泣く
なく
to cry
Naku (泣く) is a godan verb meaning "to cry". Its polite form is 泣きます (nakimasu), its te form is 泣いて (naite), its past form is 泣いた (naita), and its negative form is 泣かない (nakanai).
Godan verbJLPT N4
Naku (泣く) conjugation quick reference
泣く means "to cry". Its main forms are listed below, with links to the grammar pattern behind each form.
Naku example sentences
赤ちゃんが泣きます。
The baby cries.
きのう、友だちは泣きました。
Yesterday, my friend cried.
もう泣きません。
I won’t cry anymore.
How to use Naku: grammar notes
•Use が to mark the person who is crying — for example, 子どもが泣いています means "The child is crying."
•When talking about crying because of something (like a sad movie), use で to show the reason — 映画で泣きました means "I cried because of the movie."
•Don’t use を before 泣く — since "crying" isn’t something you do to an object, を is not needed.
•JLPT N4 level
Common phrases with Naku
泣いてしまった
I ended up crying / I couldn't help but cry
大声で泣く（おおごえでなく）
To cry loudly
泣かないで
Don't cry
Naku (泣く) conjugation table
| Form | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Forms | ||
| Dictionary Form | 泣く | naku |
| Masu Form | 泣きます | nakimasu |
| Te Form | 泣いて | naite |
| Past Form | 泣いた | naita |
| Negative Form | 泣かない | nakanai |
| Past Negative | 泣かなかった | nakanakatta |
| Polite Forms | ||
| Polite Present | 泣きます | nakimasu |
| Polite Past | 泣きました | nakimashita |
| Polite Negative | 泣きません | nakimasen |
| Polite Past Negative | 泣きませんでした | nakimasendeshita |
| Advanced Forms | ||
| Potential Form | 泣ける | nakeru |
| Passive Form | 泣かれる | nakareru |
| Causative Form | 泣かせる | nakaseru |
| Causative Passive | 泣かされる | nakasareru |
| Volitional Form | 泣こう | nakou |
| Imperative Form | 泣け | nake |
| Conditional Forms | ||
| Conditional (ば) | 泣けば | nakeba |
| Conditional (たら) | 泣いたら | naitara |
| Other Forms | ||
| Progressive Form | 泣いている | naiteiru |
| Desire (たい) | 泣きたい | nakitai |
| Prohibition | 泣くな | nakuna |