負ける
まける
to lose (a game) (v.i.), to be defeated
Makeru (負ける) is an ichidan verb meaning "to lose (a game) (v.i.), to be defeated". Its polite form is 負けます (makemasu), its te form is 負けて (makete), its past form is 負けた (maketa), and its negative form is 負けない (makenai).
Ichidan verbJLPT N4
Makeru (負ける) conjugation quick reference
負ける means "to lose (a game) (v.i.), to be defeated". Its main forms are listed below, with links to the grammar pattern behind each form.
Makeru example sentences
We lost the soccer game.
This team is strong, so we won’t lose.
I lost to my older brother in a game yesterday.
How to use Makeru: grammar notes
•Use に to show who or what you lost to—like in チームAに負けた (We lost to Team A).
•Don't use を after 負ける—since it's an intransitive verb, you don't "lose something," you "lose to someone."
•To say "I don’t want to lose," use 負けたくない (maketakunai)—just add たくない to the verb stem.
•JLPT N4 level
Common phrases with Makeru
試合に負ける（しあいにまける）
to lose a game/match
勝ち負けにこだわらない（かちまけにこだわらない）
to not care about winning or losing
値段を負けてくれる（ねだんをまけてくれる）
to give a discount / to lower the price
Makeru (負ける) conjugation table
| Form | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Forms | ||
| Dictionary Form | 負ける | makeru |
| Masu Form | 負けます | makemasu |
| Te Form | 負けて | makete |
| Past Form | 負けた | maketa |
| Negative Form | 負けない | makenai |
| Past Negative | 負けなかった | makenakatta |
| Polite Forms | ||
| Polite Present | 負けます | makemasu |
| Polite Past | 負けました | makemashita |
| Polite Negative | 負けません | makemasen |
| Polite Past Negative | 負けませんでした | makemasendeshita |
| Advanced Forms | ||
| Potential Form | 負けられる | makerareru |
| Passive Form | 負けられる | makerareru |
| Causative Form | 負けさせる | makesaseru |
| Causative Passive | 負けさせられる | makesaserareru |
| Volitional Form | 負けよう | makeyou |
| Imperative Form | 負けろ | makero |
| Conditional Forms | ||
| Conditional (ば) | 負ければ | makereba |
| Conditional (たら) | 負けたら | maketara |
| Other Forms | ||
| Progressive Form | 負けている | maketeiru |
| Desire (たい) | 負けたい | maketai |
| Prohibition | 負けるな | makeruna |