What does 伸びる mean?
伸びる is a Japanese verb meaning “to stretch, to grow” in English. It can also be translated as “to improve, to make progress” 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
このセーターは伸びてすっかり型崩れしている。
This sweater is all stretched out of shape.
会議は来週までのびた。
The meeting has been put off until next week.
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
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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.