Translation guide
To indulge or go along with someone's wishes, ideas, or whims, often to avoid conflict or to be polite, even if you don't fully agree.
To go along with what someone wants, often to keep them happy or avoid argument.
Literally 'take someone's mood', meaning to humor or placate someone by doing what they want.
彼女の機嫌を取るために、つまらない映画に付き合った。
I went along to a boring movie to humor her.
To go along with, accommodate, or adapt to someone's wishes. Often used when you don't really agree but don't want to argue.
彼の話に合わせて笑っておいた。
I laughed along with his story to humor him.
To keep someone company or go along with their plan, often implying you're doing it for their sake.
彼の趣味に付き合って釣りに行った。
I humored him by going fishing with him.
To do as someone says, often used when humoring a child or someone in authority.
子供の言うことを聞いて、もう一度公園に行った。
I humored the child and went to the park again.
A more formal or polite way to say you're trying to keep someone in a good mood, often used in business or with superiors.
上司のご機嫌を伺いながら提案した。
I made the suggestion while humoring my boss.
To act as if you accept someone's idea or belief, even if you think it's silly or wrong.
To play along with someone's story or opinion, often to avoid conflict.
彼の変な理論に話を合わせておいた。
I humored his strange theory by playing along.
To go along with something half-heartedly or without much thought, just to get through the situation.
彼の自慢話に適当に合わせていた。
I was just humoring his bragging.
To give a vague or non-committal response, essentially humoring someone without really engaging.
彼の長話に生返事をしていた。
I was just humoring his long story with vague replies.
To endure someone's annoying or eccentric behavior without complaining.
To put up with or endure someone's behavior, often used when you're humoring them by not reacting negatively.
彼のわがままを我慢している。
I'm humoring his selfishness.
To overlook or be lenient about someone's behavior, essentially humoring them by not making an issue of it.
彼の遅刻を大目に見てあげた。
I humored his lateness and let it slide.
There is no single Japanese verb that directly corresponds to 'humor someone'. Instead, use phrases that describe the action of going along with, indulging, or tolerating someone.
Both can mean 'go along with', but 合わせる focuses on adapting your behavior or words to match the other person, while 付き合う emphasizes spending time or participating in their activity.