かける
かける
verb (ichidan)
to hang; to phone; to pour; to spend; to lock
他動詞 transitiveaction
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | かける | かけない |
| Present polite | かけます | かけません |
| Past | かけた | かけなかった |
| Past polite | かけました | かけませんでした |
| て form | かけて | かけなくて |
| ている present | かけている | かけていない |
| ている polite | かけています | かけていません |
| ている past | かけていた | かけていなかった |
| ている past polite | かけていました | かけていませんでした |
| Conditional ば | かければ | かけなければ |
| Conditional たら | かけたら | かけなかったら |
| Volitional | かけよう | — |
| Volitional polite | かけましょう | — |
| Potential | かけられる | かけられない |
| Passive | かけられる | かけられない |
| Causative | かけさせる | かけさせない |
| Imperative | かけろ | かけるな |
1.
to hang; to put over (a cover)
To hang something on a hook, wall or hanger (a picture, a coat, a bag on a chair), or to lay a cover over something, as when putting a blanket over a sleeping child. Pattern: YにXをかける.
2.
to make (a phone call)
To phone someone. The call is the object and the person called takes に: 友達に電話をかける. The receiving side is expressed with かかる: 電話がかかってくる (a call comes in).
3.
to put on, to wear (glasses)
To put on or wear glasses or sunglasses. かけている describes wearing them as a state: 眼鏡をかけている人 (a person who wears glasses).
4.
to pour, to sprinkle (over)
To pour, sprinkle or spread a liquid or powder over something: soy sauce or a sauce on food, bonito flakes on tofu, water on someone, a glaze on pottery. Pattern: YにXをかける, where Y is the thing covered.
The children were splashing water at each other in the yard, having a great time.
5.
to spend (time, money, effort)
To spend or invest time, money or effort on something, usually a generous or deliberate amount: 時間をかける, お金をかける, 長い年月をかけて. A bare amount also works: 一か月かけて (taking a whole month).
6.
to cause (worry, trouble); to speak to
To direct something at another person, who is marked with に: to cause them trouble or worry (迷惑をかける, 心配をかける), or to address words to them (声をかける, 一声かける). The humble form おかけする is common in apologies.
I have caused you all a great deal of trouble.
おかけする is the humble form of かける, common in apologies.
7.
to lock; to fasten (a button)
To lock something or fasten it shut: 鍵をかける (lock), ボタンをかける (do up a button), ロックをかける (lock a phone or a file). The resulting state is expressed with かかる: 鍵がかかっている (it is locked).
8.
to start, to run, to apply (an engine, brakes)
To set a machine or process going, or bring something to bear: start an engine, apply the brakes, iron clothes, play music, run a search (検索をかける), cast a spell (魔法をかける), and figuratively put a brake on something (歯止めをかける) or call people together (号令をかける, 召集をかける).
9.
(after a verb stem) to start to; to be about to
Attached to the stem of another verb (言いかける, 忘れかける), かける means to begin doing something, or to be partway through or on the verge of it, often implying that the action stopped or did not finish. The noun form 〜かけ means half-done: 読みかけの本 (a half-read book). Written in kana.
言いかけてやめた。
I started to say something, then stopped.
I had almost given up, but my friends encouraged me and I decided to take the exam once more.
Transitivity
- Type: 他動詞 (transitive)
- Pair: かかる (intransitive): 鍵をかける → 鍵がかかる; 電話をかける → 電話がかかってくる
- Pattern: (Yに) Xをかける
Writing
Usually written in kana. The kanji depend on the sense:
- 掛ける: most senses (hang, pour, spend, cause, lock, set going, verb stem + かける)
- 架ける: build a span, as in 橋を架ける (build a bridge)
- 賭ける: stake or bet, as in 命を賭ける (risk one's life); see the separate entry 賭ける
Two unrelated verbs share the reading, each with its own entry: 欠ける (to chip; to be lacking) and 駆ける (to run, to dash).
Common patterns
- Yに電話をかける: phone Y
- Yに声をかける: speak to Y; invite Y along
- Yに迷惑／心配をかける: cause Y trouble / worry
- Xに時間／お金をかける: spend time / money on X
- 気にかける: worry about, care about
- 腰をかける: sit down
- 二かける三は六: two times three is six
Similar words
かける vs. かかる for time and money: 時間をかける is what a person chooses to spend; 時間がかかる is what a task takes, whether anyone wants it to or not.
ASPECT (ている):
眼鏡をかけている is a state (is wearing glasses). For a lock, the state is 鍵がかけてある or 鍵がかかっている (it is locked).