How do you say "to swim" in Japanese?

泳ぐ

oyogu

Verb Kanji

In Japanese, "to swim" is 泳ぐ (oyogu).

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Pronunciation

泳ぐ is written using kanji. Romanised as oyogu, it sounds roughly like "oh-yoh-goo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Oyogu (泳ぐ) uses the kanji ei (swim) combined with the verb gu. It is used exclusively for swimming in water.

Example sentence

週末に泳ぎますつもりです。

Shuumatsu ni oyogimasu tsumori desu.

I plan to to swim this weekend.

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How to remember 泳ぐ

Oyogu contains a water radical and movement markers. The sound suggests fluidity and motion through liquid.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese verbs.

Questions about 泳ぐ

How do you pronounce 泳ぐ?

泳ぐ is romanised as oyogu. Say it roughly like "oh-yoh-goo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 泳ぐ formal or casual?

泳ぐ 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 泳ぐ written in Japanese?

泳ぐ is written using kanji. Oyogu (泳ぐ) uses the kanji ei (swim) combined with the verb gu.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"To swim" in other languages

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