What does 伸びる mean?
伸びる is a Japanese verb meaning “to get longer” or “to stretch” in English. It can also be translated as “to improve (of skills or sales)” depending on context. It is written as 伸びる in kanji, のびる in hiragana, and nobiru in romaji. This word is part of JLPT N3 vocabulary.
Example sentences
背が五センチ伸びた。
I've grown five centimetres taller.
毎日練習して、日本語の力が伸びた。
My Japanese has improved with daily practice.
Conjugation of 伸びる
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Plain | 伸びるのびる | 伸びないのびない |
| Plain past | 伸びたのびた | 伸びなかったのびなかった |
| Polite | 伸びますのびます | 伸びませんのびません |
| Polite past | 伸びましたのびました | 伸びませんでしたのびませんでした |
Other forms
Te-form伸びてのびて
Potential伸びられるのびられる
Passive伸びられるのびられる
Volitional伸びようのびよう
Causative伸びさせるのびさせる
Conditional伸びればのびれば
,
Transitive partner
伸びる (it happens by itself)·伸ばす (someone does it)
伸びる describes something happening by itself. 伸ばす describes someone doing it to something. Japanese keeps these apart where English often uses one verb for both.