Translation and Meaning of: 増える - fueru

The Japanese word 「増える」 (fueru) is a verb that means "to increase" or "to grow." In everyday use, it is often used to describe the quantity of something that is increasing. The etymology of the verb reveals its construction from the radical 「増」, which means "increase," combined with the form る (ru), used to form many verbs in Japanese, indicating that the action is occurring actively or dynamically.

The kanji 「増」 is composed of two important radicals: 「土」(do, meaning "earth" or "soil") on the left side and 「曾」(a form that reflects the idea of "repeated" or "accumulated"). The combination of these ideas suggests the concept of something that grows repeatedly or incrementally, like the earth that supports continuous growth, which aligns well with the meaning of "increase."

In the context of usage, 「増える」 can be conjugated to express various nuances of increase. For example, its causative form 「増やす」 (fuyasu) means "to make increase" or "to add." Additionally, the negative form 「増えない」 (fuenai) is used to say that something is not increasing. In both spoken and written language, it is common to encounter 「増える」 in discussions about populations, prices, the number of objects, or any context where a quantity can be measured.

The increasing frequency of use of 「増える」 reflects the changes in contemporary societies, where everything seems to be in constant expansion, from technology to environmental issues. This resonates in the way people talk about the world around them, capturing the essence of growth and transformation inherent in the verb.

Vocabulary

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Verb conjugation of 増える

• 増える - basic form
• 増えます - polite form
• 増えない - negative form
• 増えている - Continuous form

Synonyms and similar words

• 増やす (Fuyasu) - Increase; increase in number.
• 増大する (Zoudai suru) - Increase in volume or quantity; significant expansion.
• 増加する (Zouka suru) - To increase in number or quantity, usually in a continuous manner.
• 増殖する (Zoushoku suru) - Multiplication; reproduction, especially in biological contexts.
• 増す (Masu) - Increase in intensity or degree; intensify.

増える

Romaji: fueru
Kana: ふえる
Type: verb
L: jlpt-n4, jlpt-n2

Translation / Meaning: increase; to multiply

Meaning in English: to increase;to multiply

Definition: The number increases.

Example Sentences - (増える) fueru

See below some example sentences:

人口が増える。

Jinkou ga fueru

The population is increasing.

The population increases.

• 人口 - population
• が - subject particle
• 増える - increase

人口が増えている。

Jinkou ga fuete iru

The population is increasing.

The population is increasing.

• 人口 - "population" in Japanese.
• が - Grammatical particle that indicates the subject of the sentence.
• 増えている - verb "to increase" conjugated in the present continuous, indicating an ongoing action.

今年度の予算は増えました。

Konendo no yosan wa fuetamashita

This year's budget has increased.

• 今年度の - This fiscal year
• 予算は - budget
• 増えました - Increased

白髪が増えてきた。

Shiraga ga fuete kita

My white hair is increasing.

The gray hair increased.

• 白髪 - White hair
• が - subject particle
• 増えてきた - increased / are increasing

私の体重は増えています。

Watashi no taijuu wa fuete imasu

My weight is increasing.

My weight is winning.

• 私 - personal pronoun meaning "I" in Japanese.
• の - Title that indicates possession or expiration.
• 体重 - noun that means "body weight".
• は - Particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 増えています - verb meaning "to be increasing" in the present tense and polite form.