JLPT N5 · Verb

返す (kaesu)

返す (かえす, kaesu) is a Japanese verb meaning “to return (something); to restore”. It appears in JLPT N5 vocabulary lists and is marked as a common word in JMdict.

Reading: かえす
Romaji: kaesu
Word class: Godan verb (う-verb) ending in す
Level: JLPT N5 (unofficial)

Meaning

to return (something); to restore; to put back · godan verb, transitive
to turn over; to turn upside down; to overturn · godan verb, transitive
to pay back; to retaliate; to reciprocate · godan verb, transitive
to respond (with); to retort; to reply; to say back · godan verb, transitive
to do ... back (e.g. speak back, throw back) · suffix, godan verb · after the -masu stem of a verb

Example sentences

お金は明日返すよ。

I'll give you back the money tomorrow.

Tatoeba #227236

お前は恩を仇で返したな。

You bit the hand that fed you.

Tatoeba #226934

Sentences from the Tatoeba project, linked to this word in JMdict.

Conjugation of 返す

Godan verb (う-verb) ending in す. Plain and polite forms below; try any other word in the Japanese verb conjugator.

Form	Japanese	Reading
Dictionary	返す	かえす kaesu
Polite (~masu)	返します	かえします kaeshimasu
Negative	返さない	かえさない kaesanai
Polite negative	返しません	かえしません kaeshimasen
Past	返した	かえした kaeshita
Polite past	返しました	かえしました kaeshimashita
Negative past	返さなかった	かえさなかった kaesanakatta
Te-form	返して	かえして kaeshite
Potential	返せる	かえせる kaeseru
Passive	返される	かえされる kaesareru
Causative	返させる	かえさせる kaesaseru
Volitional	返そう	かえそう kaesou
Imperative	返せ	かえせ kaese
Conditional (~ba)	返せば	かえせば kaeseba

Kanji in 返す

返

return, answer, fadeヘン・かえ.す・-かえ.す · 7 strokes

Related words

Other vocabulary sharing a kanji with 返す.

返事へんじreply繰り返すくりかえすto repeat裏返すうらがえすto turn inside out引き返すひきかえすto turn back引っ繰り返るひっくりかえるto be overturned引っ繰り返すひっくりかえすto turn over返還へんかんreturn返済へんさいrepayment返答へんとうreply裏返しうらがえしinside out宙返りちゅうがえりsomersault折り返すおりかえすto turn up (hem, sleeves, etc.)振り返るふりかえるto turn one's head照り返すてりかえすto reflect

Source: JMdict entry 1512130 (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0). Level: unofficial JLPT list – how levels are assigned.