Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "出かけます" vs "役に立つ"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
出かけます
でかけます (dekakemasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
役に立つ
やくにたつ (yaku ni tatsu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 出かけます and 役に立つ are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
出かけます (でかけます (dekakemasu)) represents "to go out, to leave" (Level: N5) and typically represents Intransitive verb. Used for leaving a place.
On the other hand, 役に立つ (やくにたつ (yaku ni tatsu)) translates to "to be useful, to be helpful" (Level: N4) and is used for A set phrase meaning to be useful or helpful for someone or something. It describes the utility of an object, skill, or person. Often followed by the particle に. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "出かけます"
友達と買い物に出かけます。
I go out shopping with my friend.
Bilingual Sentence for "役に立つ"
この辞書は日本語の勉強に役に立ちます。
This dictionary is useful for studying Japanese.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "友達と買い物に ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I go out shopping with my friend.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "出かけます" fits here because it represents "to go out, to leave" in the context: "I go out shopping with my friend.".