JLPT N4Everyday

直なおすdo again, to get it right

The first try had a mistake or wasn't good enough, so you do it again to get it right. English often says this with "re-": rewrite, redo, retake.

写しゃ真しんがぼやけたので、撮とり直なおそう。

The photo came out blurry, so let's take it again.

How to form it

Verb ます-stem + 直なおす

書かきます → 書かき直なおす. A する verb: 計けい算さんし直なおす. 直なおす takes the endings: 書かき直なおします, 書かき直なおした.

Before it: Something you do on purpose: 書かく, やる, 作つくる, 考かんがえる.
When: There was a mistake, the result wasn't good enough, or things have changed since.
Where you'll meet it: Everywhere: at school, at work, on the phone.

In use

住じゅう所しょを間ま違ちがえたので、申もうし込こみ書しょを書かき直なおさなければならない。

I wrote the wrong address, so I have to fill out the application form again.

数すう字じを一ひとつ間ま違ちがえたので、計けい算さんし直なおしました。

I made a mistake in one number, so I redid the calculation.

送そう信しんする前まえに、メールを読よみ直なおした。

I reread the email before sending it.

Ones you'll hear every day

やり直なおすdo over, start again

うまくいかなかったので、最さい初しょからやり直なおします。

It didn't go well, so I'll start over from the beginning.

かけ直なおすcall back

今いま電でん車しゃの中なかなので、後あとでかけ直なおします。

I'm on the train right now, so I'll call you back later.

The call came at a bad moment, so it gets made again.

見み直なおすcheck over

テストを出だす前まえに、答こたえを見み直なおしました。

I checked over my answers before handing in the test.

考かんがえ直なおすthink again, reconsider

予よ定ていが変かわったため、旅りょ行こうの計けい画かくを考かんがえ直なおしています。

My schedule has changed, so I'm rethinking my travel plans.

Two things to know

It isn't every "again"

直なおす says the first try needs putting right. Doing something once more when nothing was wrong is もう一いち度ど with the plain verb.

名な前まえを書かき直なおしてください。

Please write your name again.

The first one was wrong or hard to read.

名な前まえをもう一いち度ど書かいてください。

Please write your name once more.

One more time. It doesn't say anything was wrong.

So when you didn't catch what someone said, ask with もう一いち度ど. 言いい直なおしてください would tell them they said it wrong.

すみません、もう一いち度ど言いってください。

Sorry, please say that once more.

直なおす alone means "fix"

自じ転てん車しゃを直なおす is to fix a bicycle, and 間ま違ちがいを直なおす is to correct a mistake. After a verb stem the idea is the same: do it again and put it right.

Close neighbours

てみるN4

"Try again", as in having another go, is もう一いち度どやってみる. やり直なおす is doing the whole thing over because it went wrong.

もう一いち度どやってみます。

I'll try again.

始はじめる・終おわるN4

Other verbs that go on the ます-stem the same way, for starting, keeping on and finishing.

最さい近きん、毎まい朝あさ公こう園えんを走はしり始はじめました。

Recently, I started running in the park every morning.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

あのラーメン、おいしかったね。（　　）。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this mean?

ケーキを作つくり直なおしました。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

見み直なおす has a second meaning, to think better of someone.

今日きょうの試し合あいを見みて、彼かれを見み直なおした。

After watching today's game, I think better of him.

The stem works as a noun too: やり直なおし is a do-over.

最さい初しょからやり直なおしだ。

We have to start all over again.

More sentences

この段だん落らくは分わかりにくいので、書かき直なおします。

This paragraph is hard to understand, so I'll rewrite it.

録ろく音おんに雑ざつ音おんが入はいったので、もう一いち度ど録とり直なおしてください。

There is noise on the recording, so please record it again.

データは正ただしかったので、入にゅう力りょくし直なおす必ひつ要ようはありませんでした。

The data was correct, so there was no need to enter it again.