Japanese

ならう
Meaning: to learn; to take lessons
Part of Speech: Verb

Listen to pronunciation

Show inflections Hide inflections

Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present 習う 習わない
Polite 習います 習いません
Past 習った 習わなかった
Polite + Past 習いました 習いませんでした
Te-form 習って 習わなくて
Potential 習える 習えない
Passive 習われる 習われない
Causative 習わせる 習わせない
Causative + Passive 習わされる 習わされない
Imperative 習え 習うな

Handwriting

習
う

Example sentences

I take piano lessons once a week.
彼女は幼い頃からピアノを習っている。
She has been learning the piano since she was young.
彼女は子供の頃から書を習っている。
She has been learning calligraphy since she was a child.
彼は昔、弓を習っていた。
He used to practice archery long ago.
伝統的な踊りを習っています。
I am learning a traditional dance.
彼は幼い頃から武術を習っている。
He has been learning martial arts since he was a child.
物心がついた時から、私はピアノを習っている。
I have been learning piano since I was old enough to remember.
日本語の授業で使役動詞の使い方を習った。
I learned how to use causative verbs in Japanese class.
兄は柔道を習っている。
My older brother is learning Judo.
彼は幼い頃から空手を習っている。
He has been learning karate since he was a child.

Usage Notes

Used when learning a skill, art, or knowledge from a teacher or through repeated practice.

Sottaku

About Sottaku

Sottaku is an app for learning Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian with a strong focus on SRS. It includes automatic flashcard creation for hundreds of thousands of words, grammar breakdowns in example sentences, language-specific study packs where available, adaptive quizzes, mobile apps, a browser extension, and community features. Give it a try now! All learning content is free with no limits on flashcards or study time.

Sottaku is built to match the habits of successful learners. By using Sottaku, you will naturally learn in the most efficient way possible, as proven by countless success stories in the language learning community.

Free Forever

Access all grammar guides, quizzes, and flashcards without paying a cent. Quality education should be accessible to everyone.

Smart SRS System

Our flashcard system uses the FSRS algorithm (also used in Anki) to optimize your review schedule and maximize retention.

Comprehensive Content

From hanzi, kana, hangul, and European vocabulary basics to grammar and reading practice where available, we have lessons for every level. Practice with quizzes tailored to your skill.

Community Chat

Ask level-appropriate questions and get help from the community. Learn together with fellow learners across all 8 supported languages.