Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "つけます" vs "おわる"
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
おわる
おわる (owaru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both つけます and おわる 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, おわる (おわる (owaru)) translates to "to finish, to end (intransitive)" (Level: N5) and is used for Intransitive verb. Something finishes by itself. The transitive form is 「終える. 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 "おわる"
会議は5時に終わります。
The meeting ends at 5 o'clock.
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.".