🦅 Project Eagle
Synonym Comparison

The Nuance Difference: "とります" vs "点ける"

Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.

Japanese Term A

とります

とります (torimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B

点ける

つける (tsukeru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus

Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

In Japanese, both とります and 点ける are often translated to English but have distinct usages. とります (とります (torimasu)) represents "to take (a photo, a class, a break, etc.), to grab, to pass (salt)" (Level: N5) and typically represents A versatile verb with multiple meanings depending on the context. Common usages include 写真を撮る. On the other hand, 点ける (つける (tsukeru)) translates to "to turn on; to light; to switch on" (Level: N4) and is used for Transitive verb. Commonly used for turning on lights. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "とります"
写真を撮りましょう。
Let's take a photo.
Bilingual Sentence for "点ける"
部屋が暗いので、電気を点けてください。
The room is dark, so please turn on the light.

Nuance Mastery Quiz

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "写真を撮りましょう。" (Meaning: "Let's take a photo.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "とります" fits here because it represents "to take (a photo, a class, a break, etc.), to grab, to pass (salt)" in the context: "Let's take a photo.".