What is the difference between "もってくる", "連れて来る", "持ってくる", "もたらす", "言い出す"?

"もってくる" means "to bring (something here)", "連れて来る" means "to bring (a person/animal)", "持ってくる" means "to bring (something to the speaker/here)", "もたらす" means "to bring about, to cause, to result in, to introduce", "言い出す" means "to bring up, to suggest".

Quintuple VS

Synonym Boundary: "もってくる", "連れて来る", "持ってくる", "もたらす", "言い出す"

All represent the core concept "bring", but require precise selection.

Japanese Option A

もってくる

もってくる (motte kuru)

N5 / CEFR

Japanese Option B

連れて来る

つれてくる (tsurete kuru)

N4 / CEFR

Japanese Option C

持ってくる

もってくる (mottekuru)

N4 / CEFR

Japanese Option D

もたらす

もたらす (motarasu)

N2 / CEFR

Japanese Option E

言い出す

いいだす (iidasu)

B2 / CEFR

Quintuple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences

When expressing "bring" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "もってくる", "連れて来る", "持ってくる", "もたらす", "言い出す" based on context.

もってくる (もってくる (motte kuru) - Level: N5): Maps to "to bring (something here)" and is used when Implies moving an object from another location towards the current.
連れて来る (つれてくる (tsurete kuru) - Level: N4): Maps to "to bring (a person/animal)" and is used when Used specifically for bringing living beings.
持ってくる (もってくる (mottekuru) - Level: N4): Maps to "to bring (something to the speaker/here)" and is used when This compound verb combines 持つ.
もたらす (もたらす (motarasu) - Level: N2): Maps to "to bring about, to cause, to result in, to introduce" and is used when Often used for abstract things like results, effects, changes, or benefits/disadvantages. It's more formal than 持っていく. 例: 利益をもたらす.
言い出す (いいだす (iidasu) - Level: B2): Maps to "to bring up, to suggest" and is used when Essential structural term in CEFR B2 vocabulary syllabus..

Mixing these up can easily lead to unnatural translations. Refer to the bilingual context cards below to master the boundaries!

Context for "もってくる"

ここにペンを持ってきてください。

Please bring a pen here.

Context for "連れて来る"

友達をパーティーに連れて来ました。

I brought my friend to the party.

Context for "持ってくる"

明日、宿題を学校に持ってきてください。

Please bring your homework to school tomorrow.

Context for "もたらす"

その新しい政策は社会に大きな変化をもたらした。

The new policy brought about significant changes in society.

Context for "言い出す"

毎日、日本語を練習するために言い出す。

Every day, I bring up, to suggest to practice Japanese.

Synonym Mastery Challenge

Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?

Fill in the blank: "ここにペンを持ってきてください。" (Meaning: "Please bring a pen here.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Remember: "もってくる" is correct here because it represents "to bring (something here)" in the context: "Please bring a pen here.".