Use 建てる when talking about constructing a house or another building.

The idea

建てる is a transitive ichidan verb: mark the structure with を and its location with に. Drop る before ます or て: 建てます, 建てて.

Patterns to compare
Dictionary formPolite non-pastPolite negativePolite pastて form
建てる建てます建てません建てました建てて

Examples

  • 両親りょうしんは駅えきの近ちかくに家いえを建たてました。My parents built a house near the station.
  • 市しはここに新あたらしい図書館としょかんを建たてます。The city will build a new library here.
  • この土地とちに十年前じゅうねんまえ、学校がっこうを建たてました。They built a school on this land ten years ago.
  • 私わたしたちは海うみのそばに小ちいさな家いえを建たてています。We are building a small house by the sea.
  • いつか木きの家いえを建たてたいです。I want to build a house made of wood someday.
  • この公園こうえんには高たかいビルを建たてません。They will not build a tall building in this park.

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Watch out

Do not confuse 建てる, building a structure, with 立てる, standing something upright. 建てる can also describe having a building constructed.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the polite non-past form: ＿。（建てる→ます）

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    建てます

    建てます drops る and adds ます for the polite non-past.

  2. Write the て form: ＿。（建てる→て）

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    建てて

    建てて drops る and adds て; it can join another clause.

  3. Choose the spelling for building a house: 家いえを＿。（建てました／立てました）

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    建てました

    建てました describes building a house; 立てました usually means standing something up.

Use it today

Describe where you would build a house, then change your sentence to the polite past.