Lies, jokes and complaints
Collocations, Stage 2chunk 23 of 24People & talk
What friends say to each other: lies, jokes, complaints, venting and secrets.
- uso o tsukutell a lie
- joudan o iujoke, kid around
- monku o iucomplain
- guchi o iugrumble, vent
- naisho ni surukeep it secret
Mix-ups Lying takes tsuku (uso tsuita), but joking, complaining and venting take iu. monku o iu is complaining at someone or about something wrong, while guchi o iu is grumbling to let off steam. naisho takes ni suru, not mamoru.
uso o tsuku
polite uso o tsukimasutell a lie
嘘をつく うそをつく 嘘をつきます
verbtsuku つくlet out (breath); in speech it survives mainly in uso o tsuku and tameiki o tsuku (sigh)typical 39% of uso
trap English 'tell' leads to uso o iu, which natives also say (uso bakkari itte, uso iwanaide), but the set phrase for lying is uso o tsuku: uso tsuita, uso tsukanaide.
Heard as denial or accusation: uso tsuitenai yo (I'm not lying), uso tsukanaide (don't lie to me). Bare uso! is the 'no way!' reaction, not an accusation.
uso tsuitenai yo, honto da yo.
I'm not lying, it's true.
嘘ついてないよ、ほんとだよ。
uso wa tsuitemasen. hontou desu yo.
I'm not lying. It's true.
嘘はついてません。本当ですよ。
A liar is usotsuki.
Same verb: tameiki (sigh)Learn alongside: joudan o iuMain list: uso (Stage 2), iu (Stage 2), tsuku (Stage 3), honto? (Stage 2)
joudan o iu
polite joudan o iimasujoke, kid around
冗談を言う じょうだんをいう 冗談を言います
verbiu 言うsaytypical 33% of joudan
trap English 'make a joke' leads to joudan o tsukuru, which doesn't work; jokes are said (joudan o iu), and 'just kidding' is joudan da yo.
Heard in teasing: mata joudan itte (there you go joking again), joudan itteru dake (I'm only joking). The short replies joudan da yo (just kidding) and joudan desho? (you're kidding, right?) leave the verb out. joudan ja nai yo is the annoyed opposite: this is no joke / you've got to be kidding me.
joudan itteru dake da yo.
I'm only joking.
冗談言ってるだけだよ。
joudan o itteru dake desu yo.
I'm only joking.
冗談を言ってるだけですよ。
Same verb: monku (complaint), oseji (flattery), wagamama (selfish demands), dajare (pun)Learn alongside: uso o tsukuMain list: iu (Stage 2), uso (Stage 2)
monku o iu
polite monku o iimasucomplain
文句を言う もんくをいう 文句を言います
verbiu 言うsaytypical 58% of monku
trap English has one verb, 'complain'; Japanese says the complaint: monku o iu, not monku suru. Dictionary picks sound formal: kujou o iu is lodging a complaint with a landlord or company, fuhei o iu is bookish, and kureemu (from 'claim') is a customer complaint to a business. Venting about your day is guchi o iu.
Heard mostly as a rebuke: monku iwanaide (stop complaining), monku bakkari (always complaining). Complaining to a shop or a neighbour is also monku o iu, and being on the receiving end is monku iwareta (someone complained to me). Casual speech often drops o.
monku bakkari iwanaide yo.
Stop complaining all the time.
文句ばっかり言わないでよ。
monku bakari iwanaide kudasai.
Please stop complaining so much.
文句ばかり言わないでください。
monku aru? (got a problem with that?) is the confrontational retort, and monku nai yo (no complaints, fine by me) the easy-going reply; both belong to monku ga aru.
Same verb: guchi (venting), waruguchi (badmouthing), wagamama (selfish demands), hiniku (sarcasm)Learn alongside: guchi o iu, orei o iu (Stage 3), honne o iu (Stage 4)Main list: iu (Stage 2), -naide (Stage 2), bakkari (Stage 2)
guchi o iu
polite guchi o iimasugrumble, vent
愚痴を言う ぐちをいう 愚痴を言います
verbiu 言うsaytypical 51% of guchi
Venting about work, family or your lot, usually to a friend over a drink: guchi itte gomen (sorry for moaning), guchi bakkari (always moaning). The listener's side is guchi o kiku (guchi nara kiku yo), and guchiru is the one-word casual verb. monku o iu is objecting to someone or something; guchi is letting off steam about your situation.
gomen, guchi bakkari itte.
Sorry, all I do is moan.
ごめん、愚痴ばっかり言って。
sumimasen, guchi bakari itte shimatte.
Sorry for complaining so much.
すみません、愚痴ばかり言ってしまって。
guchi o kobosu means the same and sounds a little more literary.
Same verb: waruguchi (badmouthing), iiwake (excuses)Learn alongside: monku o iu, orei o iu (Stage 3), honne o iu (Stage 4)Main list: iu (Stage 2), bakkari (Stage 2), gomen (Stage 1), kiku (Stage 2)
naisho ni suru
polite naisho ni shimasukeep it secret
内緒にする ないしょにする 内緒にします
verbsuru するdo; with ni, make something into X (kore ni suru = I'll take this one)typical 72% of naisho
trap English 'keep a secret' leads to mamoru. himitsu o mamoru is fine (himitsu mamotte ne works too), but naisho doesn't take mamoru: 'keep this between us' is naisho ni shite (or himitsu ni shite).
Almost always a request: kore naisho ni shite ne (keep this between us). On its own, naisho da yo means 'it's a secret' when you won't tell.
kore naisho ni shite ne.
Keep this between us, okay?
これ内緒にしてね。
kore wa naisho ni shite kudasai ne.
Please keep this to yourself.
これは内緒にしてくださいね。
himitsu ni suru is the neutral twin.
Same verb: himitsu (secret)Main list: suru (Stage 1), -ni suru (Stage 3)