- Basic forms
- 問う — to ask / to inquire / to question / base form
- 問います — (I) ask / inquire / masu form
- 問うた — asked / inquired / ta form
- 問うて — ask (and…) / te form
- 問わない — do not ask / negative
- 問えば — if (you) ask / conditional
- 問え — ask! / imperative
- Other common forms
- 責任を問う — to hold someone responsible
- 安全性を問う — to question safety
- More
- 問いたい — want to ask / want to
- 問える — can ask / potential
- 問えない — cannot ask / negative potential
- 問っている — is asking / progressive
- 問わなかった — didn’t ask / negative past
問う(とう) is a godan verb with special conjugation patterns (問わ → 問う / 問います / 問うた). Often used in formal or written contexts.
- 質問 — question
- 問題 — problem / issue
- 訪問 — visit
- 問屋 — wholesale store
- 問答 — dialogue / Q&A
- 問い合わせ — inquiry
Compound Verbs - tap to expand
- 問い合わせる — to inquire; to make an inquiry
- 問い直す — to question again; to recheck
- 問い詰める — to press with questions; to interrogate
- 問い掛ける — to pose a question; to raise an issue
The kanji 問 is composed of the radical 門 (gate) and the component 口 (mouth). It symbolizes someone speaking through a gate — representing inquiry, questioning, or requesting information from the other side.
