Japanese verb 転ぶ: falling over

The idea

転ぶ means to fall over or tumble; it is an intransitive godan verb. The person or object that falls is marked by が or presented as the topic with は. The place can take で; 転ばないように expresses the aim of not falling.

Examples

• 子供こどもが公園こうえんで転ころびました。A child fell over in the park.
• 濡ぬれた床ゆかで滑すべって転ころびました。I slipped on the wet floor and fell over.
• 急いそぐと転ころびますよ。You may fall if you hurry.
• 転ころばないように、ゆっくり歩あるきます。I walk slowly so I do not fall.
• 彼かれは転ころんでひざをすりむきました。He fell over and scraped his knee.
• 自転車じてんしゃが風かぜで転ころびました。The bicycle fell over in the wind.

Watch out

Do not conjugate it like an ichidan verb: ぶ changes to び before ます and to んで in the て form. 転ぶ describes falling over, while 落ちる often describes falling from a height.

Try it yourself

1. Write the polite non-past form.

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   転びます

   転びます is the polite non-past; context determines whether the fall is present, habitual or future.

2. Write the て form.

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   転んで

   転んで is the て form: a godan verb ending in ぶ changes to んで. It can link the fall to a consequence.

3. Choose the form that completes the sentence: walk slowly so as not to fall.

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   歩きます

   歩きます completes the intended meaning: walking slowly is the action taken to avoid falling.

Use it today

Describe a fall, then say what you do to avoid falling using 転ばないように.