ねばねば

Japanese

Alternative spelling
粘々

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ねばねば [néꜜbànèbà] (Atamadaka – [1]) applies to the adverb and the -suru verb
• (Tokyo) ねばねば [nèbánébá] (Heiban – [0]) applies to the noun
• IPA^(key): [ne̞ba̠ne̞ba̠]

Adverb

ねばねば or ネバネバ • (nebaneba) 

1. stickily
2. persistently

Noun

ねばねば or ネバネバ • (nebaneba) 

1. stickiness
2. persistence

Usage notes

When this term refers to being persistent, it often has a negative connotation.

Verb

ねばねばする or ネバネバする • (nebaneba suru) suru (stem ねばねばし (nebanebasuru shi), past ねばねばした (nebanebasuru shita))

1. be sticky, greasy

   手(て)がねばねばした。

   Te ga nebaneba shita.

   My hands are sticky.

2. be persistent, tenacious

Conjugation

Conjugation of "ねばねばする" (See Appendix:Japanese verbs.)

Katsuyōkei ("stem forms")
Mizenkei ("imperfective")	ねばねばし	nebaneba shi
Ren’yōkei ("continuative")	ねばねばし	nebaneba shi
Shūshikei ("terminal")	ねばねばする	nebaneba suru
Rentaikei ("attributive")	ねばねばする	nebaneba suru
Kateikei ("hypothetical")	ねばねばすれ	nebaneba sure
Meireikei ("imperative")	ねばねばせよ¹ ねばねばしろ²	nebaneba seyo¹ nebaneba shiro²
Key constructions
Passive	ねばねばされる	nebaneba sareru
Causative	ねばねばさせる ねばねばさす	nebaneba saseru nebaneba sasu
Potential	ねばねばできる	nebaneba dekiru
Volitional	ねばねばしよう	nebaneba shiyō
Negative	ねばねばしない	nebaneba shinai
Negative continuative	ねばねばせず	nebaneba sezu
Formal	ねばねばします	nebaneba shimasu
Perfective	ねばねばした	nebaneba shita
Conjunctive	ねばねばして	nebaneba shite
Hypothetical conditional	ねばねばすれば	nebaneba sureba
¹ Written imperative ² Spoken imperative

Synonyms

• 粘(ねば)る (nebaru)