Japanese

ける

ける
Meaning: auxiliary indicating past tense (classical Japanese)
Part of Speech: Auxiliary verb

Listen to pronunciation

Show inflections Hide inflections

Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present ける けらない
Polite けります けりません
Past けった けらなかった
Polite + Past けりました けりませんでした
Te-form けって けらなくて
Potential けれる けれない
Passive けられる けられない
Causative けらせる けらせない
Causative + Passive けらされる けらされない
Imperative けれ けるな

Handwriting

け
る

Example sentences

Once upon a time, there was a man.
竹の中に、光る竹なむ一筋ありける。
Inside the bamboo, there was a single bamboo shining.

Usage Notes

The attributive form (rentaikei) of the classical past tense auxiliary 'keri'. Used extensively in narrative literature.

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.