Explore 開く through polite examples about objects, shops and events.
The idea
開く (ひらく) is a godan verb. With を it can mean opening a book or holding a meeting; with が it can describe something opening. Its polite stem is 開き and its て form is 開いて.
| Dictionary form | Polite non-past | Polite negative | Polite past | て form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 開く | 開きます | 開きません | 開きました | 開いて |
Examples
- 本を開いて、地図を見ます。I open the book and look at the map.
- 窓を少し開きます。I open the window a little.
- 来週、学校で会議を開きます。We will hold a meeting at the school next week.
- 駅前に新しい店を開きました。I opened a new shop in front of the station.
- 春になると、花が開きます。When spring comes, the flowers open.
- 扉が静かに開きました。The door opened quietly.
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Watch out
The same spelling can be read あく or あける. For a window opening by itself, 開く (あく) is also common; check the reading and the sentence, rather than assuming every 開く is ひらく.
Try it yourself
＿。（開く→ます）
Show answer or example answer
開きます
開きます is the polite non-past of 開く; context determines present or future.
＿。（開く→て）
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開いて
開いて is the て form: the final く changes to いて.
来週、会議を＿。（開きます／開きません）
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開きます
開きます fits a planned meeting next week; を marks the event being held.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
＿。（開く→ます）
＿。（開く→て）
来週、会議を＿。（開きます／開きません）
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Make a sentence about holding an event, then write its polite past and check the particle.