ドアを閉めて
doa o shimete
To say "close the door" in Japanese, use ドアを閉めて (doa o shimete).
This phrase is used to request or command that a door be moved into a closed position. Note that the verb used here, 閉める (shimeru), is specifically for objects like doors or windows. It is not used for closing things like books or computer programs.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of ドア (door), the particle を which marks the door as the direct object of the action and 閉めて (shimete), which is the te-form of the verb 閉める (shimeru), meaning "to close".
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding ください (kudasai) to the end of the phrase turns the casual request into a polite one, making ドアを閉めてください the standard way to say "please close the door".
How do you pronounce it?
doa o shimete
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use 閉める (shimeru) when you mean to close a book or a computer program.
Did you know?
- The word ドア (doa) is a loanword from English, whereas the native Japanese word for door is 扉 (tobira).
- The kanji for 閉める (shimeru) contains a radical that represents a 'gate', reflecting the ancient Chinese origin of the word related to barriers.
- In highly formal settings, instead of saying 'close the door', a speaker might use a euphemism like 失礼いたします (shitsurei itashimasu) while closing the door to apologize for the noise.
Examples in context
- ドアを閉めて。Close the door.This example shows a simple command to close the door.Tatoeba #201780 by arnab, translation #405379 by brauliobezerra
- ドアを閉めて下さい。Close the door, please.This example shows a polite request to close the door.Tatoeba #201774 by bunbuku, translation #38524 by CK
- 静かにドアを閉めて下さい。Please close the door quietly.This example shows how to politely ask to close the door quietly.Tatoeba #142510 by bunbuku, translation #272060 by CK
- お客様が来ますので、ドアを閉めてください。Please close the door as a guest is arriving.
- 朝の寒さを避けるため、ドアを閉めていただけませんか。Could you please close the door to avoid the morning cold?
- ちょっと風が入るから、ドアを閉めて。Please close the door because some wind is coming in.
- 買い物から戻ったら、ドアを閉めてくれる？Can you close the door when you come back from shopping?
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daito is asking Misaki to close the door because it is cold.
- 大翔 Hiroto寒いから、ドアを閉めて。Samui kara, doa o shimete.It's cold, so please close the door.
- 美咲 Misakiいいよ。もう閉めたよ。Ii yo. Mou shimeta yo.Sure. I already closed it.
- 大翔 Hirotoあ、本当だ。ありがとう。A, honto da. Arigato.Oh, you're right. Thanks.
- 美咲 Misakiどういたしまして。Doitashimashite.You're welcome.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
