頼む（たのむ）
JLPT N4 · Godan verb (Group 1)
Pitch accent: nakadaka (middle-high) — pitch drops after mora 2
Meaning: to ask / request
Conjugation
| Form | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| masu-form (polite) | 頼みます | たのみます |
| te-form | 頼んで | たのんで |
| ta-form (past) | 頼んだ | たのんだ |
| nai-form (negative) | 頼まない | たのまない |
| potential form | 頼める | たのめる |
See the full conjugation table for "頼む" →
Example sentences
- 忙しいので、同僚に仕事を頼む。 — I'm busy, so I'll ask a coworker to handle the work.
- 店員に飲み物を頼んだ。 — I ordered a drink from the waiter.
Idioms & proverbs containing “頼む”
- 杖とも柱とも頼む (つえともはしらともたのむ) — to count on someone as the only support
Related words
See it used in real works
- Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
- Hear “頼む” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)