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Synonym Comparison

The Nuance Difference: "つけます" vs "おくる"

Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.

Japanese Term A

つけます

つけます (tsukemasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B

おくる

おくる (okuru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus

Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

In Japanese, both つけます and おくる are often translated to English but have distinct usages. つけます (つけます (tsukemasu)) represents "to turn on (a light, power, etc.)" (Level: N5) and typically represents Transitive verb. Used for switching on electrical appliances, lights, etc. The object is marked with を.. On the other hand, おくる (おくる (okuru)) translates to "to send, to see off" (Level: N5) and is used for Can mean 'to send. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "つけます"
テレビをつけます。
I turn on the TV.
Bilingual Sentence for "おくる"
友達に手紙を送りました。
I sent a letter to my friend.

Nuance Mastery Quiz

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "テレビを ___ 。" (Meaning: "I turn on the TV.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "つけます" fits here because it represents "to turn on (a light, power, etc.)" in the context: "I turn on the TV.".

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