座る
suwaru[sɨβ̞a̠ɾɯ̟]
To sit in Japanese is expressed as 座る (suwaru). Wiktionary also lists 腰掛ける (koshikakeru).
Meaning: of a person, be in a position in which the upper body is upright and the legs are supported (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 座る | suwaru | [sɨβ̞a̠ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 腰掛ける | koshikakeru | [ko̞ɕi̥ka̠ke̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
The verb describes a person being in a position where the upper body is upright and the legs are supported.
Which one should you use?
座る (suwaru) is the general verb used for the act of sitting. In contrast, 腰掛ける (koshikakeru) specifically emphasizes the action of sitting down onto a seat or something to rest one's hips on.
How do you pronounce it?
suwaru
Did you know?
- In traditional Japanese settings, you might be told to 座る but find no chairs. This often implies 正座 (seiza), a formal way of sitting where you kneel with your legs tucked under your thighs.
- The verb 腰掛ける literally means 'to hang' or 'to suspend' one's 腰 (hips) on something. This reflects a physical perception of resting the weight of the lower body on a surface.
- While 座る refers to the act of sitting, Japanese has a specific term お座り (osuwari) used almost exclusively as a command to make a dog sit.
Examples in context
- その上に座るな。Don't sit on it.This sentence is useful for showing how to use the negative command form of 座る.Tatoeba #208984 by small_snow, translation #46244 by U2FS
- 後ろに座るかも。I may sit in the back.This sentence shows how to express a possibility of sitting using 座る.Tatoeba #8596226 by small_snow, translation #8596217 by CK
- 座るいすがないな。There's no chair to sit upon.This sentence demonstrates how to use 座る to describe a chair intended for sitting.Tatoeba #170840 by bunbuku, translation #243640 by ddnktr
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are in a cafe.
- 健太 Kentaここに座る？Koko ni suwaru?Do you want to sit here?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、ここに座るね。Un, koko ni suwaru ne.Yes, I'll sit here.
- 健太 Kentaじゃあ、注文しようか。Jaa, chuumon shiyou ka.Well, shall we order?
- 陽葵 Himariそうしよう。Sou shiyou.Let's do that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sit” translations and entries 座る, 腰掛ける, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 座る, 腰掛ける, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
