1

Here is a sentence which would appear in a math exam paper.

Xの値を求めよ。(Find the value of X.)

What kind of conjugation is this 求めよ and how does it work?

Cabbage
  • 882
  • 2
  • 8
  • 1
    Related: [Difference between 一段 imperatives ~よ・~ろ](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/6833/5010) – naruto Nov 23 '21 at 04:57

1 Answers1

3

As you probably know, 求める is an ichidan verb, and the imperative form you encounter most commonly is 求めろ. But if we delve deeper into 活用, it also has another imperative form (命令形), more formal in register and more literary in style: 求めよ.

The conjugation of 求める falls under 下一段活用. So to answer your question: 求めよ is 求める's literary imperative form.

Eddie Kal
  • 11,332
  • 5
  • 19
  • 40