Translation guide
The English word 'task' covers a wide range of work, duties, and assignments. In Japanese, the best translation depends on the nature of the task—whether it's a routine job, a mission, a piece of homework, or a burdensome chore. This guide helps you choose the most natural expression.
I have a task to do.
This is an important task.
A piece of work to be done, often as part of one's job or responsibility.
The most common and versatile word for 'work' or 'task'. It can refer to any job, duty, or assignment.
That's it for today's tasks.
Refers to manual or operational work, often a specific process or operation. Common in technical or industrial contexts.
A loanword from English, used especially in business, IT, and project management. Sounds modern and specific.
A task given to students or as part of a course.
The standard word for an assignment, homework, or a problem to solve. Used in academic and sometimes professional settings.
A significant task, often with a sense of purpose or duty.
A formal word for a mission, duty, or assigned task, often used in military, police, or organizational contexts.
A task that is unpleasant, tiring, or annoying.
Literally 'troublesome work'. A natural way to describe a task you don't want to do.
A unit of work in software, scheduling, or to-do lists.
The standard term in IT and business. Used in apps, project management tools, and technical contexts.
仕事 (shigoto) is the broadest term for work or tasks in daily life and business. 作業 (sagyou) emphasizes the process or manual aspect, often used in factories or IT operations. タスク (tasuku) is a modern loanword common in project management and tech, but may sound out of place in traditional or formal settings.
I finished today's tasks.
I have a lot of tasks to complete.
I assigned him a new task.
Please finish this task by tomorrow.
I listed today's tasks.
Please submit this task by the weekend.
The math task is difficult.
Specifically homework. Use this when the task is to be done at home.
I forgot my homework task.
He was entrusted with an important task.
A mission or calling, often with a strong sense of personal or moral duty. More abstract than 任務.
This is my task (mission).
That's a tedious task.
Odd jobs, chores, or miscellaneous tasks. Often used for minor, unskilled work.
He's always given menial tasks.
Please raise the priority of this task.
Often used in apps and casual lists. Written in English or katakana.
I added a task to my to-do list.
この作業は危険です。
This task is dangerous.
Assign a task.
While タスク is widely understood, using it for everyday chores or traditional duties can sound unnatural. Stick to 仕事 or 用事 for general tasks.
Shopping is one of today's tasks.
She finished the task quickly.