塗る
ぬる
to paint, to plaster
Nuru (塗る) is a godan verb meaning "to paint, to plaster". Its polite form is 塗ります (nurimasu), its te form is 塗って (nutte), its past form is 塗った (nutta), and its negative form is 塗らない (nuranai).
Godan verbJLPT N4
Nuru (塗る) conjugation quick reference
塗る means "to paint, to plaster". Its main forms are listed below, with links to the grammar pattern behind each form.
Nuru example sentences
壁にペンキを塗ります。
I will paint the wall.
昨日、ドアを青く塗りました。
I painted the door blue yesterday.
日焼け止めを塗りません。
I don't put on sunscreen.
How to use Nuru: grammar notes
•Use を with 塗る to mark what you're painting — for example, 壁を塗る means "paint the wall."
•If you're saying what tool you're using, use で — like ハケで塗る (paint with a brush).
•Don’t confuse に and を — say ドアを白く塗る (“paint the door white”), not ドアに白く塗る.
•JLPT N4 level
Common phrases with Nuru
薬を塗る（くすりをぬる）
to apply medicine (ointment)
ペンキを塗る（ぺんきをぬる）
to paint (with paint)
バターをパンに塗る（バターをパンにぬる）
to spread butter on bread
Nuru (塗る) conjugation table
| Form | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Forms | ||
| Dictionary Form | 塗る | nuru |
| Masu Form | 塗ります | nurimasu |
| Te Form | 塗って | nutte |
| Past Form | 塗った | nutta |
| Negative Form | 塗らない | nuranai |
| Past Negative | 塗らなかった | nuranakatta |
| Polite Forms | ||
| Polite Present | 塗ります | nurimasu |
| Polite Past | 塗りました | nurimashita |
| Polite Negative | 塗りません | nurimasen |
| Polite Past Negative | 塗りませんでした | nurimasendeshita |
| Advanced Forms | ||
| Potential Form | 塗れる | nureru |
| Passive Form | 塗られる | nurareru |
| Causative Form | 塗らせる | nuraseru |
| Causative Passive | 塗らされる | nurasareru |
| Volitional Form | 塗ろう | nurou |
| Imperative Form | 塗れ | nure |
| Conditional Forms | ||
| Conditional (ば) | 塗れば | nureba |
| Conditional (たら) | 塗ったら | nuttara |
| Other Forms | ||
| Progressive Form | 塗っている | nutteiru |
| Desire (たい) | 塗りたい | nuritai |
| Prohibition | 塗るな | nuruna |