呼ぶ
よぶ
to call (one's name); to invite
Yobu (呼ぶ) is a godan verb meaning "to call (one's name)". Its polite form is 呼びます (yobimasu), its te form is 呼んで (yonde), its past form is 呼んだ (yonda), and its negative form is 呼ばない (yobanai).
Godan verbJLPT N5
Yobu (呼ぶ) conjugation quick reference
呼ぶ means "to call (one's name)". Its main forms are listed below, with links to the grammar pattern behind each form.
Yobu example sentences
友だちを呼びます。
I will call (invite) my friend.
母を呼びませんでした。
I didn’t call (for) my mom.
先生が私の名前を呼びました。
The teacher called my name.
How to use Yobu: grammar notes
•Use を with 呼ぶ to show who or what you're calling — for example, 「先生を呼びます」 means "I will call the teacher."
•When inviting someone, 呼ぶ can also mean "to invite," but be careful not to confuse it with 誘う (さそう), which is more common for casual invitations like asking friends out.
•Don't mix up 呼ぶ with 電話する — 呼ぶ means to call out to someone nearby (like shouting their name), not to call them on the phone.
•JLPT N5 level
Common phrases with Yobu
名前で呼ぶ（なまえで よぶ）
To call (someone) by name
助けを呼ぶ（たすけを よぶ）
To call for help
タクシーを呼ぶ（タクシーを よぶ）
To call a taxi
Yobu (呼ぶ) conjugation table
| Form | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Forms | ||
| Dictionary Form | 呼ぶ | yobu |
| Masu Form | 呼びます | yobimasu |
| Te Form | 呼んで | yonde |
| Past Form | 呼んだ | yonda |
| Negative Form | 呼ばない | yobanai |
| Past Negative | 呼ばなかった | yobanakatta |
| Polite Forms | ||
| Polite Present | 呼びます | yobimasu |
| Polite Past | 呼びました | yobimashita |
| Polite Negative | 呼びません | yobimasen |
| Polite Past Negative | 呼びませんでした | yobimasendeshita |
| Advanced Forms | ||
| Potential Form | 呼べる | yoberu |
| Passive Form | 呼ばれる | yobareru |
| Causative Form | 呼ばせる | yobaseru |
| Causative Passive | 呼ばされる | yobasareru |
| Volitional Form | 呼ぼう | yobou |
| Imperative Form | 呼べ | yobe |
| Conditional Forms | ||
| Conditional (ば) | 呼べば | yobeba |
| Conditional (たら) | 呼んだら | yondara |
| Other Forms | ||
| Progressive Form | 呼んでいる | yondeiru |
| Desire (たい) | 呼びたい | yobitai |
| Prohibition | 呼ぶな | yobuna |