褒める
ほめる
to praise; to say nice things
Ichidan verbJLPT N4
Example Sentences
彼の料理を褒めてあげてください。
Please praise his cooking.
先生が私の作文を褒めました。
The teacher praised my essay.
母は私の歌を褒めなかった。
My mother didn't praise my singing.
Grammar Notes & Usage Tips
•Use を to mark the person or thing you're praising—like 先生を褒めました (I praised the teacher).
•Don’t mix up who is praising and who is being praised—if you say 子どもが褒めました, it means "the child praised (someone)," not "the child was praised."
•You can use に to show who you're praising someone to—like 先生に友だちを褒められました (I was praised by the teacher for my friend), but be careful: に often marks the person doing the praising in passive sentences.
•JLPT N4 level
Common Phrases & Expressions
You did well, I’ll praise you.
When praising children, it’s good to be specific.
I feel happy when I’m praised.
Complete Conjugation Table
Basic Forms
Dictionary Form
褒める
Masu Form
褒めます
Te Form
褒めて
Past Form
褒めた
Negative Form
褒めない
Past Negative
褒めなかった
Polite Forms
Polite Present
褒めます
Polite Past
褒めました
Polite Negative
褒めません
Polite Past Negative
褒めませんでした
Advanced Forms
Potential Form
褒められる
Passive Form
褒められる
Causative Form
褒めさせる
Causative Passive
褒めさせられる
Volitional Form
褒めよう
Imperative Form
褒めろ
Conditional Forms
Conditional (ば)
褒めれば
Conditional (たら)
褒めたら
Other Forms
Progressive Form
褒めている
Desire (たい)
褒めたい
Prohibition
褒めるな