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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "to sleep" in Japanese?
寝る
neru
In Japanese, "to sleep" is 寝る (neru).
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Pronunciation
寝る is written using kanji. Romanised as neru, it sounds roughly like "neh-roo" to an English ear.
Writing and usage
The kanji 寝 uses the roof radical (house) with an eye component, suggesting someone lying down with eyes closing. Found in daily routine vocabulary.
Example sentence
一緒に寝ますか？
Issho ni nemasu ka?
Shall we to sleep together?
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How to remember 寝る
A house (roof) with someone's eye closing inside. Picture lying in bed at home as your eyes shut for sleep.
Related words
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 寝る
How do you pronounce 寝る?
寝る is romanised as neru. Say it roughly like "neh-roo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.
Is 寝る formal or casual?
寝る is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is 寝る written in Japanese?
寝る is written using kanji. The kanji 寝 uses the roof radical (house) with an eye component, suggesting someone lying down with eyes closing.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
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"To sleep" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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