Japanese verbs

居眠り

いねむり = to doze off or to fall asleep in a seated position. Ex: 彼はソファーで居眠りをしているよ。= He’s dozing on the sofa.

治る

なおる = intransitive, to be healed or cured, Ex: 風邪が治りました。= かぜが なおりました。= My cold got better. {Memory auditory: NA, I’m not sick anymore, got Over it.}

買う, 飼う

Both かう, first = to buy, second = to keep/raise (animals); here we have another homophone situation. The “buy” kanji contains the symbol for shells, which were used for money, while the “keep” kanji contains the symbol for food.

反対する

はんたいする = to oppose, to be against, to resist

止む

やむ = to cease, to stop (rain, among other things) Te-form 止んで (やんで) Not to be confused with 止める (とめる) = to stop something (transitive - YOU stop it), Ex: 雨はもうすぐ止むでしょう。 = The rain is probably going to stop soon.

貸す

かす = to lend or rent, Ex: お金を貸して下さい。= Please lend me money.

試着

しちゃく = noun or suru verb = trying on clothes, Ex: 試着してもいいですか。=
しちゃくしても いいですか。= May I try it on?

生む

うむ = to give birth or produce, as in babies or interest-bearing accounts

脱ぐ

ぬぐ = to take off (clothes), to undress.

乗る

のる = to ride or get on (a vehicle)

急ぐ

いそぐ = to hurry or rush

 驚く

おどろく = to be surprised or astonished.

引っ越す

ひっこす = to move (residence)

現れる

あらわれる = to appear or emerge, to take effect, Ex: 友だちが駅に現れました。= Friend, station, showed up.

間違える

まちがえる = to make a mistake

育てる

そだてる = to raise or nurture (a person or plant)

投げる

なげる = to throw (an object) or to cast. (ichidan) Ex: 彼はボールを投げました。= He threw the ball.

払う

はらう = to pay or to sweep away (dust), Ex: 買い物は、いつも現金で払う。= When shopping, I always pay with cash. {cash = げんきん}

水をやる

= to water (plants)

忘れる

わすれる = to forget something. Ex: 彼はその約束を忘れました。 = He forgot that promise. {約束 = やくそく = promise}

かかる

= to take (time or money); to cost. Ex: 時間がかかります。= じかんが かかります。= It takes time.

仕方がない

しかたがない = it can't be helped; there's no choice. {Technically not a verb but it’s a verb-y phrase.}

怒る

おこる = to get angry; to be angry. Ex: 彼はそのことに怒りました。 = He got angry about that.

太る

ふとる= to gain weight; to become fat. Ex: 彼は最近太りました。= He has gained weight recently.

信じる

しんじる = to believe; to trust, to have faith in, Ex: 彼を信じています。 = I believe in him.

変わる

かわる = to change; to become different. Ex: 状況が変わりました。 = The situation has changed. {状況 = じょうきょう = situation}

散る

ちる = (intransitive) to scatter; to fall (as in blossoms or leaves). Ex: 桜が散りました。 = The cherry blossoms have fallen.

吹く

ふく = to blow (wind); to play (a wind instrument). Ex: 風が吹いています。 = The wind is blowing. {Note: this is a homophone of 服 = clothes}

知り合う

しりあう = to become acquainted, to form a relationship Ex: 彼と知り合いました = I became acquainted with him. Ex: (from Waku Waku)  マッチングアプリで知り合いました = We got to know each other on a dating app.

騙す

だます = to deceive; to trick, to scam, Ex: 彼に騙された。 = I was deceived by him.

脅す

おどす = to threaten; to intimidate. Ex: ちょっと、 私を 脅すの? = Are you threatening me?

頼む

たのむ = to request; to ask for, to beg

配る

くばる = to distribute; to hand out, to give out (from Japanese the Manga Way, when the old lady wants to distribute bottles of loofah-vine juice to all the neighbors: 近所に配るんだよ。{近所 = きんじょ = neighborhood, vicinity}

逃げる

にげる = to escape; to run away, to avoid, to leave (a spouse, for example {ICHIDAN and intransitive}

出かける

でかける = to go out; to leave home for a destination or outing, to just be going out, Ex: 私達は今夜出かけると思います。= We’ll go out tonight, I think. 今夜 = こんや = this evening

曲がる

まがる = to turn, to curve (as in a road or object) {Note: direction + に + 曲がる, Ex: 右に曲がってください。= Please turn right.}

落ち込む

おちこむ = to become depressed; to feel down or disheartened; to slump in mood or spirit (intransitive)

確かめる

たしかめる = to confirm; to check for accuracy or reliability, to examine

混ぜる

まぜる = to mix; to combine ingredients or substances together. Ex: 水と混ぜる = mix with water

かじる

= to nibble; to bite or chew lightly on something; also, to dabble in, to know a little bit about, Ex: りんごをかじる = nibble on an apple

稼ぐ

かせぐ = to earn money, to gain points

考える

かんがえる = mega-verb with multiple meanings: to think; to consider, to reflect, to picture, to imagine. 考えられますか？ = Can you imagine? (from Shun’s podcast about bags)

笑う

わらう = to laugh; to smile, Ex: 彼女は嬉しそうに笑います。= She smiles happily.

騙す

だます = to deceive, to swindle, to scam, to trick or mislead someone

目立つ

めだつ = to stand out; to be prominent or conspicuous. Ex: 彼女の大きな帽子はとても目立つ。= Her big hat really stands out.

学ぶ

がくぶ = to learn; to study, but in a deeper, more reflective way than 勉強する. Ex: 日本語を学んでいます。= I’m learning Japanese.

似る

にる = (ichidan, intransitive) to resemble; to be similar to someone or something. Ex: 私は母に全然似ていません。= わたし は はは に ぜんぜん に て い ませ ん 。= I don’t at all resemble my mother. {NOTE: this is one of a group of verbs where ～ている describes a state of being rather than a progressive action. Others are 結婚している = is married, 知っている = knows, 住んでいる = lives}