Use 伝える to pass information or feelings to someone.

The idea

伝える is an ichidan transitive verb: mark the recipient with に and the message with を. A quoted statement can take と, as in 中止になったと伝える. The polite stem is 伝え-.

Patterns to compare
Dictionary formPolite non-pastPolite negativePolite pastて form
伝える伝えます伝えません伝えました伝えて

Examples

  • 先生せんせいにメッセージを伝つたえます。I will convey the message to the teacher.
  • 友達ともだちに感謝かんしゃの気持きもちを伝つたえました。I conveyed my thanks to my friend.
  • 会議かいぎが中止ちゅうしになったとみんなに伝つたえてください。Please tell everyone that the meeting has been cancelled.
  • まだ家族かぞくにその知しらせを伝つたえていません。I have not yet told my family the news.
  • 自分じぶんの希望きぼうを文章ぶんしょうで伝つたえます。I will convey my wishes in writing.
  • 同僚どうりょうに時間じかんの変更へんこうを伝つたえました。I conveyed the change in time to my colleague.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

伝える describes the sender’s action; 伝わる describes a message reaching someone. Do not replace に with を for the recipient.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the polite non-past form: ＿。（伝つたえる→ます）

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    伝えます

    伝えます is the polite non-past: remove る and add ます.

  2. Write the て form: ＿。（伝つたえる→て）

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    伝えて

    伝えて is the て form: remove る and add て.

  3. Fill in the recipient particle: 先生せんせい＿メッセージを伝つたえます。

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    に

    に marks the teacher as the recipient; the message is marked by を.

Use it today

Write a message to a colleague using に and を, then change the verb to the polite past.