Japanese

きく
Meaning: to ask; to inquire; to question
Part of Speech: Verb

Listen to pronunciation

Show inflections Hide inflections

Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present 訊く 訊かない
Polite 訊きます 訊きません
Past 訊いた 訊かなかった
Polite + Past 訊きました 訊きませんでした
Te-form 訊いて 訊かなくて
Potential 訊ける 訊けない
Passive 訊かれる 訊かれない
Causative 訊かせる 訊かせない
Causative + Passive 訊かされる 訊かされない
Imperative 訊け 訊くな

Handwriting

訊
く

Example

I asked the station staff for directions.

Usage Notes

Used specifically for 'asking a question' or 'inquiring'. While '聞く' is more common and covers hearing and asking, '訊く' emphasizes the act of questioning.

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.