11 Japanese Business Verbs to Save Your Life! :Anyone attending a Japanese school, working at a Japanese company, or looking to pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) will need to learn some key words and phrases related to conducting business. Here, we have compiled a list of 11 helpful business verbs to add to your vocabulary arsenal.
Contents
- 1 Japanese Business Verbs to Save Your Life!
- 1.1 Japanese Verbs : 徴収する (choushuu suru) – collect
- 1.2 Japanese Verbs : 確認する (kakunin suru) – confirm
- 1.3 Japanese Verbs : 協力する (kyouryoku suru) – cooperate
- 1.4 Japanese Verbs : 配達する (haitatsu suru) – deliver
- 1.5 Japanese Verbs : 保証する (hoshou suru) – guarantee
- 1.6 Japanese Verbs : 案内する (annai suru) – guide
- 1.7 Japanese Verbs : 購入する (kounyuu suru) – purchase
- 2 Learn Japanese with BondLingo
- 3 Study in Japan?
- 4 Recommend
Japanese Business Verbs to Save Your Life!
Japanese Verbs : 同意する (doui suru) – agree
This is an example of a common word you’ll see on the internet in regard to privacy policies. Let’s say you’re signing up for a new social media account, or there’s a change to an existing policy. At some point there will be a long list of terms (which I don’t read, and you probably don’t either), and at the bottom of this list there is a button that says 同意する (I agree) or 同意しない (I don’t agree). You can also use it to mean that you agree/don’t agree with someone’s opinion.
Example Sentences:
私は条件に同意しました。
Watashi wa jouken ni doui shimashita.
I agreed to the conditions.
あなたに同意します。
Anata ni doui shimasu.
I agree with you.
Japanese Verbs : 徴収する (choushuu suru) – collect
The most common word for collect is atsumeru, but choushuu suru takes on a more formal tone and is used in the context of a company or government organization collecting fees, taxes, dues, etc.
Example Sentences:
会費を徴収する為にNHK社員は私の家に来ました。
Kaihi wo choushuu suru tame ni NHK shain wa watashi no ie ni kimashita.
The NHK employee came to my house to collect dues.
芸の人は１０年間税金を払っていないので、強制的に徴収する状態になりました。
Geinojin wa juu-nen kan zeikin wo haratte inai no de, kyouseiteki ni choushuu suru joutai ni narimashita.
The performer did not pay his taxes for 10 years, so they forcefully collected it from him.
Japanese Verbs : 確認する (kakunin suru) – confirm
This one is easy to remember for those who often find themselves in business-oriented situations. If someone asks if you know some kind of information or if a task has been completed, you may be tempted to double-check. For example, if your boss asks if the documents were shipped out on Tuesday, and you aren’t 100% positive, you can say, “Kakunin shimasu.” Kakunin suru is a ubiquitous phrase used in the workforce, so let it be your go-to phrase to let someone know that you’ll get back to them on that.
Example Sentences:
私は確認しますね。
Watashi wa kakunin shimasu ne.
I’ll get back to you on that. (I’ll check on it.)
パスワードを確認してもう一度お試しください
Pasuwaado wo kakunin shite mou ichi-do o-tameshi kudasai.
Please check your password and try again.
Japanese Verbs : 協力する (kyouryoku suru) – cooperate
This word is pretty self-explanatory. The word kyouryoku used as a noun (without the suru) is also part of the common business phrase “mina-sama no go-kyouryoku wo onegai shimasu,” which means, “Thank you for your cooperation.”
Example Sentences:
彼達は販売活動で協力しています。
Kare-tachi wa hanbai katsudou de kyouryoku shite imasu.
They are collaborating on the sales operations.
皆一緒に協力していい仕事を頑張りましょう！
Mina issho ni kyouryoku shite ii shigoto wo ganbarimashou!
Let’s try our best to cooperate with each other and do some great work!
Japanese Verbs : 配達する (haitatsu suru) – deliver
Any time you deliver a package or something else to someone’s door or to a place of business, you use the word haitatsu suru. Contrast this to the Studio Ghibli movie Kiki’s Delivery Service. The Japanese title is 魔女の宅急便 (majo no takkyuubin). Don’t let the translation confuse you, though. The meaning of Takkyuubin is more along the lines of “rapid home delivery service” specifically, whereas haitatsu is more delivery in general.
Example Sentences:
私達はドアまで物品を配達しています。
Watashi-tachi wa doa made buppin wo haitatsu shite imasu.
We deliver goods right to your door.
スミスさんの住宅に小包を配達しました。
Sumisu-san no juutaku ni kozutsumi wo haitatsu shimashita.
We delivered the parcel to Mr. Smith’s residence.
Japanese Verbs : 保証する (hoshou suru) – guarantee
As with the English verb “guarantee,” this word can be used in a variety of situations. It can also mean “to assure,” or “to vouch for.” Basically, if you use “hoshou suru,” you are very very confident that you’re right.
Example Sentences:
私達は会社の製品の品質を保証します。
Watashi-tachi wa kaisha no seihin no hinshitsu wo hoshou shimasu.
We vouch for the quality of our products.
私達はお客様のご満足を保証します。
Watashi-tachi wa o-kyaku-sama no go-manzoku wo hoshou shimasu.
We guarantee the satisfaction of our customers.
Japanese Verbs : 案内する (annai suru) – guide
If a new client, employee, or someone unfamiliar with the facility is present in your office building, many times someone will either be appointed or take the initiative to show the person around. The person who acts as the guide is called the go-annai. A tour guide is also called a go-annai. Annai can also be used as a verb that means “to guide,” or “to show someone around.”
Example Sentences:
私はご案内します。
Watashi wa go-annai shimasu.
I’ll show you (around).
私はロビーまで案内します。
Watashi wa robii made annai shimasu.
I will show you where the lobby is.
Japanese Verbs : 購入する (kounyuu suru) – purchase
The word for buy (kau) is similar to the word for purchase (kounyuu suru), but kounyuu suru has more of a formal tone to it, making it suitable for use in business.
Example Sentences:
私は紀伊国屋でこの本を購入しました。
Watashi wa Kinokuniya de kono hon wo kounyuu shimashita.
I purchased this book at Kinokuniya book store.
彼はあの建物を１億円で購入しました。
Kare wa ano tatemono wo ichi-oku en de kounyuu shimashita.
He purchased that building for 100 million yen.
Below, we have listed 11 useful business verbs with the roma-ji pronunciation and the English translation. Remember, though, memorizing is one thing, but getting out and practicing what you’ve learned is the one true way to master Japanese and retain it for the long term. So get out there, and practice, practice, practice!
| Japanese | Roma-ji | English |
| 同意する | doui suru | agree |
| 徴収する | choushuu suru | collect |
| 確認する | kakunin suru | confirm |
| 協力する | kyouryoku suru | cooperate/collaborate |
| 配達する | haitatsu suru | deliver |
| 保証する | hoshou suru | guarantee |
| 案内する | annai suru | guide |
| 投資する | toushi suru | invest |
| 反対する | hantai suru | object |
| 支払う | shiharau | pay |
| 購入する | kounyuu suru | purchase |
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