噛む
かむ
to bite, to chew
Kamu (噛む) is a godan verb meaning "to bite, to chew". Its polite form is 噛みます (kamimasu), its te form is 噛んで (kande), its past form is 噛んだ (kanda), and its negative form is 噛まない (kamanai).
Godan verbJLPT N4
Kamu (噛む) conjugation quick reference
噛む means "to bite, to chew". Its main forms are listed below, with links to the grammar pattern behind each form.
Kamu example sentences
ゆっくりよく噛んで食べてください。
Please chew well and eat slowly.
昨日、犬に噛まれました。
I was bitten by a dog yesterday.
赤ちゃんはまだ固いものを噛めません。
The baby can't chew hard food yet.
How to use Kamu: grammar notes
•Use を with 噛む to mark what is being bitten or chewed — for example, ガムを噛む means "to chew gum."
•Don’t confuse 噛む with similar verbs like 食べる (to eat); 噛む focuses on the action of chewing or biting, not swallowing.
•In casual conversation, 噛む can also mean "to mess up speaking" — like saying the wrong word — so be aware of this slang meaning too!
•JLPT N4 level
Common phrases with Kamu
ガムを噛む
to chew gum
舌を噛む（したをかむ）
to bite one's tongue
セリフを噛む
to stumble over one's lines (e.g., during a speech or performance)
Kamu (噛む) conjugation table
| Form | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Forms | ||
| Dictionary Form | 噛む | kamu |
| Masu Form | 噛みます | kamimasu |
| Te Form | 噛んで | kande |
| Past Form | 噛んだ | kanda |
| Negative Form | 噛まない | kamanai |
| Past Negative | 噛まなかった | kamanakatta |
| Polite Forms | ||
| Polite Present | 噛みます | kamimasu |
| Polite Past | 噛みました | kamimashita |
| Polite Negative | 噛みません | kamimasen |
| Polite Past Negative | 噛みませんでした | kamimasendeshita |
| Advanced Forms | ||
| Potential Form | 噛める | kameru |
| Passive Form | 噛まれる | kamareru |
| Causative Form | 噛ませる | kamaseru |
| Causative Passive | 噛まされる | kamasareru |
| Volitional Form | 噛もう | kamou |
| Imperative Form | 噛め | kame |
| Conditional Forms | ||
| Conditional (ば) | 噛めば | kameba |
| Conditional (たら) | 噛んだら | kandara |
| Other Forms | ||
| Progressive Form | 噛んでいる | kandeiru |
| Desire (たい) | 噛みたい | kamitai |
| Prohibition | 噛むな | kamuna |