捕まえる
つかまえる
to catch, to arrest
Tsukamaeru (捕まえる) is an ichidan verb meaning "to catch, to arrest". Its polite form is 捕まえます (tsukamaemasu), its te form is 捕まえて (tsukamaete), its past form is 捕まえた (tsukamaeta), and its negative form is 捕まえない (tsukamaenai).
Ichidan verbJLPT N4
Tsukamaeru (捕まえる) conjugation quick reference
捕まえる means "to catch, to arrest". Its main forms are listed below, with links to the grammar pattern behind each form.
Tsukamaeru example sentences
ボールを捕まえてください。
Please catch the ball.
詐欺師が警察に捕まえられました。
The fraudster was caught by the police.
犬が鳥を捕まえられなかった。
The dog couldn't catch the bird.
How to use Tsukamaeru: grammar notes
•捕まえる is usually used with the particle を to mark the thing or person being caught — for example, 泥棒を捕まえた (I caught the thief).
•Don’t confuse 捕まえる (to catch/arrest someone) with 捕まる, which means “to be caught” — the first is active, the second is passive.
•When talking about who did the catching, you can use に to show who was caught by someone — for example, 警察に捕まえられた (was caught by the police).
•JLPT N4 level
Common phrases with Tsukamaeru
泥棒を捕まえる（どろぼうをつかまえる）
To catch a thief
タクシーを捕まえる（タクシーをつかまえる）
To catch a taxi
犯人が捕まった（はんにんがつかまった）
The criminal was caught (note: passive form of 捕まえる)
Tsukamaeru (捕まえる) conjugation table
| Form | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Forms | ||
| Dictionary Form | 捕まえる | tsukamaeru |
| Masu Form | 捕まえます | tsukamaemasu |
| Te Form | 捕まえて | tsukamaete |
| Past Form | 捕まえた | tsukamaeta |
| Negative Form | 捕まえない | tsukamaenai |
| Past Negative | 捕まえなかった | tsukamaenakatta |
| Polite Forms | ||
| Polite Present | 捕まえます | tsukamaemasu |
| Polite Past | 捕まえました | tsukamaemashita |
| Polite Negative | 捕まえません | tsukamaemasen |
| Polite Past Negative | 捕まえませんでした | tsukamaemasendeshita |
| Advanced Forms | ||
| Potential Form | 捕まえられる | tsukamaerareru |
| Passive Form | 捕まえられる | tsukamaerareru |
| Causative Form | 捕まえさせる | tsukamaesaseru |
| Causative Passive | 捕まえさせられる | tsukamaesaserareru |
| Volitional Form | 捕まえよう | tsukamaeyou |
| Imperative Form | 捕まえろ | tsukamaero |
| Conditional Forms | ||
| Conditional (ば) | 捕まえれば | tsukamaereba |
| Conditional (たら) | 捕まえたら | tsukamaetara |
| Other Forms | ||
| Progressive Form | 捕まえている | tsukamaeteiru |
| Desire (たい) | 捕まえたい | tsukamaetai |
| Prohibition | 捕まえるな | tsukamaeruna |