Translation guide
The English verb "summarize" means to give a brief statement of the main points. In Japanese, the most natural equivalents depend on whether you are condensing information orally or in writing, and the level of formality.
Please summarize this article.
He summarized the contents of the meeting.
Means "to put together" or "to organize." Often used when summarizing ideas, opinions, or information into a coherent whole. More casual than 要約する.
Please summarize what we discussed.
To summarize the main points, it's like this.
Literally "to put it simply." Used as a conversational phrase to introduce a summary or simplified explanation.
To summarize, the plan is canceled.
To produce a written summary, often for academic or professional purposes.
To give a quick verbal summary in informal conversation.
Means "in short" or "the point is." Very common in spoken Japanese to introduce a summary or conclusion.
So, to summarize, he's not coming?
Means "in other words" or "that is to say." Used to rephrase or summarize a preceding statement.
要約する is more formal and focuses on condensing content into a shorter form, often preserving the original structure. まとめる is broader, meaning to organize or bring together, and is used for summarizing discussions, ideas, or tasks. In casual contexts, まとめる is often more natural.
summarize a report
summarize opinions
まとめる can also mean "to wrap up" or "to finish" a task, not just summarize information. Context clarifies the meaning.
Can you summarize the story?
To summarize, we decided to postpone the event.
This chapter summarizes the research findings.
つまり、もっと時間が必要だということです。
In summary, we need more time.