How do you say "to turn on (a light)" in Japanese?

つける

tsukeru

Verb Hiragana

In Japanese, "to turn on (a light)" is つける (tsukeru).

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Pronunciation

つける is written using hiragana. Romanised as tsukeru, it sounds roughly like "tsoo-keh-roo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Written in hiragana つける, this is a native Japanese word without kanji. The verb belongs to basic everyday vocabulary, often taught early in language learning.

Example sentence

私は毎日つけます。

Watashi wa mainichi tsukemasu.

I to turn on (a light) every day.

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How to remember つける

Say it like 'tsuke' and think about flicking a switch. The short hiragana form makes it quick and natural to speak.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese verbs.

Questions about つける

How do you pronounce つける?

つける is romanised as tsukeru. Say it roughly like "tsoo-keh-roo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is つける formal or casual?

つける 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 つける written in Japanese?

つける is written using hiragana. Written in hiragana つける, this is a native Japanese word without kanji.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"To turn on (a light)" in other languages

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