How to Say "Read Books" in Japanese

本を読む

hon o yomu

To read books in Japanese is 本を読む (hon o yomu).

The phrase is used to describe the act of looking at and understanding the words in a book.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of 本 (hon) meaning 'book', を (o) the direct object marker and 読む (yomu) meaning 'to read'.

hon o yomu

If you want to say you are 'reading the air' or sensing a social atmosphere rather than actual text, you use the phrase 空気を読む (kūki o yomu).
While 本 (hon) means 'book', the same sound is also the counter for long, cylindrical objects like bottles and umbrellas.
If you are reading a book out loud to someone, you would often use the verb 読み聞かせる (yomikikaseru), which literally implies 'letting the sound of the reading be heard'.

本を読む暇がない。
I have no time to read books.
This sentence is useful for expressing that you have no time to perform the action of 本を読む.
Tatoeba #164500 by small_snow, translation #250008 by CK
本を読む時間がない。
I don't have time to read books.
This sentence is useful for expressing that you do not have time to perform the action of 本を読む.
Tatoeba #164499 by small_snow, translation #1989782 by jackchak
本を読むのが好きです。
I like to read books.
This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for the action of 本を読む.
Tatoeba #10883885 by KK_kaku_, translation #2377504 by CK
研究のために書籍を読む時間が欲しいです (けんきゅうのためにしょせきをよむじかんがほしいです)
I wish I had more time to read books for research purposes.
夜、部屋で本を読んでリラックスします (よる、へやでほんをよんでりらっくすします)
At night, I relax by reading books in my room.
11 more sentences on Tatoeba

Yota and Yui are talking about their weekend plans.

陽太 Yota

週末は家で本を読むつもりです。
Shūmatsu wa ie de hon o yomu tsumori desu.
I plan to read books at home this weekend.
結衣 Yui

いいですね。どんな本を読むんですか？
Ii desu ne. Donna hon o yomu n desu ka?
That sounds nice. What kind of books do you read?
陽太 Yota

最近はミステリー小説をたくさん読みます。
Saikin wa misuterī shōsetsu o takusan yomimasu.
I've been reading a lot of mystery novels lately.
結衣 Yui

私もおすすめの本を教えますね。
Watashi mo osusume no hon o oshiemasu ne.
I'll tell you some of my recommended books too.

Sources

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