Japanese 迎える: meeting or welcoming someone

The idea

迎むかえる is a ichidan verb. Its polite non-past is 迎むかえます, polite negative 迎むかえません, polite past 迎むかえました, and て form 迎むかえて. The non-past can express a habit or a future event, depending on context. を marks the person welcomed and で the place; 迎むかえに行いく means going to pick someone up. A new year can also be welcomed.

Examples

• 駅えきで友達ともだちを迎むかえます。I meet my friend at the station.
• 母ははは子こどもを学校がっこうに迎むかえに行いきます。My mother goes to school to pick up the child.
• 父ちちを空港くうこうへ迎むかえに行いきました。I went to the airport to pick up my father.
• 家いえでお客きゃくさんを迎むかえました。I welcomed a guest at home.
• 明日あした、先生せんせいを駅えきで迎むかえます。Tomorrow I will meet the teacher at the station.
• 新あたらしい年としを家族かぞくと迎むかえました。I welcomed the new year with my family.

Watch out

Do not add て directly to the dictionary form 迎むかえる; the correct て form is 迎むかえて.

Try it yourself

1. ＿。（迎むかえる→ます）

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   迎えます

   迎むかえます is the polite non-past of 迎むかえる; context determines whether it describes a habit or the future.

2. ＿。（迎むかえる→て）

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   迎えて

   迎むかえて is the て form of 迎むかえる; it can link one action to a following clause.

3. 友達ともだち＿迎むかえます。（を／に）

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   を

   を is correct here. を marks the person welcomed and で the place; 迎むかえに行いく means going to pick someone up. A new year can also be welcomed.

Use it today

Make two sentences with 迎むかえる, one in the polite past and one negative. Check the forms and particles against the table and examples.