N3 · 40 words

Housework and repairs

Tools, small repairs and keeping a home in order.

Almost any repair is said with 直(なお)す, whether it is a chair, a tap or a sentence; 修理(しゅうり) is the word on a shop sign and a receipt. The pattern worth noticing is how a problem is reported. Japanese uses the verb in which nobody does anything — 電球(でんきゅう)が切(き)れた, 水(みず)が漏(も)れている, 壁(かべ)にひびが入(はい)った — much as English says "the bulb has gone" rather than "I broke the bulb". Saying 壊(こわ)した instead of 壊(こわ)れた is not wrong grammar; it is a confession.

The words

Verb (10)

壊すto break; to damageVerbN4

弟(おとうと)が私(わたし)のヘッドホンを壊(こわ)した。My younger brother broke my headphones.

Takes を; its partner is 壊(こわ)れる, to break by itself.

塗るto paint; to spread; to put on (cream)VerbN3

窓(まど)の枠(わく)を白(しろ)く塗(ぬ)った。I painted the window frame white.

Also butter on bread and cream on skin: パンにバターを塗(ぬ)る.

緩むto come loose; to slackenVerbN2

ドアの取(と)っ手(て)が緩(ゆる)んで、がたがたする。The door handle has come loose and rattles.

Takes が; its partner is 緩(ゆる)める, to loosen.

漏れるto leakVerbN3

洗濯機(せんたくき)の下(した)から水(みず)が漏(も)れている。Water is leaking from under the washing machine.

取り付けるto install; to fitVerbN3

業者(ぎょうしゃ)に、新(あたら)しいエアコンを取(と)り付(つ)けてもらった。I had a firm install the new air conditioner.

組み立てるto assemble; to put togetherVerbN3

ネットで買(か)った本棚(ほんだな)を、説明書(せつめいしょ)を見(み)ながら組(く)み立(た)てた。I put together the bookcase I bought online, following the instructions.

外すto remove; to take offVerbN3

カーテンを外(はず)して洗濯(せんたく)した。I took the curtains down and washed them.

Takes を; its partner is 外(はず)れる, to come off.

散らかすto make a mess; to scatterVerbN3

子(こ)どもたちがおもちゃを部屋中(へやじゅう)に散(ち)らかした。The children scattered their toys all over the room.

Takes を; its partner is 散(ち)らかる, to be in a mess.

片付くto be tidied up; to be dealt withVerbN3

部屋(へや)がやっと片付(かたづ)いたので、友達(ともだち)を呼(よ)べる。My room is finally tidy, so I can have friends round.

Takes が; its partner is 片付(かたづ)ける.

剥がすto peel off; to stripVerbN3

古(ふる)いポスターを壁(かべ)から剥(は)がした。I peeled the old poster off the wall.

Often written in kana: はがす.

This list belongs to Home and daily life — ten lists and 404 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.