How do you say "return" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "return" is 返す (kaesu). It is a verb pronounced "kah-eh-soo".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Pronunciation

返す is written in kanji and hiragana. Romanised as kaesu, it sounds roughly like "kah-eh-soo" to an English ear.

Example sentence

一緒に返しますか?

Issho ni kaeshimasu ka?

Shall we to return (put back) together?

Usage notes

返す means to return (put back) in Japanese. This is an everyday verb that learners encounter early. Mastering its masu form (返します) and te-form opens up many sentence patterns.

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Questions about 返す

How do you pronounce 返す?

返す is romanised as kaesu. Say it roughly like "kah-eh-soo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 返す formal or casual?

返す is the plain (dictionary) form, used in casual speech and in dictionaries. For polite situations, verbs take a different ending, typically -masu. In Noun Town the game always shows the dictionary form.

How is 返す written in Japanese?

返す is written using kanji and hiragana. Kanji characters carry the core meaning; any hiragana or katakana that follow show grammatical endings.

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation.