付(つ)ける

つける
verb (ichidan)
to attach; to give (a name); to keep (a record)
他動詞 transitiveaction
See also: つける (all senses (kana)), 付(つ)く (intransitive), 漬(つ)ける (to pickle, to soak)
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present付(つ)ける付(つ)けない
Present polite付(つ)けます付(つ)けません
Past付(つ)けた付(つ)けなかった
Past polite付(つ)けました付(つ)けませんでした
て form付(つ)けて付(つ)けなくて
ている present付(つ)けている付(つ)けていない
ている polite付(つ)けています付(つ)けていません
ている past付(つ)けていた付(つ)けていなかった
ている past polite付(つ)けていました付(つ)けていませんでした
Conditional ば付(つ)ければ付(つ)けなければ
Conditional たら付(つ)けたら付(つ)けなかったら
Volitional付(つ)けよう—
Volitional polite付(つ)けましょう—
Potential付(つ)けられる付(つ)けられない
Passive付(つ)けられる付(つ)けられない
Causative付(つ)けさせる付(つ)けさせない
Imperative付(つ)けろ付(つ)けるな
1. to attach, to fix; to add
To attach or fix one thing to another (a key ring to a bag, a name tag to luggage, curtains to a window), or to add something extra to something else (a comment, a reason). Pattern: YにXを付(つ)ける. The transitive pair of 付(つ)く (to be attached).
Please put a name tag on your luggage.
I attached a key ring to my bag.
I sent the photo with a comment attached.
Please give your reasons along with your answers.
The new apartment had no curtains, so on moving day the first thing I did was put some up on the windows.
2. to give (a name, a price, a title)
To give or assign something to someone or something: a name (名前(なまえ)を付(つ)ける), a price (値段(ねだん)を付(つ)ける), a title, a mark or score.
名前(なまえ)を付(つ)けました。
I gave it a name.
名前(なまえ)を付(つ)ける = to name
The shopkeeper put a high price on the old watch.
Please give this document a name and save it.
猫(ねこ)に「タマ」という名前(なまえ)を付(つ)けました。かわいいでしょう。
I named the cat 'Tama.' Cute, right?
I gave my finished essay a short title and handed it in to the teacher.
3. to keep (a diary, accounts)
To keep a regular written record: a diary (日記(にっき)を付(つ)ける), the accounts (帳簿(ちょうぼ)を付(つ)ける), a log of one's practice or spending.
日記(にっき)を付(つ)ける。
To keep a diary.
My father keeps the shop's books.
I keep household accounts every month to cut down on wasteful spending.
If you keep a record of your practice, you can see clearly how much you've improved.
I kept my diary every single day during the trip, so when I read it back later, happy memories come flooding back.

付(つ)ける is the kanji spelling of つける for its 'attach' group of senses. The kana entry つける covers every sense of the verb, including turning things on (点(つ)ける), lighting a fire, wearing (着(つ)ける), seasoning food, bearing fruit and 気(き)をつける (be careful); this entry shows only the senses normally written 付(つ)ける.

Transitivity

Common patterns

Writing

Many writers use kana つける even for these senses, and 気(き)をつける is usually written in kana. A different verb shares the reading: 漬(つ)ける (to pickle, to soak).