Translation and Meaning of: がる - garu

The Japanese word がる [garu] is a versatile suffix that frequently appears in everyday language, but often goes unnoticed by beginner students. Its meaning and usage are related to the expression of feelings or observable behaviors in other people. In this article, we will explore what がる really means, how it is applied in sentences, and why it is so common in informal conversations. Additionally, we will provide practical tips for memorizing its use and avoiding common mistakes.

Meaning and usage of がる in the Japanese language

The suffix がる is added to adjectives or nouns to indicate that someone is displaying a feeling or behavior visibly. For example, 寂しがる (sabishigaru) means "to act as if they are lonely" or "to show signs of loneliness." It is often used to describe the reactions of others, especially children or people whose emotions are more evident.

It is important to note that がる is not used to talk about oneself. If you are hungry, you say お腹が空いた (onaka ga suita), but if you are describing someone else who is hungry, you can say お腹が空いたがっている (onaka ga suita garu). This distinction is essential to avoid grammatical errors and to sound more natural in everyday Japanese.

Origin and grammatical structure of がる

The origin of がる is linked to the verb がる, which used to mean "to show" or "to express." Over time, it became a grammaticalized suffix, losing some of its independent meaning. Today, it mainly connects to adjectives in the い form (like 嬉しい → 嬉しがる) or to some nouns (like 恥ずかしさ → 恥ずかしがる).

From a grammatical point of view, がる transforms the word into a Group 1 (godan) verb, meaning its conjugation follows patterns such as がらない (negative) or がった (past). This regularity makes learning easier, but it's important to practice with real examples to internalize its correct usage.

Tips for memorizing and using がる correctly

An effective way to memorize がる is to associate it with situations where emotions are visible. Think of children who do not hide what they feel: 怖がる (kowagaru – to act with fear) or 嬉しがる (ureshigaru – to show happiness). Animes and dramas often use this structure a lot, making it great for contextual learning.

Another tip is to avoid confusing がる with forms like たがる (which indicates the desires of others). While たがる comes from the verb たい (to want), がる has a broader usage. Practicing with sentences from the Suki Nihongo dictionary, which provides real examples, can help differentiate these cases.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 欲しがる (hoshigaru) - To wish, to want something.
• 欲しがりたい (hoshigaritai) - To strongly want something.
• 欲しがっている (hoshigatteiru) - Wanting something at the moment.
• 欲しがります (hoshigarimasu) - To wish (polite form).

がる

Romaji: garu
Kana: がる
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: feel

Meaning in English: feel

Definition: There are many things and things. It is thought to be desired.

Example Sentences - (がる) garu

See below some example sentences:

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?

傷ついた心は癒えるまで時間がかかる。

Kizutsuita kokoro wa ieru made jikan ga kakaru

A heart wound takes time to heal.

The wounded heart takes time to heal.

• 傷ついた - bruised, injured
• 心 - heart, mind
• は - Topic particle
• 癒える - heal
• まで - up until
• 時間 - time
• がかかる - takes time, requires time

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

広がる世界を一緒に旅しましょう。

Hirogaru sekai wo issho ni tabi shimashou

Let's travel the world together.

• 広がる - verb that means "to spread", "to expand"
• 世界 - noun that means "world"
• を - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 一緒に - expression that means "together"
• 旅 - noun that means "trip"
• しましょう - verb that indicates a suggestion or invitation to do something together

操作を覚えるのに時間がかかることがあります。

Sōsa o oboeru no ni jikan ga kakaru koto ga arimasu

It may take some time to learn the operation.

• 操作 (sousa) - action, operation
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 覚える (oboeru) - remember, memorize
• のに (noni) - conjunction indicating a condition or reason
• 時間 (jikan) - time, hour
• が (ga) - subject particle
• かかる (kakaru) - take time, delay
• こと (koto) - abstract noun, in this case "fact"
• が (ga) - subject particle
• あります (arimasu) - Verb "to be" in the present tense

新入生は新しい環境に慣れるのに時間がかかることがあります。

Shinnyūsei wa atarashii kankyō ni nareru no ni jikan ga kakaru koto ga arimasu

New students can take time to get used to a new environment.

• 新入生 - "new students"
• は - it is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "new students".
• 新しい - means "new" in Japanese.
• 環境 - It means "environment" in Japanese.
• に - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the direction or target of the action, in this case "to" the new environment.
• 慣れる - It means "to get used to" in Japanese.
• のに - is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates a condition or a reason, in this case "to" get used to the new environment.
• 時間 - "tempo" means "time" in Japanese.
• がかかる - it's a Japanese expression that means "to take time" or "to be necessary time".
• こと - it is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates an action or an event, in this case "to take time".
• あります - It is a polite way to say "there is" or "there are" in Japanese.

株価が下がる。

Kabuka ga sagaru

The stock price falls.

Drop price drops.

• 株価 - stock price
• が - subject particle
• 下がる - fall, decrease

清潔な環境は健康につながる。

Seiketsu na kankyou wa kenkou ni tsunagaru

A clean environment leads to health.

• 清潔な - adjective that means "clean"
• 環境 - noun that means "environment"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 健康 - noun that means "health"
• に - particle that indicates the relationship between the subject and the verb
• つながる - verb that means "to be connected" or "to be related"

溝を埋めるには時間がかかる。

Mizo wo umeru ni wa jikan ga kakaru

It takes time to fill the rhythm.

• 溝 (mizo) - means "ditch" or "channel"
• を (wo) - object particle
• 埋める (umeru) - means "fill" or "bury"
• には (niwa) - particle that indicates a condition or requirement
• 時間 (jikan) - means "time"
• が (ga) - subject particle
• かかる (kakaru) - means "to take time" or "to take a long time"

私は犬を可愛がる。

Watashi wa inu wo kawaigaru

I lovingly take care of my dog.

I love my dog.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese topic particle that indicates the main subject of the sentence.
• 犬 (inu) - Japanese noun that means "dog"
• を (wo) - Japanese object particle indicating the direct object of the action
• 可愛がる (kawaigaru) - Japanese verb that means "to love", "to care" or "to pamper"