N3 · 40 words

More everyday verbs

Common verbs beyond the basics, for changes, choices and dealing with people.

Many verbs at this level come in pairs that differ by a sound or two: one says what somebody does to something, the other what happens by itself — 変(か)える and 変(か)わる, 隠(かく)す and 隠(かく)れる. English often uses one verb for both ("we changed the plan", "the plan changed"), so the pair is worth learning together. Watch the particles as well: 慣(な)れる and 似(に)る take に, not を.

The words

Verb (40)

比べるto compareVerbN4

二(ふた)つの店(みせ)の値段(ねだん)を比(くら)べてから買(か)います。I compare the prices at the two shops before I buy.

決めるto decide; to fixVerbN4

誰(だれ)が行(い)くか、じゃんけんで決(き)めましょう。Let's decide who goes with rock, paper, scissors.

Something gets decided by itself with 決(き)まる.

続けるto continue (something)VerbN4

医者(いしゃ)に言(い)われて、毎朝(まいあさ)の散歩(さんぽ)を続(つづ)けています。On the doctor's advice, I keep up a walk every morning.

Something continues by itself with 続(つづ)く.

増えるto increase; to grow in numberVerbN4

最近(さいきん)、自転車(じてんしゃ)で会社(かいしゃ)に行(い)く人(ひと)が増(ふ)えました。More people have started cycling to work recently.

減るto decrease; to go downVerbN4

運動(うんどう)を始(はじ)めてから、体重(たいじゅう)が三(さん)キロ減(へ)りました。Since I started exercising, I have lost three kilos.

届くto arrive (of a delivery); to reachVerbN3

注文(ちゅうもん)した本(ほん)が今朝(けさ)届(とど)きました。The book I ordered arrived this morning.

Delivering something yourself is 届(とど)ける.

伝えるto pass on (a message); to tellVerbN4

田中(たなか)さんに、会議(かいぎ)は三時(さんじ)からだと伝(つた)えてください。Please tell Mr Tanaka that the meeting starts at three.

選ぶto chooseVerbN4

プレゼントを選(えら)ぶのに一時間(いちじかん)もかかりました。It took me a whole hour to choose a present.

変わるto change (by itself)VerbN4

駅前(えきまえ)の様子(ようす)は十年(じゅうねん)でずいぶん変(か)わりました。The area in front of the station has changed a lot in ten years.

Changing something yourself is 変(か)える.

慣れるto get used toVerbN4

日本(にほん)の生活(せいかつ)にはもう慣(な)れましたか。Have you got used to life in Japan yet?

Takes に: 仕事(しごと)に慣(な)れる.

隠れるto hide (oneself)VerbN3

猫(ねこ)がベッドの下(した)に隠(かく)れています。The cat is hiding under the bed.

Hiding something else is 隠(かく)す.

叫ぶto shout; to cry outVerbN3

子供(こども)が「助(たす)けて」と叫(さけ)びました。The child shouted, "Help!"

気づくto notice; to realiseVerbN3

財布(さいふ)を忘(わす)れたことに、駅(えき)で気(き)づきました。I realised at the station that I had left my wallet behind.

Also written 気付(きづ)く.

助けるto help; to rescueVerbN4

困(こま)っている人(ひと)がいたら、助(たす)けてあげたいです。If someone is in trouble, I want to help them.

結ぶto tie; to linkVerbN3

靴(くつ)のひもをしっかり結(むす)んでください。Tie your shoelaces tightly.

Also to connect two places: 町(まち)と町(まち)を結(むす)ぶ道(みち).

隠すto hide (something)VerbN3

弟(おとうと)はテストの点数(てんすう)を母(はは)に隠(かく)していました。My younger brother was hiding his test score from our mother.

Hiding yourself is 隠(かく)れる.

揃うto be all present; to be completeVerbN3

全員(ぜんいん)揃(そろ)ったら、会議(かいぎ)を始(はじ)めましょう。Let's start the meeting once everyone is here.

Putting things together yourself is 揃(そろ)える.

似るto resemble; to look likeVerbN3

私(わたし)は父(ちち)より母(はは)に似(に)ているとよく言(い)われます。People often tell me I look more like my mother than my father.

Almost always in the ている form: 似(に)ている.

余るto be left overVerbN3

パーティーの料理(りょうり)がたくさん余(あま)ってしまいました。A lot of the party food was left over.

従うto follow; to obeyVerbN3

係(かかり)の人(ひと)の案内(あんない)に従(したが)ってください。Please follow the directions of the staff.

Takes に: 規則(きそく)に従(したが)う.

褒めるto praiseVerbN3

先生(せんせい)に作文(さくぶん)を褒(ほ)められて、うれしかったです。I was happy when the teacher praised my essay.

外れるto come off; to miss; to be wrongVerbN3

天気予報(てんきよほう)が外(はず)れて、一日中(いちにちじゅう)雨(あめ)でした。The forecast was wrong, and it rained all day.

The opposite of 当(あ)たる.

諦めるto give upVerbN3

一度(いちど)失敗(しっぱい)したぐらいで諦(あきら)めないでください。Don't give up just because you failed once.

起こるto happen; to occurVerbN3

昨日(きのう)の夜(よる)、近(ちか)くで火事(かじ)が起(お)こりました。A fire broke out nearby last night.

Not to be confused with 怒(おこ)る, to get angry, which sounds the same.

加えるto addVerbN3

説明(せつめい)に例(れい)を一(ひと)つ加(くわ)えました。I added one example to the explanation.

過ごすto spend (time)VerbN3

夏休(なつやす)みは祖父母(そふぼ)の家(いえ)で過(す)ごしました。I spent the summer holidays at my grandparents' house.

求めるto ask for; to seekVerbN3

店(みせ)に説明(せつめい)を求(もと)めましたが、返事(へんじ)はありませんでした。I asked the shop for an explanation, but got no reply.

数えるto countVerbN3

集(あつ)まった人(ひと)を数(かぞ)えたら、三十人(さんじゅうにん)いました。When I counted the people who had come, there were thirty.

冷えるto get cold; to cool downVerbN3

夜(よる)になって、急(きゅう)に冷(ひ)えてきました。It suddenly turned cold when night fell.

Cooling something yourself is 冷(ひ)やす.

慌てるto panic; to rushVerbN3

寝坊(ねぼう)して、慌(あわ)てて家(いえ)を出(で)ました。I overslept and rushed out of the house.

疑うto doubt; to suspectVerbN3

それを見(み)たとき、自分(じぶん)の目(め)を疑(うたが)いました。When I saw it, I couldn't believe my eyes.

現れるto appear; to show upVerbN3

約束(やくそく)の時間(じかん)をだいぶ過(す)ぎてから、やっと彼(かれ)が現(あらわ)れました。Long after the agreed time, he finally showed up.

認めるto admit; to recogniseVerbN3

彼(かれ)はやっと自分(じぶん)の間違(まちが)いを認(みと)めました。He finally admitted his mistake.

含むto include; to containVerbN3

この値段(ねだん)には税金(ぜいきん)も含(ふく)まれています。Tax is included in this price.

表すto express; to stand forVerbN3

言葉(ことば)では表(あらわ)せないほど感謝(かんしゃ)しています。I am more grateful than words can express.

黙るto fall silent; to say nothingVerbN3

理由(りゆう)を聞(き)かれても、彼(かれ)は黙(だま)っていました。Even when he was asked why, he said nothing.

暮らすto live; to get byVerbN3

祖母(そぼ)は田舎(いなか)で一人(ひとり)で暮(く)らしています。My grandmother lives on her own in the countryside.

About everyday life; 住(す)む is about where you live.

解くto solve; to undoVerbN3

数学(すうがく)の問題(もんだい)を一人(ひとり)で解(と)きました。I solved the maths problem on my own.

A problem that gets solved: 解(と)ける.

当たるto hit; to win (a prize); to come trueVerbN3

宝(たから)くじが当(あ)たったら、何(なに)をしたいですか。What would you like to do if you won the lottery?

重ねるto stack; to pile up; to repeatVerbN3

洗(あら)ったお皿(さら)を重(かさ)ねて、棚(たな)にしまいました。I stacked the clean plates and put them away on the shelf.

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.