suru verb (irregular)
The basic verb for doing an action. It is used with many object nouns such as 宿題, 仕事, 練習, and 旅行.
夕食の前に宿題をする。
I do my homework before dinner.
suru verb (irregular)
make; cause to become; turn into a state
Used with adjectives or state nouns to mean making something a certain way, as in きれいにする, 静かにする, or 短くする.
部屋をきれいにする。
I make the room clean.
もう少し音を小さくしてください。
Please make the sound a little quieter.
suru verb (irregular)
work as; serve as; act as
Used with role nouns to say what job or role someone performs: 先生をしている, 司会をする, 議長をする.
姉は小学校の先生をしている。
My older sister works as an elementary school teacher.
suru verb (irregular)
wear; put on; have an expression
Common with accessories and with facial expressions or gestures, such as ネクタイをする and 悲しそうな顔をする.
今日はネクタイをしている。
I am wearing a tie today.
彼女は悲しそうな顔をした。
She made a sad-looking face.
suru verb (irregular)
regard as; treat as; use as; value
Covers patterns such as AをBにする and AをBとする, where something is treated, regarded, used, or valued in a certain way. Also lists a related use for feeling a certain way about something; in modern Japanese this often appears in fixed-feeling expressions such as 大切にする.
この箱を椅子にする。
I will use this box as a chair.
この数字を正しいものとする。
We regard this number as correct.
家族を大切にする。
I value my family.
suru verb (irregular)
decide on; choose
Used as 〜にする when choosing from options or settling on a decision, especially in everyday conversation.
昼ご飯はカレーにする。
I’ll have curry for lunch.
suru verb (irregular), intransitive verb
In the pattern 〜がする, the sensed thing is marked with が: 匂いがする, 音がする, 味がする, 寒気がする.
台所からいい匂いがする。
A good smell is coming from the kitchen.
suru verb (irregular), intransitive verb
be in a state; have a condition; look
Describes a state, appearance, shape, or condition, often in 〜をしている patterns such as 変な形をしている.
この石は変な形をしている。
This stone has a strange shape.
suru verb (irregular), intransitive verb
Used after an amount to state price or value. The item that costs the amount is normally marked with は or が.
この時計は十万円する。
This watch costs one hundred thousand yen.
suru verb (irregular), intransitive verb
Used with a time amount to mean that that much time passes, especially in forms like しばらくして, 一時間したら, and 二、三日すると.
二、三日すると痛みは引きます。
After two or three days, the pain will subside.
suru verb (irregular), transitive verb
appoint to; make someone; raise to a position
In AをBにする, a person A is placed in a role, rank, or status B.
会社は彼女を課長にした。
The company made her section chief.
suru verb (irregular), transitive verb
turn A into B; make A into B; exchange A for B
In AをBにする, A is changed into B or exchanged for B. It overlaps with the broader 'make into a state' use but focuses on conversion into another thing or category.
古い倉庫をカフェにした。
They turned an old warehouse into a café.
旅行の前に円をドルにした。
Before the trip, I exchanged yen for dollars.
suffix, suru verb (irregular)
make a noun into a verb; do as an action
A verbalizing suffix attached to many verbal nouns, especially Sino-Japanese nouns, as in 勉強する, 連絡する, and 旅行する.
明日は家で勉強する。
Tomorrow I will study at home.
駅に着いたら連絡するね。
I’ll contact you when I arrive at the station.
auxiliary verb, suru verb (irregular)
make a humble verb
Auxiliary use after an お- or ご-prefixed verbal noun, as in ご連絡する and お知らせする. It humbly describes the speaker’s or in-group’s action toward someone else.
後ほどこちらからご連絡します。
We will contact you later.
係の者が会場までご案内します。
A staff member will guide you to the venue.
auxiliary verb, suru verb (irregular)
try to; attempt to; be about to
Auxiliary use in 〜うとする and 〜ようとする. It can mean making an attempt, or that something is just about to happen.
See also: とする
彼は何か言おうとした。
He tried to say something.
太陽が沈もうとしている。
The sun is about to set.