N3 · 40 words

Relationships

Friends, partners and neighbours: meeting people, falling out and making up.

Japanese talks about relationships through position as much as feeling: who is 年上(としうえ) and who is 年下(としした) shapes how two people speak to each other, which is why a new acquaintance may ask your age early on. Going out with someone is 付(つ)き合(あ)う, the same verb as keeping someone company, so context does the work that "dating" does in English — and 彼女(かのじょ), "she", is also the everyday word for a girlfriend.

The words

Verb (7)

付き合うto go out with; to keep (someone) companyVerbN3

二人(ふたり)は大学(だいがく)のときから付(つ)き合(あ)っている。The two of them have been going out since university.

買(か)い物(もの)に付(つ)き合(あ)う just means to go shopping with someone.

別れるto break up; to partVerbN3

彼(かれ)とは去年(きょねん)別(わか)れました。He and I broke up last year.

The other person takes と: 彼(かれ)と別(わか)れる, to break up with him.

愛するto loveVerbN3

彼(かれ)は家族(かぞく)を心(こころ)から愛(あい)している。He loves his family with all his heart.

Strong and rather literary; in conversation people show it with 好(す)き or 大好(だいす)き.

振るto turn down; to dump (someone)VerbN3

告白(こくはく)したけど、振(ふ)られてしまった。I told her how I felt, but she turned me down.

Also to wave or to shake; in this sense mostly in the passive, 振(ふ)られる.

裏切るto betray; to let downVerbN3

一番(いちばん)信(しん)じていた友達(ともだち)に裏切(うらぎ)られた。I was betrayed by the friend I trusted most.

Also 期待(きたい)を裏切(うらぎ)る, to fall short of expectations.

甘えるto lean on; to act like a spoilt childVerbN3

ご好意(こうい)に甘(あま)えて、今夜(こんや)は泊(と)めていただきます。I'll take you up on your kind offer and stay the night.

Relying on someone else's goodwill; a key word in how Japanese describes closeness.

頼るto rely on; to depend onVerbN3

困(こま)ったときは、いつでも私(わたし)を頼(たよ)ってください。If you are ever in trouble, please count on me.

This list belongs to People and feelings — nine lists and 361 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.