Collocations in Japanese: which verb goes with which noun
An English speaker’s Japanese can be grammatical and still wrong. Nobody wears glasses in Japanese — they are hung on the face,
A handful of verbs carry most of it —
かける
Hung on or switched on: a phone call, glasses, a lock, an engine — and trouble or worry, hung on somebody else.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 電話をかける | make a phone call, ring somebody | tempting: 作る |
| 眼鏡をかける | wear glasses, put on glasses | tempting: 着る |
| 鍵をかける | lock (a door) | |
| アイロンをかける | iron (clothes) | |
| 声をかける | speak to somebody, call out to somebody | |
| 迷惑をかける | cause somebody trouble, put somebody out | tempting: 起こす |
| 心配をかける | make somebody worry | |
| エンジンをかける | start the engine | tempting: 始める |
| 時間をかける | take time over something | tempting: 取る |
駅に着いたら、電話をかけます。I’ll give you a ring when I get to the station.
父は新聞を読むとき、眼鏡をかけます。My father puts on his glasses to read the newspaper.
寝る前に、ドアに鍵をかけてください。Please lock the door before you go to bed.
する
Where English wears, hears, tastes or smells, Japanese often just says do — and a sound or a smell does it by itself.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| ネクタイをする | wear a tie | tempting: 着る |
| 音がする | hear a sound, there is a noise | tempting: ある |
| 味がする | taste of something | |
| においがする | smell of something | |
| けがをする | get hurt, be injured | |
| 指輪をする | wear a ring | tempting: 着る |
| 気がする | have a feeling, feel as if | tempting: 持つ |
| 顔をする | look (sad, pleased …) | |
| 寒気がする | feel a chill, have the shivers |
会社ではいつもネクタイをしています。I always wear a tie at work.
隣の部屋から変な音がします。There is a strange noise coming from the next room.
このスープはレモンの味がします。This soup tastes of lemon.
とる
One verb with two kanji: a photo with one, marks, licences and bookings with the other — and years, as you grow old.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 写真をとる | take a photo | tempting: 取る |
| 年をとる | get older, grow old | tempting: 古くなる |
| 点をとる | get a mark, score | tempting: もらう |
| 免許をとる | get a (driving) licence | tempting: もらう |
| 予約をとる | make a reservation, book | tempting: 作る |
| 連絡をとる | get in touch, keep in touch | |
| 栄養をとる | get enough nourishment, eat properly | tempting: 食べる |
| 機嫌をとる | keep somebody sweet, humour somebody |
すみません、写真を撮ってもいいですか。Excuse me, may I take a photo?
祖父は年をとっても元気です。My grandfather is still full of energy, old as he is.
数学のテストでいい点を取りました。I got a good mark in the maths test.
ひく
Pulled or drawn: a cold, a word out of a dictionary, a line, lots — and attention.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 風邪をひく | catch a cold | tempting: 捕まえる |
| 辞書をひく | look something up in a dictionary | tempting: 探す |
| 線をひく | draw a line | tempting: 描く |
| くじをひく | draw lots | |
| 注意をひく | get somebody’s attention | |
| 熱がひく | (a fever) go down | |
| 人目をひく | turn heads, attract attention | |
| 手をひく | pull out of, withdraw from | |
| 血の気がひく | go pale, the colour drains from one’s face |
風邪をひいて、学校を休みました。I caught a cold and stayed off school.
知らない言葉は辞書を引いて調べます。I look up words I don’t know in the dictionary.
大事なところに赤い線を引きました。I underlined the important parts in red.
だす
Put out into the world: a letter, homework, courage, a conclusion — and a fever, which a body puts out.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 手紙をだす | post a letter, send a letter | |
| 宿題をだす | hand in homework | tempting: 渡す |
| 元気をだす | cheer up | |
| 熱をだす | run a temperature | |
| 勇気をだす | pluck up courage | |
| 顔をだす | show one’s face, drop in | |
| 結論をだす | reach a conclusion | tempting: 届く |
| 口をだす | butt in, interfere |
郵便局で手紙を出しました。I posted a letter at the post office.
金曜日までに宿題を出してください。Please hand in your homework by Friday.
元気を出してください。次はきっとうまくいきますよ。Cheer up — next time it will go well, I’m sure.
つく
Something attaches itself: a realisation, a habit, a skill, a decision. A lie and a sigh are breathed out with the same verb.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 気がつく | notice, realise | |
| うそをつく | tell a lie | tempting: 話す |
| ため息をつく | sigh, heave a sigh | |
| くせがつく | get into the habit | |
| 身につく | pick up, acquire (a skill) | |
| 都合がつく | be able to make it, be free | |
| 決心がつく | make up one’s mind | |
| 見当がつく | have an idea, be able to guess |
電車を降りてから、傘を忘れたことに気がつきました。I only noticed I had left my umbrella behind after I got off the train.
子どもにうそをついてはいけません。You must not lie to children.
母は請求書を見て、ため息をついた。My mother looked at the bill and sighed.
つける
The partner of the group above, done on purpose: you switch on a light, take care, give a name and keep a diary.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 電気をつける | switch on the light | |
| 気をつける | be careful, take care | |
| 名前をつける | name, give a name | tempting: あげる |
| 日記をつける | keep a diary | tempting: 守る |
| 香水をつける | put on perfume, wear perfume | tempting: 着る |
| 味をつける | season, flavour | |
| 条件をつける | attach a condition | |
| 決着をつける | settle, put an end to (a dispute) |
暗いですね。電気をつけましょうか。It’s dark in here. Shall I put the light on?
道が凍っているので、気をつけてください。The roads are icy, so please be careful.
子猫に「タマ」という名前をつけました。We called the kitten Tama.
うける
Received rather than taken: an exam, a lesson, an operation, a shock, an influence.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 試験をうける | take an exam, sit an exam | tempting: 取る |
| 授業をうける | have a lesson, attend a class | tempting: 持つ |
| 手術をうける | have an operation | tempting: する |
| ショックをうける | be shocked, get a shock | |
| 影響をうける | be influenced by | |
| 印象をうける | get an impression | |
| 被害をうける | suffer damage, be hit | |
| 相談をうける | be asked for advice |
来月、日本語の試験を受けます。I am sitting a Japanese exam next month.
毎週月曜日に料理の授業を受けています。I have a cookery class every Monday.
父は先週、足の手術を受けました。My father had an operation on his leg last week.
たてる
Made to stand up: plans, goals and hypotheses — and noise and anger, which you raise.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 計画をたてる | make a plan | |
| 目標をたてる | set a goal | tempting: 置く |
| 音をたてる | make a noise | tempting: 作る |
| 腹をたてる | get angry, lose one’s temper | |
| 仮説をたてる | form a hypothesis | |
| 作戦をたてる | work out a strategy, plan tactics |
夏休みの旅行の計画を立てました。I made plans for a trip in the summer holidays.
今年は毎月本を三冊読むという目標を立てた。This year I set myself the goal of reading three books a month.
赤ちゃんが寝ているので、音を立てないでください。The baby is asleep, so please don’t make any noise.
みる
Seen rather than had or done: a dream, how things develop, the seasoning — and a loss.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 夢をみる | have a dream, dream | tempting: 持つ |
| 面倒をみる | look after | |
| 様子をみる | wait and see | |
| 味をみる | taste (to check the seasoning) | |
| 痛い目をみる | learn the hard way, get one’s fingers burnt | |
| 足元をみる | take advantage of somebody’s position | |
| ばかをみる | end up the loser, be made a fool of |
昨日の夜、怖い夢を見ました。I had a frightening dream last night.
仕事の間は、祖母が子どもの面倒を見てくれます。My grandmother looks after the children while I am at work.
もう少し様子を見てから決めよう。Let’s wait and see a little longer before we decide.
のむ
Swallowed, not eaten or taken: medicine, even as a tablet, and soup.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| スープをのむ | eat soup, have soup | tempting: 食べる |
| 薬をのむ | take medicine | tempting: 取る |
| 息をのむ | catch one’s breath (in wonder) | |
| 要求をのむ | accept demands, give in to |
寒い朝は温かいスープを飲みます。On cold mornings I have hot soup.
食後にこの薬を飲んでください。Please take this medicine after meals.
山頂からの景色の美しさに、思わず息をのんだ。The view from the summit was so beautiful that it took my breath away.
あびる
Poured over you: a shower, sunlight, attention and criticism.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| シャワーをあびる | have a shower | tempting: 取る |
| 日光をあびる | soak up the sun, be in sunlight | |
| 注目をあびる | be in the spotlight, draw attention | |
| 批判をあびる | come under criticism |
毎朝シャワーを浴びてから会社に行きます。I have a shower every morning before going to work.
植物は日光を浴びて育つ。Plants grow by soaking up sunlight.
その新しい薬は世界中から注目を浴びている。The new drug is attracting attention from all over the world.
さす
Held up or dripped in: an umbrella and eye drops share a verb.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 傘をさす | put up an umbrella | tempting: 上げる |
| 目薬をさす | put in eye drops | |
| 水をさす | throw cold water on something, spoil the mood | |
| 嫌気がさす | grow sick of, get fed up with |
雨が降ってきたので、傘をさしました。It started to rain, so I put up my umbrella.
目が疲れたので、目薬をさした。My eyes were tired, so I put in some eye drops.
盛り上がっているところに水を差すようで悪いけど、もう帰る時間だよ。Sorry to spoil the fun, but it’s time to go home.
かぶる
Anything pulled over the head — a hat, the covers — and dust or blame that settles on you.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 帽子をかぶる | wear a hat, put on a hat | tempting: 着る |
| 布団をかぶる | pull the covers over one’s head | |
| ほこりをかぶる | gather dust, be covered in dust | tempting: 集める |
| 罪をかぶる | take the blame (for somebody else) |
今日は暑いですから、帽子をかぶってください。It’s hot today, so please wear a hat.
雷が怖くて、布団を頭までかぶった。I was scared of the thunder and pulled the covers over my head.
古いピアノが部屋の隅でほこりをかぶっている。An old piano sits gathering dust in the corner of the room.
はく
Anything you step into: shoes, socks, trousers, a skirt. English wears them all; Japanese has a verb of their own.
| Japanese | English | Easy to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| 靴をはく | put on shoes, wear shoes | tempting: 着る |
| ズボンをはく | wear trousers | tempting: 着る |
| スリッパをはく | put on slippers |
玄関で靴をはいて、外に出ました。I put on my shoes at the front door and went out.
弟は冬でも短いズボンをはいています。My little brother wears shorts even in winter.
部屋に入るときは、このスリッパをはいてください。Please put on these slippers when you come in.