Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "かえります" vs "いってらっしゃい"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
かえります
かえります (kaerimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
いってらっしゃい
いってらっしゃい (itterasshai)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both かえります and いってらっしゃい are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
かえります (かえります (kaerimasu)) represents "to return, to go home" (Level: N5) and typically represents Used when returning to a place, typically one's home.
On the other hand, いってらっしゃい (いってらっしゃい (itterasshai)) translates to "Go and come back safely; See you later (response to 'ittekimasu')" (Level: N5) and is used for Said by those remaining behind to someone who is leaving. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "かえります"
毎日、会社から家に帰ります。
I go home from work every day.
Bilingual Sentence for "いってらっしゃい"
父が「いってきます」と言うと、母は「いってらっしゃい」と答えます。
When my father says "Ittekimasu," my mother replies "Itterasshai."
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "毎日、会社から家に帰ります。" (Meaning: "I go home from work every day.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "かえります" fits here because it represents "to return, to go home" in the context: "I go home from work every day.".