Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "急ぎます" vs "返す"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
急ぎます
いそぎます (isogimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
返す
かえす (kaesu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 急ぎます and 返す are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
急ぎます (いそぎます (isogimasu)) represents "to hurry" (Level: N5) and typically represents Intransitive verb. Used to express the act of doing something quickly because of limited time or urgency..
On the other hand, 返す (かえす (kaesu)) translates to "to return, to give back" (Level: N4) and is used for Used when returning an item to its owner or original place, or replying to something. Transitive verb.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "急ぎます"
時間がないので、急ぎましょう。
There's no time, so let's hurry.
Bilingual Sentence for "返す"
図書館に本を返しました。
I returned the book to the library.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "時間がないので、急ぎましょう。" (Meaning: "There's no time, so let's hurry.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "急ぎます" fits here because it represents "to hurry" in the context: "There's no time, so let's hurry.".