Walking, getting on and off, crossing, turning, arriving and coming back.
With these verbs the particle says as much as the verb. を marks the ground you move along or across (橋を渡る, 公園を通る) and also the place you leave (家を出る, 電車を降りる); に marks where you end up (電車に乗る, 駅に着く). English uses a preposition for each of these — "on", "off", "across", "out of" — which is why learners reach for the wrong particle.
The words
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Verb (38)
歩くto walkVerbN5
駅から家まで歩いて帰りました。I walked home from the station.
走るto runVerbN5
遅れそうだったので、駅まで走りました。I was about to be late, so I ran to the station.
乗るto get on; to rideVerbN5
東京駅で新幹線に乗ります。I get on the bullet train at Tokyo Station.
With に: バスに乗る.
降りるto get offVerbN5
次の駅で電車を降ります。I get off the train at the next station.
With を, the vehicle you leave.
渡るto crossVerbN5
あの橋を渡ると、右に病院があります。When you cross that bridge, the hospital is on the right.
曲がるto turn (a corner)VerbN5
二つ目の角を左に曲がってください。Please turn left at the second corner.
通るto pass through; to go alongVerbN4
毎朝この公園を通って会社に行きます。Every morning I go through this park on my way to work.
着くto arriveVerbN4
飛行機は夜九時に空港に着きます。The plane arrives at the airport at nine in the evening.
出るto go out; to leaveVerbN5
毎朝七時に家を出ます。I leave home at seven every morning.
With を for the place you leave.
入るto go in; to enterVerbN5
部屋に入る前に、靴を脱いでください。Please take off your shoes before you go into the room.
With に for the place you enter.
戻るto go back; to returnVerbN4
忘れ物をしたので、家に戻りました。I had forgotten something, so I went back home.
Back to where you just were; going home in general is 帰る.
出かけるto go out (somewhere)VerbN4
日曜日は家族で出かけます。On Sunday we are going out as a family.
立ち止まるto stop (walking); to stand stillVerbN3
名前を呼ばれて、立ち止まりました。I heard my name called and stopped.
進むto go forward; to advanceVerbN4
この道をまっすぐ進んでください。Please carry straight on along this road.
止まるto stop (by itself)VerbN4
急に車が止まりました。The car suddenly stopped.
Intransitive; to stop something is 止める.
止めるto stop (something); to parkVerbN4
ここに車を止めてもいいですか。May I park the car here?
Transitive; the thing you stop takes を.
急ぐto hurryVerbN4
急がないと、最後のバスに乗れませんよ。If we do not hurry, we will miss the last bus.
動くto move; to work (of a machine)VerbN4
写真を撮りますから、動かないでください。I am going to take a photo, so please keep still.
運ぶto carry; to transportVerbN4
この机を二階まで運んでくれませんか。Could you carry this desk up to the first floor?
Japanese counts floors from the ground: 二階 is the British first floor.
上がるto go up; to come inVerbN4
どうぞ、上がってください。Please come in.
Said to a guest: you step up from the entrance into the house.
下がるto step back; to go downVerbN4
危ないですから、白い線の内側まで下がってください。For your safety, please stand back behind the white line.
Also used of prices and temperatures falling.
下りるto go down (stairs, a slope)VerbN4
エレベーターが来ないので、階段を下りました。The lift did not come, so I went down the stairs.
Written 降りる for getting off a vehicle.
登るto climbVerbN4
夏休みに友達と山に登りました。I climbed a mountain with friends in the summer holidays.
With に (the top you reach) or を (the slope you climb).
寄るto drop in; to stop offVerbN4
帰りにスーパーに寄ります。I will stop off at the supermarket on the way home.
向かうto head forVerbN3
今、タクシーで駅に向かっています。I am heading to the station in a taxi now.
近づくto approach; to come nearVerbN3
台風が近づいているので、今日は早く帰ります。A typhoon is approaching, so I am going home early today.
離れるto move away from; to leaveVerbN3
十八歳で家族と離れて暮らし始めました。At eighteen I started living apart from my family.
With から or を: 駅から離れる.
集まるto gather; to meet upVerbN4
明日は九時に駅の前に集まってください。Tomorrow please gather in front of the station at nine.
迎えるto meet; to welcomeVerbN4
空港まで友達を迎えに行きます。I am going to the airport to meet a friend.
引き返すto turn backVerbN3
雨が強くなったので、途中で引き返しました。The rain got heavier, so we turned back halfway.
飛ぶto flyVerbN4
空を鳥が飛んでいます。Birds are flying in the sky.
転ぶto fall overVerbN4
雪の道で転んで、足を痛めました。I fell over on the snowy road and hurt my leg.
逃げるto run away; to escapeVerbN4
猫が窓から逃げてしまいました。The cat got out through the window.
追いかけるto chase; to run afterVerbN3
子供が犬を追いかけて走っています。A child is running after a dog.
乗り換えるto change (trains, buses)VerbN4
新宿で地下鉄に乗り換えます。I change to the underground at Shinjuku.
過ぎるto pass; to go pastVerbN4
話していたら、降りる駅を過ぎてしまいました。I was talking and went past my stop.
Also of time: 十二時を過ぎた, it is past twelve.
越えるto go over; to cross (a mountain, a border)VerbN3
この山を越えると、海が見えます。Once you are over this mountain, you can see the sea.
回るto go round; to turnVerbN4
三日で京都のお寺を回りました。In three days we went round the temples of Kyoto.
This list belongs to The scaffolding — 24 lists and 964 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.