……
Breakdown of oku
put
置
You are put into the net of honesty.
Usages of oku
玄関 の 前 に 新しい 花瓶 を 置きました。genkan no mae ni atarashii kabin o okimashita.
I placed a new vase in front of the entrance.
靴 は 玄関 に 置いて ください。kutsu wa genkan ni oite kudasai.
Please leave your shoes at the entrance.
玄関 に 新しい マット を 置いた。genkan ni atarashii matto o oita.
I placed a new mat at the entrance.
彼女 は コーヒーカップ を 棚 に 置いた。kanojo wa koohiikappu o tana ni oita.
She put the coffee cup on the shelf.
本 を 本棚 に 置くの を 忘れないで。hon o hondana ni okuno o wasurenaide.
Don't forget to put the book on the bookshelf.
ベッド の 横 に は 机 が 置いて ある。beddo no yoko ni wa tsukue ga oite aru.
A desk has been put beside the bed (by someone).
窓辺 に 花瓶 を 置きました。madobe ni kabin o okimashita.
I placed a vase by the window.
Test yourself: What does oku mean?
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“How do verb conjugations work in Japanese?”
Japanese verbs conjugate based on tense, politeness, and mood. For example, the polite present form adds ‑ます to the verb stem, while the past tense uses ‑ました. Unlike English, Japanese verbs don't change based on the subject — the same form works for "I", "you", and "they".
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