Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Call" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "call", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
呼ぶ
よぶ (yobu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
呼びかける
よびかける (yobikakeru)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "call" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 呼ぶ and 呼びかける.
In Japanese, 呼ぶ (よぶ (yobu)) is typically associated with "to call, to invite" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Transitive verb. Can mean to call someone's name, call for a taxi, or invite someone. Polite form is 呼びます.
On the other hand, 呼びかける (よびかける (yobikakeru)) maps to "to call out to; to hail; to address" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents 誰かの注意を引くために声を出すときに使われます。Often used when trying to get someone's attention by speaking.. A literal translation of "call" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "呼ぶ"
友達をパーティーに呼びました。
I invited my friend to the party.
Bilingual Context for "呼びかける"
彼女は遠くにいる友達に呼びかけた。
She called out to her friend who was far away.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "友達をパーティーに呼びました。" (Meaning: "I invited my friend to the party.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "呼ぶ" fits here because it means "to call, to invite" in the context of: "I invited my friend to the party.". "呼びかける" represents "to call out to; to hail; to address".