Let’s learn to talk about what you wear today!
Clothing items
| めがね | spectacles, glasses | かけます |
| ぼうし | hat, cap, beanie | かぶります |
| うわぎ | coat, jacket | きます |
| ジャケット | jacket | きます |
| シャツ | shirt | きます |
| スーツ | business suit | きます |
| せびろ | business suit, a jacket | きます |
| ようふく | Western-style clothes | きます |
| ワイシャツ | shirt (lit: white shirt), business shirt | きます |
| ネクタイ | tie, necktie | します |
| くつ | shoes, footwear | はきます |
| くつした | socks | はきます |
| スカート | skirt | はきます |
| ズボン | trousers | はきます |
| スリッパ | slippers (usually for indoor use) | はきます |
Verbs to “put them on”
Describing the action of putting your clothes on requires several different words in Japanese depending on what item of clothing you are talking about.
- きます is for a top (waist up) or for a dress or suit (something that covers the whole body).
- はきます is for anything waist down, such as trousers, skirts, socks and shoes.
- かけます is for glasses only.
- かぶります is for a hat or cap but かぶります is also used when you put on a hood or scarf to cover your head.
- つけます is for accessories but します can be also used for accessories in a casual conversation.
When it is worn
All these verbs above are to describe the action of “putting something on”. In order to describe the state of “having something on” (when you would use “wear” instead of “put on” in English), you need to make them into てform and add います。For how to change -ます form verb into てform, please see this page.
Examples
Course: JLPT N5
