“To swim” in Japanese is 泳ぐ (およぐ), pronounced oyogu.
Pronunciation
The word has 3 beats (morae), each about the same length. Tap a syllable to hear it, or play the whole word:
How to use it
To swim. The て-form ends in いで: 泳いで.
Example sentences
- 海で泳ぎました。うみでおよぎました。I swam in the sea.
- 泳げますか。およげますか。Can you swim?
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 泳ぐ. The rules are explained in Japanese verbs: the ます form.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary (plain) | 泳ぐ およぐ | swim |
| Polite present | 泳ぎます およぎます | swim |
| Polite negative | 泳ぎません およぎません | don’t swim |
| Polite past | 泳ぎました およぎました | past of “swim” |
| Plain negative (ない) | 泳がない およがない | don’t swim (casual) |
| Plain past (た) | 泳いだ およいだ | past of “swim” (casual) |
| て-form | 泳いで およいで | swim and… / please swim (+ください) |
| Want to (たい) | 泳ぎたい およぎたい | want to swim |
Quick practice
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Related words: Everyday verbs
FAQ
How do you say to swim in Japanese?
To swim in Japanese is 泳ぐ (およぐ), pronounced “oyogu”.
How do you write to swim in Japanese?
It's written 泳ぐ with kanji, or およぐ in hiragana. Both are read oyogu.
Is 泳ぐ on the JLPT?
Yes. 泳ぐ (oyogu) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.