言い返す（いいかえす）
JLPT N3 · Godan verb (Group 1)
Pitch accent: nakadaka (middle-high) — pitch drops after mora 3
Meaning: to talk back
Conjugation
| Form | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| masu-form (polite) | 言い返します | いいかえします |
| te-form | 言い返して | いいかえして |
| ta-form (past) | 言い返した | いいかえした |
| nai-form (negative) | 言い返さない | いいかえさない |
| potential form | 言い返せる | いいかえせる |
Example sentences
- しかられても、言い返さなかった。 — Even when scolded, he didn't talk back.
- 失礼なことを言われて、言い返した。 — She was told something rude, so she talked back.
Related words
See it used in real works
- Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
- Hear “言い返す” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)