祈る
いのる
to pray; to wish
Inoru (祈る) is a godan verb meaning "to pray". Its polite form is 祈ります (inorimasu), its te form is 祈って (inotte), its past form is 祈った (inotta), and its negative form is 祈らない (inoranai).
Godan verbJLPT N4
Inoru (祈る) conjugation quick reference
祈る means "to pray". Its main forms are listed below, with links to the grammar pattern behind each form.
Inoru example sentences
毎日、健康を祈っています。
I pray for health every day.
昨日、彼の成功を祈りました。
Yesterday, I prayed for his success.
彼女は明日の試験に合格することを祈らなかった。
She didn't pray to pass the exam tomorrow.
How to use Inoru: grammar notes
•Use 〜を祈る when you're praying for something specific, like 幸せを祈る (to pray for happiness) — don’t use に here, which is a common mistake.
•When saying who you're praying to, use に — for example, 神様に祈る means "to pray to God."
•You can also say 〜と祈る when expressing what someone is praying, like 無事でありますようにと祈る (to pray, "I hope you're safe").
•JLPT N4 level
Common phrases with Inoru
成功を祈る（せいこうをいのる）
I pray for your success / Wishing you success
ご無事を祈っています（ごぶじをいのっています）
I’m praying for your safety
幸せを祈る（しあわせをいのる）
I wish you happiness
Inoru (祈る) conjugation table
| Form | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Forms | ||
| Dictionary Form | 祈る | inoru |
| Masu Form | 祈ります | inorimasu |
| Te Form | 祈って | inotte |
| Past Form | 祈った | inotta |
| Negative Form | 祈らない | inoranai |
| Past Negative | 祈らなかった | inoranakatta |
| Polite Forms | ||
| Polite Present | 祈ります | inorimasu |
| Polite Past | 祈りました | inorimashita |
| Polite Negative | 祈りません | inorimasen |
| Polite Past Negative | 祈りませんでした | inorimasendeshita |
| Advanced Forms | ||
| Potential Form | 祈れる | inoreru |
| Passive Form | 祈られる | inorareru |
| Causative Form | 祈らせる | inoraseru |
| Causative Passive | 祈らされる | inorasareru |
| Volitional Form | 祈ろう | inorou |
| Imperative Form | 祈れ | inore |
| Conditional Forms | ||
| Conditional (ば) | 祈れば | inoreba |
| Conditional (たら) | 祈ったら | inottara |
| Other Forms | ||
| Progressive Form | 祈っている | inotteiru |
| Desire (たい) | 祈りたい | inoritai |
| Prohibition | 祈るな | inoruna |