Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Take" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "take", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
かかる
かかる (kakaru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
連れていく
つれていく (tsureteiku)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "take" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between かかる and 連れていく.
In Japanese, かかる (かかる (kakaru)) is typically associated with "to take (time/money), to hang (intransitive), to catch (a cold)" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Intransitive verb. For N5, most commonly used to express how much time or money is required for something. e.g., 時間がかかる.
On the other hand, 連れていく (つれていく (tsureteiku)) maps to "to take (someone), to bring (someone)" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Used when taking or bringing a person or animal to a place. 「〜に人を連れていく」. A literal translation of "take" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "かかる"
東京まで３時間かかります。
It takes 3 hours to get to Tokyo.
Bilingual Context for "連れていく"
友達をパーティーに連れていきました。
I took my friend to the party.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "東京まで３時間かかります。" (Meaning: "It takes 3 hours to get to Tokyo.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "かかる" fits here because it means "to take (time/money), to hang (intransitive), to catch (a cold)" in the context of: "It takes 3 hours to get to Tokyo.". "連れていく" represents "to take (someone), to bring (someone)".