Translation and Meaning of: 言う - iu

Have you ever wondered how the Japanese express something as simple as "to say"? The word 言う (いう) is one of those that seems basic but carries fascinating nuances. In this article, we will explore its etymology, everyday use, and even tips for memorizing the kanji. If you have ever used Suki Nihongo, you know that we are the largest online Japanese dictionary, and here you will also find ready-made sentences to study in Anki or another spaced repetition system. Let's go beyond the literal translation and dive into what makes this word so versatile.

Why is 言う so common in Japanese? It appears in everyday expressions, proverbs, and even in more complex grammatical structures. If you've ever heard someone say "そういうこと" (sou iu koto), you've already gotten a taste of the power of this word. And it doesn't stop there: the kanji 言 has a visual history that helps to solidify it in memory. Let's unravel all of this, including the reasons why students often search for "言う conjugation" or "言う vs 話す" on Google.

The Origin and the Kanji of 言う

The kanji 言 (gen, gon, iu) is one of those characters that tells a story just by looking at it. Notice: it shows a mouth (口) above lines that represent words coming out. It's no surprise that it appears in other words related to speech, such as 言語 (gengo - language) or 名言 (meigen - famous quote). In ancient writing, these lines resembled an altar, suggesting that words were considered sacred - after all, they have power, don't they?

Interestingly, the reading いう comes from the archaic verb "ゆう," which still survives in some regional dialects. A professor from Kyoto once corrected me when I said "言った" (itta), joking: "Here we say 'ゆうた'!" These variations show how the language is alive. And注意: although 言う is often written in hiragana (いう) in grammatical constructions, the kanji appears when the verb carries more semantic weight in the sentence.

How to Use 言う in Daily Life

"I heard that Sato-san is going to get married!" In Japanese, it would be "佐藤さんが結婚するそういう話を聞いた" (Sato-san ga kekkon suru sou iu hanashi o kiita). Did you notice how いう here connects the information to the act of reporting it? This is the essence of the verb: it not only indicates speech but also transmission of content. That's why it appears in expressions like "～という" (called...) or "どういう意味？" (what does it mean?).

A common mistake is to think that 言う and 話す are interchangeable. While 話す focuses on the act of conversing ("電話で話す" - talking on the phone), 言う highlights the content being said. Have you noticed how in stores we hear "いらっしゃいませ" but never "言いませ"? That's right - greetings are actions, not information. This subtle difference explains why "嘘を言う" (to tell a lie) sounds natural, but "嘘を話す" would sound as if the lie were an entire conversation!

Memorization and Curiosities

To never forget the kanji 言, do as my student Carlos did: he created a mnemonic - "an altar where words are sacred." It worked so well that he now recognizes this radical in other kanji like 信 (trust) or 語 (language). Another tip is to associate the sound いう with the Portuguese "iu" (as in "ele iu"), remembering that it is what we do when we emit words.

Did you know that 言う appears in one of the best-known proverbs in Japan? "言わぬが花" (iwanu ga hana - literally "not saying is the flower") means that some things are more beautiful when not verbalized. And on Japanese social media, it's common to see the abbreviation "ってゆーか" (tte yuu ka), a casual way of saying "というか". Even in memes, 言う demonstrates its versatility - proof that mastering it is essential for a natural Japanese speaker.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Verb conjugation of 言う

• 言う - Base shape
• 言います - polite form
• 言って - imperative form

Synonyms and similar words

• 述べる (noberu) - Explain or describe something.
• 発言する (hatsugen suru) - Make a statement or comment.
• 言葉を発する (kotoba o hassuru) - Expressing words or making a speech.
• 言い表す (iiarasu) - Articulate or express ideas clearly.
• 言い換える (iikaeru) - Rephrase or express in another way.
• 言い続ける (ii tsuzukeru) - Continue to say something.
• 言い伝える (ii tsutaeru) - To transmit information or stories orally.
• 言い聞かせる (ii kikasete) - Convince someone through speech or instruct.
• 言い訳する (iiwake suru) - Justifying or apologizing.
• 言い放つ (ii hanatsu) - To state or declare something emphatically.

言う

Romaji: iu
Kana: いう
Type: verb
L: jlpt-n3, jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: say

Meaning in English: to say

Definition: Tell or recount to someone about something. speak. state

Example Sentences - (言う) iu

See below some example sentences:

馬鹿馬鹿しいことを言わないでください。

Mou bakabakashii koto wo iwanai de kudasai

Please don't say foolish things.

Don't say ridiculous things.

• 馬鹿 - dumb, stupid
• 馬鹿しい - Foolish, absurd
• こと - thing
• を - object particle
• 言わないで - do not say
• ください - Please

馬鹿らしいことを言わないでください。

Bakarashii koto wo iwanaide kudasai

Please don't say foolish things.

Don't say something stupid.

• 馬鹿らしい - means "ridiculous" or "absurd".
• こと - means "thing" or "subject".
• を - particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence.
• 言わないで - negative form of the verb "to say" in the imperative, meaning "don't say".
• ください - polite form of the verb "to give", which indicates a request or demand.

彼女は私にお金を呉れると言った。

Kanojo wa watashi ni okane wo kureru to itta

She said she would give me money.

She told me that she would earn money.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - she
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 私 (watashi) - I
• に (ni) - target particle
• お金 (okane) - money
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 呉れる (kureru) - give (humble form)
• と (to) - Quote particle
• 言った (itta) - he said

酷いことを言わないでください。

Hidoi koto wo iwanai de kudasai

Please don't say cruel things.

Don't say bad things.

• 酷い (hidoi) - means "cruel" or "terrible"
• こと (koto) - means "thing" or "subject"
• を (wo) - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 言わないで (iwanaide) - negative form of the verb "to say"
• ください (kudasai) - polite form of the verb "give" or "do"

舌が短いと言われる。

Shita ga mijikai to iwareru

They say I have a short tongue.

They say the tongue is short.

• 舌 - Tongue
• が - subject particle
• 短い - short
• と - Quote particle
• 言われる - ser dito

悪口を言わないでください。

Waruguchi o iwanaide kudasai

Please do not speak ill of others.

Don't say bad words.

• 悪口 - means "bad words" or "offensive language".
• を - particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence.
• 言わないで - negative form of the verb "to say" in the imperative, meaning "don't say".
• ください - polite form of the verb "to give", which indicates a request or demand.
• で - particle that indicates the place or means by which something is done.

冗談は言わないでください。

Joudan wa iwanaide kudasai

Please don't make jokes.

Do not play.

• 冗談 - Word in Japanese that means "joke".
• は - Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 言わないで - negative form of the Japanese verb "to say", which means "don't say".
• ください - Japanese word meaning "please", used to make a polite request.

出鱈目なことを言わないでください。

Detsuraku me na koto wo iwanai de kudasai

Please don't say meaningless things.

Don't say anything bad.

• 出鱈目 (shutsudzareme) - nonsense, absurd
• な (na) - particle that indicates negation or prohibition
• こと (koto) - thing, subject
• を (wo) - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 言わないで (iwanaide) - do not say
• ください (kudasai) - Please

余計なことを言わないでください。

Yokei na koto o iwanaide kudasai

Please do not say unnecessary things.

Don't say anything extra.

• 余計なこと - "unnecessary things"
• を - object particle
• 言わないで - "não diga"
• ください - "Please"

はっきりと言ってください。

Hakkiri to itte kudasai

Please speak clearly.

Please say it clearly.

• はっきりと - adverb that means "clearly"
• 言って - verb "to say" in the imperative
• ください - verb "to give" in the imperative, used to make a polite request