Translation guide
This entry covers how to express that things are arranged, sorted, or organized in Japanese. It focuses on the state of being in order, not the action of putting things in order.
Describing a state where items are in their proper places, tidy, or well-arranged.
The most common and natural way to say something is in order, neat, or well-arranged. It implies a state of being properly organized.
机の上が整っている。
The desk is tidy.
彼の部屋はいつも整っている。
His room is always in order.
Emphasizes that things have been sorted and organized, often after a deliberate effort. It's a passive form of 整理する (to organize).
書類がきちんと整理されている。
The documents are neatly organized.
Means things are put away and the space is tidy. Often used for rooms or desks. It focuses on the result of cleaning up.
部屋が片付いている。
The room is tidy (things are put away).
Describing that things are arranged according to a rule, such as alphabetical, numerical, or chronological order.
Means 'lined up in order.' Use this when items are physically or conceptually arranged in a sequence.
本が大きさの順番に並んでいる。
The books are arranged in order of size.
Similar to 順番に並んでいる but emphasizes that someone arranged them. It's passive, focusing on the state resulting from an action.
名簿が五十音順に並べられている。
The roster is arranged in order of the Japanese syllabary.
Means 'lined up in an orderly fashion.' Often used for people or objects in a straight line. More formal or technical.
生徒たちが整列している。
The students are lined up in order.
Describing that abstract things like plans, affairs, or conditions are in a satisfactory state.
An intransitive verb meaning 'to be in order' or 'to be arranged.' Used for conditions, preparations, or systems.
Same reading as 整う but often used for conditions being favorable or things going well. Can be written 調う, but 整う is more common for 'in order.'
整っている (totonoiteiru) implies things are arranged neatly and in proper order, often with attention to detail. 片付いている (katadzuiteiru) simply means things are put away and the space is not messy. A desk with items neatly aligned is 整っている; a desk with nothing on it is 片付いている.
机の上が整っている。
The desk is neatly arranged.
机の上が片付いている。
The desk is cleared/tidy.
The English phrase 'be put in order' is passive, but Japanese often uses intransitive verbs (整う, 片付く) or passive forms of transitive verbs (整理される, 並べられる) to describe the state. Using a direct passive of 'put' (置かれる) would be unnatural.
書類が整理されている。
The documents are put in order.
すべて整っている。
Everything is in order.
ファイルがアルファベット順に並べられている。
The files are put in alphabetical order.
書類が整理されている。
The documents are put in order.
条件が調った。
The conditions are favorable.