泳ぐ
oyogu[o̞jo̞ɡɯ̟]
To swim in Japanese is 泳ぐ (oyogu).
The verb 泳ぐ means to move through water.
Meaning: move through water (verb)
Which one should you use?
While the noun 泳ぎ refers to the general act or instance of swimming, the term 水泳 is used specifically when referring to swimming as a competitive sport or a formal discipline.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb has several forms: the polite form is 泳ぎます, the plain past tense is 泳いだ and the plain negative form is 泳がない. Additionally, the stem form 泳ぎ can function as a noun meaning 'swimming' or 'a swim'.
How do you pronounce it?
oyogu
Did you know?
- The verb 泳ぐ is so old that it appeared in The Tale of Genji, one of the world's first novels, written over a thousand years ago.
- The word 泳ぐ has close relatives in the Ryūkyūan languages of Okinawa, such as uijun and qwiijun.
- Unlike in English, where 'swimming' can be a gerund, the noun form 泳ぎ is used specifically to describe the style or technique of a person's stroke.
Examples in context
- 海で泳ぐのは面白い。It is fun to swim in the sea.This sentence shows how to use 泳ぐ to describe an activity in the sea.Tatoeba #185126 by bunbuku, translation #22257 by CK
- 俺、泳ぐの速いんだ。I can swim fast.This sentence uses 泳ぐ to express a personal ability regarding speed.Tatoeba #10589678 by bunbuku, translation #259245 by CK
- 彼は泳ぐのが好きです。He likes to swim.This sentence uses 泳ぐ to express a preference for the activity.Tatoeba #109756 by bunbuku, translation #434964 by lukaszpp
- 60 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are talking about their summer plans at a pool.
- 蓮 Ren今日は一緒に泳ぐ？Kyou wa issho ni oyogu?Do you want to swim together today?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、泳ごう！Un, oyogou!Yeah, let's swim!
- 蓮 Ren美咲はどこまで泳ぐ？Misaki wa doko made oyogu?How far are you going to swim, Misaki?
- 美咲 Misaki私はあそこまで泳ぐね。Watashi wa asoko made oyogu ne.I'll swim over there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “swim” translations and entries 泳ぐ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 泳ぐ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
