座る
suwaru[sɨβ̞a̠ɾɯ̟]
To sit in Japanese is to say 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 座る is an intransitive verb, meaning it describes the subject sitting, rather than an action being done to an object. It describes a person being in a position where the upper body is upright and the legs are supported.
Which one should you use?
腰掛ける specifically means to sit on something like a chair or a stool.
How does it change in a sentence?
Additionally, while suwarimasu is an active form indicating the act of sitting down, the form suwatte imasu is a stative form describing the state of already sitting.
How do you pronounce it?
suwaru
Did you know?
- There is a cultural taboo against sitting on the threshold of a room, as it is considered rude and obstructive to the flow of the space.
- The word 腰掛ける literally means 'to hang one's hips', treating the lower back and hips as a single unit of the body.
- The verb 座る can be used in a figurative sense to describe a person taking a specific position or role within an organization.
Examples in context
- その上に座るな。Don't sit on it.This sentence uses 座る to express a prohibition against sitting on something.Tatoeba #208984 by small_snow, translation #46244 by U2FS
- 後ろに座るかも。I may sit in the back.This sentence uses 座る to express a possibility of sitting in a specific location.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 uses 座る to describe the absence of a chair to sit upon.Tatoeba #170840 by bunbuku, translation #243640 by ddnktr
- 会議室に座ります。I will sit in the meeting room.
- 先生が教室に座ります。The teacher sits in the classroom.
- テーブルの周りに座ってください。Please sit around the table.
- 兄はソファに座っています。My older brother is sitting on the sofa.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are waiting at a cafe.
- 美咲 Misakiここに座る？Koko ni suwaru?Do you want to sit here?
- 蓮 Renうん、ここに座ろう。Un, koko ni suwarou.Yeah, let's sit here.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮、先に座ってて。Ren, saki ni suwatte te.Ren, go ahead and sit down.
- 蓮 Renわかった。ゆっくりしてね。Wakatta. Yukkuri shite ne.Got it. Take your time.
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.
