Fridge and microwave

Collocations, Stage 4chunk 9 of 25Food & drink

Putting food away and getting it out again: into the fridge, a lid on, heating it up, and checking whether it's past its date.

• reizouko ni ireruput in the fridge
• obentou o atatameruheat up a boxed lunch
• futa o suruput the lid on
• kigen ga kireruexpire, be past its date

Mix-ups reizouko ni ireru takes ni for where the food goes, unlike satou o ireru. Heating food up is atatameru (obentou atatamemasu ka? at the konbini), not atsuku suru. A lid goes on with futa o suru; a screw cap is futa o shimeru. Expiry has no verb of its own: the date runs out with kireru, like juuden ga kireru.

reizouko ni ireru

polite reizouko ni iremasuheard —rarely

put in the fridge

冷蔵庫に入れる れいぞうこにいれるPlay 冷蔵庫に入れますPlay

verbireru 入れるput in, put inside

trap English 'put' leads to oku, which is mainly setting something down on a surface. Into the fridge, a bag or a box, the usual verb is ireru; reizouko ni oite aru (it's been left in the fridge) is also heard.

Said about leftovers and shopping, usually with -toku: reizouko ni iretoku ne (I'll put it in the fridge), or as a request, reizouko iretoite. ni is often kept, but casual speech drops it too, and reizouko ni shimau (put away in the fridge) is also common.

casualPlay

amatta no, reizouko ni iretoku ne.

I'll put what's left in the fridge.

余ったの、冷蔵庫に入れとくね。

politePlay

amatta no wa, reizouko ni irete okimasu ne.

I'll put what's left in the fridge.

余ったのは、冷蔵庫に入れておきますね。

Taking it out is reizouko kara dasu; chilling a drink is hiyasu (biiru hiyashitoku).

Same verb: reitouko (freezer), kaban (bag), hako (box)Main list: ireru (Stage 4), -toku (Stage 1)

obentou o atatameru

polite obentou o atatamemasuheard —rarely

heat up a boxed lunch

お弁当を温める おべんとうをあたためるPlay お弁当を温めますPlay

verbatatameru 温めるwarm up, heat (food, a room, hands)

trap English 'heat up' leads to atsuku suru; warming food is atatameru. At the till, daijoubu desu means 'no, thanks', so say onegai shimasu if you want it heated.

Heard at every konbini checkout as a question, obentou atatamemasu ka? (shall I heat it up?), answered with onegai shimasu or daijoubu desu. At home renji de chin suru (zap it) is the casual alternative.

casualPlay

obentou, renji de atatamete kuru ne.

I'll go heat up my lunch in the microwave.

お弁当、レンジで温めてくるね。

politePlay

obentou, renji de atatamete kimasu ne.

I'll go heat up my lunch in the microwave.

お弁当、レンジで温めてきますね。

At the same till you'll hear ohashi otsuke shimasu ka? (want chopsticks?).

Same verb: gyuunyuu (milk), suupu (soup), nokorimono (leftovers)Main list: onegai (Stage 1), daijoubu (Stage 1), -te kuru (Stage 4)

futa o suru

polite futa o shimasuheard 24×

put the lid on

蓋をする ふたをするPlay 蓋をしますPlay

verbsuru するdo; with a lid, plug or wrap, put it on (as with worn items: masuku o suru)typical 30% of futa

trap English 'put the lid on' leads to futa o oku, which means setting the lid down somewhere. Covering a pot is futa (o) suru, the same suru as masuku o suru.

Said while cooking and storing food: futa shite gofun (lid on for five minutes), futa shitoite (keep it covered). Casual speech drops o, and taking the lid off is futa o toru or futa o akeru.

casualPlay

futa shite, gofun gurai nikonde.

Put the lid on and let it simmer about five minutes.

蓋して、五分ぐらい煮込んで。

politePlay

futa o shite, gofun gurai nikonde kudasai.

Put the lid on and let it simmer for about five minutes.

蓋をして、五分ぐらい煮込んでください。

futa o shimeru (close the lid) works for pots and boxes too, and is the only choice for a screw-top bottle or jar; opening is futa o akeru.

Same verb: raappu (cling film: raappu shite reizouko ni ireru), sen (a plug or stopper: ofuro no sen o suru)Main list: suru (Stage 1), gurai (Stage 4)

kigen ga kireru

polite kigen ga kiremasuheard 13×

expire, be past its date

期限が切れる きげんがきれるPlay 期限が切れますPlay

verbkireru 切れるsnap, run out; for a time limit, lapsetypical 17% of kigen

trap Dictionaries give shikkou suru or manryou for 'expire', which are legal and formal words. Food, passports and coupons just run out: kigen ga kireta.

Said about food in the fridge and about cards, passports and coupons, mostly as kireteru or kireta: kore, kigen kireteru (this is past its date). For food the full noun is common: shoumi kigen kireteru.

casualPlay

kono gyuunyuu, kigen kireteru yo.

This milk is past its date.

この牛乳、期限切れてるよ。

politePlay

kono gyuunyuu, kigen ga kiretemasu yo.

This milk is past its date.

この牛乳、期限が切れてますよ。

Don't mix it up with kigen ga warui (in a bad mood), which is a different kigen (機嫌).

Same verb: pasupooto (passport), keiyaku (contract), teiki (commuter pass: teiki kireteru), menkyo (licence)Learn alongside: juuden ga kireruMain list: -teru (Stage 1)