Translation guide
The English word "spare" has many meanings. This guide covers the most useful ones for learners: having extra, giving, not harming, avoiding, and being thin.
Something extra that is not currently needed, or time/money available to use.
Noun meaning 'spare' or 'reserve', used for things kept for future use.
Do you have a spare key?
Noun/na-adjective meaning 'extra' or 'surplus', often used for things beyond what is needed.
余分な切符はありますか？
Do you have any spare tickets?
Phrase meaning 'free' or 'available', used for time.
空いている時間がありますか？
Do you have any spare time?
Loanword from English, used for spare parts or in sports like bowling.
スペアタイヤはトランクにあります。
The spare tire is in the trunk.
To give something you can afford to part with, like time or money.
Verb meaning 'to spare' or 'to set aside' time or effort.
少し時間を割いていただけますか？
Could you spare a little time?
Verb meaning 'to share' or 'to spare' something you have.
お金を少し分けてくれませんか？
Can you spare some money?
Verb meaning 'to lend', used when temporarily giving something.
ペンを貸してくれますか？
Can you spare a pen?
To refrain from killing, hurting, or punishing someone.
Phrase meaning 'to spare someone's life'.
彼は敵の命を助けた。
He spared the enemy's life.
Verb meaning 'to pardon' or 'to spare', often used in negative requests.
容赦する is formal; in casual contexts, 許す (ゆるす) is more common.
どうかお許しください。
Please spare me.
Idiom meaning 'to overlook' or 'to spare someone from criticism'.
To prevent someone from experiencing something unpleasant.
Verb meaning 'to omit' or 'to spare' someone trouble.
手間を省いてくれてありがとう。
Thank you for sparing me the trouble.
Causative negative form meaning 'to not let someone do something', often used to express sparing someone an experience.
彼女に恥をかかせなかった。
I spared her embarrassment.
Describing a person or animal as thin.
Adjective meaning 'thin' or 'spare', neutral description.
彼は背が高くて痩せた男だ。
He is a tall, spare man.
Adjective meaning 'slender' or 'thin', often for body parts.
彼女は細い指をしている。
She has spare fingers.
English 'spare' covers many concepts that don't map to a single Japanese word. Always choose based on the specific meaning you want to express.
予備 (よび) is for something kept as a backup (spare key, spare tire). 余分 (よぶん) is for something extra beyond what is needed (spare change, spare copies).
I'll spare you this time.