te form | 言い出して（いいだして） |
| Potential | 言い出せる（いいだせる） |
| Passive | 言い出される（いいだされる） |
| Causative | 言い出させる（いいださせる） |
| Causative passive | 言い出させられる（いいださせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 言い出せば（いいだせば） |
| tara | 言い出したら（いいだしたら） |
| Volitional | 言い出そう（いいだそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 言い出しましょう（いいだしましょう） |
| Imperative | 言い出せ（いいだせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- RelatedおっしゃるFormalHonorific for someone else saying something (「先生がおっしゃった」), used of superiors and clients; no sense of broaching a matter.
- Related言ういうNeutralThe most basic verb for saying; 「言い出す」 adds the nuance of being the first to speak up and propose.
- Related発言はつげんWrittenWritten/formal noun for making a statement (「会議で発言する」), typical of meetings and public occasions.
- Related申すもうすFormalHumble language for saying or being called (「田中と申します」), used of yourself or people on your side.
- Related話すはなすNeutralFor talking or conversing (「友達と話す」), with the focus on exchange between speakers rather than on raising a topic first.
- Related言い表すいいあらわすNeutralFor expressing something in words (「言葉で言い表せない」); the point is how well it is put, not who speaks first.
- RelatedしゃべるCasualColloquial for talking or chatting (「よくしゃべる人」); can also mean letting something slip.
- Related申し上げるもうしあげるFormalHumble language that lifts the listener, for speaking to superiors or clients (「お礼申し上げます」); no sense of being the first to propose.
- Related申し述べるもうしのべるFormalHumble language for stating something (「意見を申し述べる」), mostly in formal settings.
- Related物言うものいうCasualColloquial for speaking or talking, often in 「物言う株主」; can also mean having an effect or carrying weight.
- Related弁じるべんじるWrittenWritten-style verb for expounding or arguing (「一席弁じる」), with an oratorical flavor.
- Related物申すものもうすWrittenWritten style, often in media headlines, for voicing an objection or protest (「政府に物申す」).
- Related発語はつごWrittenWritten noun for the act of speaking or a word that opens a sentence; mostly in linguistics and medicine.
Use 「言い出す」 when someone is the first to speak up or start saying something, as in 「急に辞めると言い出した」. For simply saying, pick 「言う」; for conversing, 「話す」; for speaking in a meeting, 「発言」; and for addressing someone you must respect, 「申し上げる」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
