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Japanese Versatility List

Luck and doing well

Core words, Stage 2chunk 23 of 80Verbs: effort and results

Lets you say something's good, you're lucky, it's selling, you guessed right, or someone's thriving.

Mix-ups ateru (guess right) vs ataru (it hits, you win), and ureru (it sells) vs uru (sell it).

ikeru

polite ikemasu

be doable; be pretty good

Casual 'it's fine' or 'it's good': mada ikeru (I can keep going), kore ikeru (this is tasty).

Also just 'can go': ashita ikeru? (can you make it tomorrow?). Don't confuse with ikenai (mustn't).

casual

kore, kekkou ikeru ne!

This is pretty good!

これ、結構いけるね！

polite

kore, kekkou ikemasu ne!

This is pretty good!

これ、結構いけますね！

Written いける · いけますRank #1630 in 3,030 TV dramas

tsuiteru

polite tsuite imasu

be lucky

Mostly as an exclamation, tsuiteru! (lucky!), or in the negative, tsuitenai (no luck).

Same verb as tsuku (stick to), so it can also mean 'it's attached' or 'it's switched on'.

casual

kyou wa honto ni tsuitenai na.

I've had no luck at all today.

今日はほんとについてないな。

polite

kyou wa hontou ni tsuite imasen ne.

I've had no luck at all today.

今日は本当についていませんね。

Written ついてる · ついていますRank #1402 in 3,030 TV dramas

ureru

polite uremasu

sell (well); be popular

The goods are the subject: yoku ureru (sells well); also an entertainer making it big.

uru is 'sell' (you sell it); ureru is 'it sells'.

casual

kono hon, sugoku ureteru rashii yo.

Apparently this book is selling really well.

この本、すごく売れてるらしいよ。

polite

kono hon wa sugoku urete iru sou desu.

Apparently this book is selling really well.

この本はすごく売れているそうです。

Written 売れる · うれる · 売れますRank #1483 in 3,030 TV dramas

ateru

polite atemasu

guess right; hit

Guessing an answer, winning a prize, or hitting a target.

ataru is 'it hits' or 'you win': kuji ga atatta (I won the draw). Also 'put against': te o ateru (put a hand on it).

casual

nani ga haitteru ka, atete mite.

Guess what's inside.

何が入ってるか、当ててみて。

polite

nani ga haitte iru ka, atete mite kudasai.

Have a guess what's inside.

何が入っているか、当ててみてください。

Written 当てる · あてる · 当てますRank #2034 in 3,030 TV dramas

katsuyaku suru

polite katsuyaku shimasu

do well; play an active part

Someone shining in their role: at work, on a team, in their field.

Said of people, not plans; for a plan working out, use umaku iku.

casual

kare, ima amerika de katsuyaku shiteru n da tte.

I hear he's doing really well in America now.

彼、今アメリカで活躍してるんだって。

polite

kare wa ima amerika de katsuyaku shite iru sou desu.

I hear he's doing really well in America now.

彼は今アメリカで活躍しているそうです。

Written 活躍する · かつやくする · 活躍しますRank #2268 in 3,030 TV dramas