“To say” in Japanese is 言う (いう), pronounced iu.
Pronunciation
The word has 2 beats (morae), each about the same length. Tap a syllable to hear it, or play the whole word:
How to use it
To say. Pronounced “yuu” in casual speech. 〜と言う quotes what someone said.
Example sentences
- もう一度言ってください。もういちどいってください。Please say it once more.
- 「ありがとう」と言いました。「ありがとう」といいました。He said “thank you”.
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 言う. The rules are explained in Japanese verbs: the ます form.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary (plain) | 言う いう | say |
| Polite present | 言います いいます | say |
| Polite negative | 言いません いいません | don’t say |
| Polite past | 言いました いいました | past of “say” |
| Plain negative (ない) | 言わない いわない | don’t say (casual) |
| Plain past (た) | 言った いった | past of “say” (casual) |
| て-form | 言って いって | say and… / please say (+ください) |
| Want to (たい) | 言いたい いいたい | want to say |
Quick practice
Test yourself0/3
What does {{言う}} mean?
How do you read {{言う}}?
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Related words: Everyday verbs
FAQ
How do you say to say in Japanese?
To say in Japanese is 言う (いう), pronounced “iu”.
How do you write to say in Japanese?
It's written 言う with kanji, or いう in hiragana. Both are read iu.
Is 言う on the JLPT?
Yes. 言う (iu) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.