Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Make" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "make", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
汚す
よごす (yogosu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
騒ぐ
さわぐ (sawagu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "make" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 汚す and 騒ぐ.
In Japanese, 汚す (よごす (yogosu)) is typically associated with "to make dirty (transitive)" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Used when someone *makes* something dirty. It emphasizes the action of an agent causing something to become dirty.
On the other hand, 騒ぐ (さわぐ (sawagu)) maps to "to make a noise; to be noisy; to make a fuss" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Intransitive verb. Describes people making loud noises, being boisterous, or causing a commotion. Can also mean to panic. 大声を出したり、うるさくしたり、落ち着きがなくなったりする様子を表します。. A literal translation of "make" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "汚す"
彼はシャツにインクをこぼして汚してしまいました。
He spilled ink on his shirt and made it dirty.
Bilingual Context for "騒ぐ"
子供たちが公園で楽しく騒いでいます。
The children are having fun making noise in the park.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "彼はシャツにインクをこぼして汚してしまいました。" (Meaning: "He spilled ink on his shirt and made it dirty.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "汚す" fits here because it means "to make dirty (transitive)" in the context of: "He spilled ink on his shirt and made it dirty.". "騒ぐ" represents "to make a noise; to be noisy; to make a fuss".