通う
かよう
to go back and forth; to commute
Kayou (通う) is a godan verb meaning "to go back and forth". Its polite form is 通います (kayoimasu), its te form is 通って (kayotte), its past form is 通った (kayotta), and its negative form is 通わない (kayowanai).
Godan verbJLPT N4
Kayou (通う) conjugation quick reference
通う means "to go back and forth". Its main forms are listed below, with links to the grammar pattern behind each form.
Kayou example sentences
学校に通います。
I go to school.
昨日、病院に通いました。
I went to the hospital yesterday.
彼は会社に通いません。
He doesn't go to the office.
How to use Kayou: grammar notes
•Use 通う with the particle に to show where someone regularly goes — for example, 学校に通っています means "I commute to school."
•Don’t use を after the place when using 通う — saying 学校を通う is a common mistake; it should be 学校に通う.
•You can use 通う for places you go to often, not just for work or school — like ジムに通っています ("I go to the gym regularly").
•JLPT N4 level
Common phrases with Kayou
学校に通う
to commute to school
会社に通う
to commute to work
病院に通う
to go regularly to the hospital (for treatment)
Kayou (通う) conjugation table
| Form | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Forms | ||
| Dictionary Form | 通う | kayou |
| Masu Form | 通います | kayoimasu |
| Te Form | 通って | kayotte |
| Past Form | 通った | kayotta |
| Negative Form | 通わない | kayowanai |
| Past Negative | 通わなかった | kayowanakatta |
| Polite Forms | ||
| Polite Present | 通います | kayoimasu |
| Polite Past | 通いました | kayoimashita |
| Polite Negative | 通いません | kayoimasen |
| Polite Past Negative | 通いませんでした | kayoimasendeshita |
| Advanced Forms | ||
| Potential Form | 通える | kayoeru |
| Passive Form | 通われる | kayowareru |
| Causative Form | 通わせる | kayowaseru |
| Causative Passive | 通わされる | kayowasareru |
| Volitional Form | 通おう | kayoou |
| Imperative Form | 通え | kayoe |
| Conditional Forms | ||
| Conditional (ば) | 通えば | kayoeba |
| Conditional (たら) | 通ったら | kayottara |
| Other Forms | ||
| Progressive Form | 通っている | kayotteiru |
| Desire (たい) | 通いたい | kayoitai |
| Prohibition | 通うな | kayouna |