Translation and Meaning of: 上がる - agaru

If you have already studied Japanese, you have probably encountered the verb 上がる (あがる), one of those words that seems simple but hides a wealth of meanings and uses. In this article, we will explore the etymology, the pictogram, and the contexts in which this versatile little word appears in the daily life of the Japanese. Additionally, you will discover tips for memorizing it and even some curiosities that not everyone knows. And if you use Anki or another spaced repetition method, get ready for some useful sentences that will boost your studies.

The verb 上がる is one of those cases where a single word can mean anything from "to rise" to "to get excited" or even "to die" in specific contexts. But why so many meanings? The answer lies in the origin and the way the Japanese language has evolved to embrace multiple concepts in a single expression. Let's uncover all of this below.

Etymology and Origin of 上がる

The word 上がる has its roots in ancient Japanese, deriving from the verb 上ぐ (あぐ), which already carried the idea of upward movement. The kanji 上 (which means "above" or "superior") is key to understanding its essence: almost all meanings of 上がる revolve around something that rises, advances, or intensifies. Whether climbing a staircase, increasing the volume, or even the tension in a conversation, the idea of "upward" is always present.

Interestingly, some of the more abstract meanings, such as "to get agitated" or "to die," arose from cultural association. In feudal Japan, for example, the expression 上がる was used metaphorically to describe the ascent of the soul after death. In the context of nervousness, the image is of something that "rises" inside you, like the anxiety before a presentation. Do you see how everything connects?

Lies in Japanese Everyday Life

In everyday life, Japanese people use 上がる in situations ranging from the trivial to the emotionally charged. If you've ever heard someone say 温度が上がる (おんどがあがる), you know that the temperature is rising. But if a colleague mentions 緊張で上がってしまった (きんちょうであがってしまった), they are talking about getting so nervous that they freeze up. This flexibility makes the word appear in everything from weather forecasts to conversations about feelings.

One usage that often confuses beginners is in cooking. When a Japanese person says ご飯が上がった (ごはんがあがった), they are not announcing that the rice has risen, but rather that it is ready to serve. This sense of "completion" also appears in phrases like 仕事が上がる (しごとがあがる), indicating that the work has been finished. Want a challenge? Try to identify in which of these contexts the word appears in the next Japanese series you watch!

Tips for Memorizing and Curiosities

An infallible way to solidify 上がる is to associate it with mental images that encompass its multiple meanings. Imagine a graph rising (increase), a person entering a place (to enter), and even a ghost leaving the body (to die). It seems bizarre, but our brain remembers visual stories better than loose lists of translations.

And here’s a fun fact that few know: in some regional dialects, like that of Osaka, 上がる can be used humorously to say that someone has "gone crazy" or "lost their mind." It’s no wonder that manzai comedians (Japanese comedic duos) love to play with this ambiguity. Want to test your knowledge? Try to create a sentence using 上がる in the sense of "improve" and share it in the comments on Suki Nihongo — the largest online Japanese dictionary!

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Verb conjugation of 上がる

• 上がる: Dictionary form
• 上がります: Polite way
• 上がりました: Past form
• 上がれ: imperative form

Synonyms and similar words

• 登る (noboru) - Climb, scale (usually refers to climbing mountains or buildings)
• 昇る (noboru) - Rise, elevate oneself (usually refers to the sun or something that rises in the sky)
• 上る (noboru) - Ascend, rise (most commonly used in contexts of vertical movement, such as climbing stairs or hills)

上がる

Romaji: agaru
Kana: あがる
Type: verb
L: jlpt-n4, jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: to enter; move up; increase; climb; advance; appreciate; get promoted; to improve; visit; be offered; accumulate; finish; arrive at (expenses); bankrupt; start spinning (cocoons); get caught; get agitated; eat; to drink; to die.

Meaning in English: to enter;to go up;to rise;to climb up;to advance;to appreciate;to be promoted;to improve;to call on;to be offered;to accrue;to be finished;to come to (expenses);to go bankrupt;to begin spinning (cocoons);to be caught;to get ruffled;to eat;to drink;to die;

Definition: Go to a higher place.

Example Sentences - (上がる) agaru

See below some example sentences:

土俵に上がる

dobyo ni agaru

climb into the sumo ring.

go to the ring

• 土俵 - "sumo ring" means a circular arena where sumo wrestlers compete.
• に - a particle that indicates the location where the action takes place.
• 上がる - a verb that means "to ascend" or "to get on top of something". In this context, it means "to enter the sumo ring".

私たちは階段を上がる。

Watashitachi wa kaidan wo agaru

We are going up the stairs.

We go upstairs.

• 私たちは - 私たち
• 階段を - "escada" in Japanese, followed by the particle "wo" indicating the direct object of the action
• 上がる - "subir" in Japanese, indicating the action being performed

パーティーが盛り上がる！

Pātī ga moriagaru!

The party is lively!

The party is lively!

• パーティー - In Japanese, the word that means "party" is "パーティー" (pātī).
• が - particle in Japanese that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• 盛り上がる - The Japanese verb that means "to cheer up" or "to have fun" is "楽しむ" (tanoshimu).
• ！ - exclamation mark in Japanese, used to express enthusiasm or surprise.

この作品はいつ仕上がるのですか？

Kono sakuhin wa itsu shiagaru no desu ka?

When will this work be ready?

When will this work end?

• この作品 - This work
• は - Topic particle
• いつ - When
• 仕上がる - It will be completed
• の - Noun particle
• ですか - é?

召し上がるものは何ですか？

Moshigagaru mono wa nan desu ka?

What would you like to eat?

What are you eaten?

• 召し上がる - verb that means "to eat" or "to drink" in Japanese
• もの - noun that means "thing" or "item"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "what"
• 何 - interrogative pronoun that means "what"
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form
• か - Particle that indicates a question

階段を上がってください。

Kaidan wo agatte kudasai

Walk up the stairs.

Walk up the stairs.

• 階段 - It means "ladder" in Japanese.
• を - It is an object particle in Japanese, indicating that "階段" is the object of the action.
• 上がって - It is the imperative form of the verb 上がる (agaru), which means "to go up".
• ください - It is a request expression in Japanese, which can be translated as "please."

すっと立ち上がった。

Sutto tachiagatta

I got up quickly.

• Input - - すっと立ち上がった。
• Output - -
• <ul> - - indicates the start of an unordered list.
• <li> - - indicates a list item.
• <strong> - - indicates that the text should be displayed in bold.
• Input - - すっと立ち上がった。 - the Japanese text that will be displayed.
• </li> - - indicates the end of a list item.
• </ul> - - indicates the end of the unordered list.

温度が上がっています。

Ondo ga agatte imasu

The temperature is increasing.

The temperature is increasing.

• 温度 (Ondo) - temperature
• が (Ga) - subject particle
• 上がっています (Agatteimasu) - is going up

このケーキは出来上がりました。

Kono keeki wa dekiagari mashita

This cake is ready.

This cake is completed.

• この - demonstrative pronoun that means "this" or "this here"
• ケーキ - noun meaning "cake"
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 出来上がりました - verb meaning "to be ready" or "to be finished"

原油の価格が上がった。

Genshi no kakaku ga agatta

The price of gross oil increased.

• 原油 - crude oil
• の - Possession particle
• 価格 - price
• が - subject particle
• 上がった - Subiu