する

す

る

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 100

する · suru verb (irregular)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	する	しない
Polite	します	しません
Past polite	しました	しませんでした
Past	した	しなかった
Te-form	して	しないで
Desire	したい	したくない
Potential	できる	できない
Passive	される	されない
Causative	させる	させない
Causative passive	させられる	させられない
Volitional	しよう
Polite volitional	しましょう
Imperative	しろ	するな
Conditional	すれば	しなければ
Tara conditional	したら	しなかったら

Meanings

1

suru verb (irregular)

do; carry out; perform

usually written using kana alone

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.

夕ゆう食しょくの前まえに宿しゅく題だいをする。
I do my homework before dinner.

2

suru verb (irregular)

make; cause to become; turn into a state

usually written using kana alone

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.

部屋へやをきれいにする。
I make the room clean.
もう少すこし音おとを小ちいさくしてください。
Please make the sound a little quieter.

3

suru verb (irregular)

work as; serve as; act as

usually written using kana alone

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.

姉あねは小しょう学がっ校こうの先せん生せいをしている。
My older sister works as an elementary school teacher.

4

suru verb (irregular)

wear; put on; have an expression

usually written using kana alone

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.

今日きょうはネクタイをしている。
I am wearing a tie today.
彼かの女じょは悲かなしそうな顔かおをした。
She made a sad-looking face.

5

suru verb (irregular)

regard as; treat as; use as; value

usually written using kana alone

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.

この箱はこを椅い子すにする。
I will use this box as a chair.
この数すう字じを正ただしいものとする。
We regard this number as correct.
家か族ぞくを大たい切せつにする。
I value my family.

6

suru verb (irregular)

decide on; choose

usually written using kana alone

Used as 〜にする when choosing from options or settling on a decision, especially in everyday conversation.

昼ひるご飯はんはカレーにする。
I’ll have curry for lunch.

7

suru verb (irregular), intransitive verb

be sensed; smell; sound; feel

usually written using kana alone

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.

台だい所どころからいい匂においがする。
A good smell is coming from the kitchen.

8

suru verb (irregular), intransitive verb

be in a state; have a condition; look

usually written using kana alone

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.

この石いしは変へんな形かたちをしている。
This stone has a strange shape.

9

suru verb (irregular), intransitive verb

usually written using kana alone

Used after an amount to state price or value. The item that costs the amount is normally marked with は or が.

この時計とけいは十じゅう万まん円えんする。
This watch costs one hundred thousand yen.

10

suru verb (irregular), intransitive verb

usually written using kana alone

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.

二に、三さん日にちすると痛いたみは引ひきます。
After two or three days, the pain will subside.

11

suru verb (irregular), transitive verb

appoint to; make someone; raise to a position

usually written using kana alone

In AをBにする, a person A is placed in a role, rank, or status B.

会かい社しゃは彼かの女じょを課か長ちょうにした。
The company made her section chief.

12

suru verb (irregular), transitive verb

turn A into B; make A into B; exchange A for B

usually written using kana alone

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.

古ふるい倉そう庫こをカフェにした。
They turned an old warehouse into a café.
旅りょ行こうの前まえに円えんをドルにした。
Before the trip, I exchanged yen for dollars.

13

suffix, suru verb (irregular)

make a noun into a verb; do as an action

usually written using kana alone

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.

明日あしたは家いえで勉べん強きょうする。
Tomorrow I will study at home.
駅えきに着ついたら連れん絡らくするね。
I’ll contact you when I arrive at the station.

14

auxiliary verb, suru verb (irregular)

make a humble verb

usually written using kana alone

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.

See also: お願いします · お

後のちほどこちらからご連れん絡らくします。
We will contact you later.
係かかりの者ものが会かい場じょうまでご案あん内ないします。
A staff member will guide you to the venue.

15

auxiliary verb, suru verb (irregular)

try to; attempt to; be about to

usually written using kana alone

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

彼かれは何なにか言いおうとした。
He tried to say something.
太たい陽ようが沈しずもうとしている。
The sun is about to set.

See all 205,637 example sentences ›

Usage patterns· 8

〈物もの〉にするto decide on or choose something
メニューを見みて、カレーにした。
I looked at the menu and decided on curry.
〈形けい容よう詞し〉にするto make something a certain way
音おん楽がくの音おとを小ちいさくした。
I turned down the volume of the music.
〈物もの〉をするto wear or put on an accessory
彼かの女じょは青あおいネックレスをしていた。
She was wearing a blue necklace.
〈物もの〉を〈物もの〉にするto turn one thing into another
古ふるい工こう場じょうを美び術じゅつ館かんにした。
They turned the old factory into an art museum.
〈物もの〉がするfor a smell, sound, or sensation to occur
いいにおいがする。
There's a nice smell.

Show 3 more

〈物もの〉をしているto have a certain shape or appearance
この石いしは変へんな形かたちをしている。
This stone has an odd shape.
〈数かず〉もするto cost as much as a given amount
このバッグは五ご万まん円えんもする。
This bag costs as much as fifty thousand yen.
〈動どう詞し〉うとするto try to do something; to be about to do something
電でん車しゃに乗のろうとした。
I tried to get on the train.

Grammar

Kanji

為do, change, make

Related words· 8

やるN5sense 1
やる is a more casual, sometimes rougher way to say 'do' compared with the neutral する.
行おこなうN4sense 1
行う is a more formal word for 'carry out,' typically used for events, ceremonies, or procedures, while する is the all-purpose everyday verb.
なるN5
する is the transitive verb for actively doing or making something happen, while 成る is intransitive and describes something becoming a state on its own.
なさるN4
する is the plain, neutral verb for 'to do', while なさる is its honorific form used for the actions of someone respected.

Show 4 more

なすN2
する is the everyday, neutral verb for 'to do', while 為す is a formal, literary word often used for accomplishing or committing significant acts.
成なすN2
する is the ordinary everyday verb for 'do,' while 成す in its 'do' sense is a much more formal or literary equivalent used in set phrases like なすべきことをなす.
す
為 is the classical Japanese form meaning 'to do', while する is its modern equivalent used in all contemporary speech and writing.
いたすN4
する is the neutral, all-purpose word for 'to do', while 致す is its humble form used to lower one's own actions when speaking respectfully to someone of higher status.

Opposites

なる sense 2
する means to actively make something a certain way, while なる means that something becomes that way on its own, as in 静かにする vs 静かになる.

Politeness

いたすhumble 謙譲語N4sense 1
いたす is the humble form of する, used to lower the speaker's action in polite speech such as 失礼いたします.
なさるhonorific 尊敬語N4sense 1
なさる is the honorific form of する, used to respectfully describe another person's action.
申もうすN4
する is the plain verb 'to do'; 申す replaces it in humble constructions like お願い申します to politely describe one's own actions.
仕つかまつる
する is the plain, neutral verb 'to do', while 仕る is its highly formal humble (謙譲語) counterpart used to lower oneself before the listener.
召めすN1
する is the plain verb for 'do', while 召す in its archaic 'do' sense is the honorific counterpart, now largely replaced by なさる.

Don't confuse with

掏する
する (to do) is an extremely common verb that shares the same reading as 掏る (to pickpocket) but has an entirely unrelated meaning.

Written forms

するUsage100%
The normal modern spelling. This word is usually written in kana.
為するUsage0%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji spelling; ordinary modern writing uses する.
スルUsage0%

Etymology

A native Japanese verb with very broad grammatical use. The kanji spelling 為る is conventionally associated with doing or becoming, but modern Japanese normally writes this word in kana; the deeper historical derivation is not specified.