仮定形(かていけい)

A grammatical term used in Japanese language education. In the traditional six-form conjugation system (活用(かつよう)), the 仮定形(かていけい) is the form that attaches to the conditional particle ば. For godan verbs, this is the え-row form (e.g., 書(か)く → 書(か)けば); for ichidan verbs, it ends in れば (e.g., 食(た)べる → 食(た)べれば).

The six conjugation forms

• 未然形(みぜんけい) — irrealis form (connects to ない, よう, etc.)
• 連用形(れんようけい) — continuative form (connects to ます, た, etc.)
• 終止形(しゅうしけい) — terminal form (dictionary form)
• 連体形(れんたいけい) — attributive form (before nouns)
• 仮定形(かていけい) — hypothetical form (connects to ば)
• 命令形(めいれいけい) — imperative form

Similar words

• 条件形(じょうけんけい) — conditional form (an alternative name sometimes used in textbooks)
• 已然形(いぜんけい) — realis form (the classical Japanese predecessor of the 仮定形(かていけい))