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Japanese Versatility List

Cleaning and chores

Core words, Stage 3chunk 40 of 76Home and everyday things

Lets you share the cleaning and take the rubbish out.

Mix-ups Souji is cleaning a room; washing clothes is sentaku.

souji suru

polite souji shimasu

clean (a room or house); cleaning

Sweeping, wiping or vacuuming; washing clothes is sentaku and washing dishes is arau.

Also a plain noun: souji ga owatta = the cleaning's done.

casual

shuumatsu wa heya no souji suru tsumori.

I'm planning to clean my room this weekend.

週末は部屋の掃除するつもり。

polite

shuumatsu wa heya no souji o suru tsumori desu.

I'm planning to clean my room this weekend.

週末は部屋の掃除をするつもりです。

Written 掃除する · そうじする · 掃除しますRank #1393 in 3,030 TV dramas

gomi

rubbish; trash

Sorted strictly, with moeru gomi (burnable), moenai gomi and recycling collected on set days.

Take the rubbish out = gomi o dasu; a bin is a gomibako. Often written ゴミ.

casual

ashita, moeru gomi no hi da yo.

Tomorrow's burnable rubbish day.

明日、燃えるごみの日だよ。

polite

ashita wa moeru gomi no hi desu yo.

Tomorrow is burnable rubbish day.

明日は燃えるごみの日ですよ。

Written ごみRank #8915 in 3,030 TV dramas

kaji

housework; chores

Sounds the same as kaji, a fire; context sorts it out.

casual

kaji, hanbun zutsu ni shiyou yo.

Let's split the housework half and half.

家事、半分ずつにしようよ。

polite

kaji wa hanbun zutsu ni shimashou.

Let's split the housework half and half.

家事は半分ずつにしましょう。

Written 家事 · かじRank #3945 in 3,030 TV dramas

dougu

tool; equipment; gear

Anything you use for a job: cleaning things, sports gear, art supplies.

casual

souji no dougu, doko ni aru?

Where are the cleaning things?

掃除の道具、どこにある?

polite

souji no dougu wa doko ni arimasu ka?

Where are the cleaning things?

掃除の道具はどこにありますか?

Written 道具 · どうぐRank #2579 in 3,030 TV dramas