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
連れて行く
つれていく (tsurete iku)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "take" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between かかる and 連れて行く.
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, 連れて行く (つれていく (tsurete iku)) maps to "to take (a person/animal)" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Specifically for taking people or animals somewhere. For objects, use 持って行く. 人や動物を伴って移動する。. 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 "連れて行く"
子供を公園に連れて行きました。
I took my child to the park.
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.". "連れて行く" represents "to take (a person/animal)".