する
Contents
JapaneseEdit
Etymology 1Edit
From Old Japanese root verb す (su, “to do”).[1][2]
As with all verbs, during the Middle Japanese stage in the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, the 終止形 (shūshikei, “terminal or sentence-ending form”) was gradually lost as the 連体形 (rentaikei, “attributive form”) came to be used for both the attributive and terminal grammatical roles, realigning the conjugations.
Alternative formsEdit
- (rare) 為る
PronunciationEdit
VerbEdit
する (transitive, irregular conjugation, rōmaji suru)
- to do
- 何をしていますか。
- Nani o shite imasu ka.
- What are you doing?
- 何をしていますか。
- to wear (accessories)
- ネクタイをする。
- Nekutai o suru.
- I wear a necktie.
- ネクタイをする。
- (に～) to make into a certain state; to cause to become
- 一人にしないで
- hitori ni shinaide
- please don't leave me to be alone by myself
- 部屋を綺麗にする
- heya o kirei ni suru
- to clean up one's room
- 一人にしないで
- (を～) to have; to make
- 怖い目つきをする
- kowai metsuki o suru
- to have an intimidating glare
- 怖い目つきをする
Usage notesEdit
The verb する (“to do”) is seldom written in kanji (為る).
It is common to use する after certain nouns to indicate that the noun is being done; this is highly productive, meaning many nouns can be used as verbs in this way. Some examples are:
- 勉強 (benkyō, “studying”) → 勉強する (benkyō suru, “to do studying” → “to study”)
- 旅行 (ryokō, “journey”) → 旅行する (ryokō suru, “to do journey” → “to travel”)
ConjugationEdit
| Stem forms | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imperfective (未然形) | さ・し・せ* | sa shi se* | ||
| Continuative (連用形) | し | shi | ||
| Terminal (終止形) | する | suru | ||
| Attributive (連体形) | する | suru | ||
| Hypothetical (仮定形) | すれ | sure | ||
| Imperative (命令形) | せよ¹ しろ² |
seyo¹ shiro² | ||
| Key constructions | ||||
| Passive | される | sareru | ||
| Causative | させる さす |
saseru sasu | ||
| Potential | できる | dekiru | ||
| Volitional | しよう | shiyō | ||
| Negative | しない | shinai | ||
| Negative continuative | せず | sezu | ||
| Formal | します | shimasu | ||
| Perfective | した | shita | ||
| Conjunctive | して | shite | ||
| Hypothetical conditional | すれば | sureba | ||
| * The sa- imperfective occurs in Kansai dialect and in certain set phrases, and forms the base of the passive and causative conjugations sareru, saseru, and sasu. The se- imperfective occurs in Classical Japanese and in other set phrases, and forms the base of the negative continuative conjugation sezu. The shi- imperfective is most common in Tokyo-standard everyday modern Japanese for forming the base of the negative conjugation shinai.
¹ Written imperative ² Spoken imperative | ||||
SynonymsEdit
- (to do): 成す, 為す (nasu) (somewhat archaic, usage is more limited)
- (to do): 行う (okonau, “to carry out”)
- (used to make a verb): 〜る (-ru), a much less productive suffix for turning a noun into a verb
See alsoEdit
- す (su)
Etymology 2Edit
Reading for various kanji spellings.
VerbEdit
する (rōmaji suru)
Various verbs deriving from senses similar to “to slide” or “to rub”:
- 刷る, 摺る: to print something (from the way the paper would be placed on the printing block and rubbed)
- 掏る: to pick someone's pocket (possibly from the way a pickpocket must slide along unnoticed;[1] compare English slick)
- 擦る, 摩る, 磨る, 擂る: to slide, to rub, to chafe, to strike (as in a match, by rubbing); to lose or waste money
- 剃る: irregular reading for 剃る (soru, “to shave”)