Translation guide
The English word 'attending' covers several distinct situations: being present at an event, going to school or work regularly, and accompanying someone. Japanese uses different verbs and expressions for each. This guide breaks them down by meaning.
To be at or go to a meeting, ceremony, party, concert, etc.
Formal verb for attending meetings, classes, ceremonies, or official events. Implies your name is on a list.
明日の会議に出席します。
I will attend tomorrow's meeting.
To participate in an event, often with an active role. Used for parties, workshops, volunteer activities.
パーティーに参加しませんか。
Would you like to attend the party?
Casual 'go to'. Natural in everyday speech for concerts, movies, informal gatherings.
昨日のライブに行った？
Did you attend the concert yesterday?
To be enrolled in a school or to go to work as a routine.
To commute or attend regularly (school, work, hospital). Emphasizes the repeated action.
彼は毎日大学に通っている。
He attends university every day.
To be employed at a company. Focuses on employment rather than the act of going.
Formal term for being enrolled in a school. Often used in documents.
彼は現在高校に在学中です。
He is currently attending high school.
To go with someone to an event or place, often as a companion or escort.
To accompany someone, often in a formal or business context.
部長に同行して会議に出席した。
I attended the meeting accompanying the department head.
To attend someone as a helper or caretaker, e.g., to a hospital or appointment.
母の病院に付き添った。
I attended my mother to the hospital.
Humble form of 'to accompany', used when speaking to a superior or client.
社長のお供をして展示会に行きました。
I attended the exhibition accompanying the company president.
To deal with or take care of something, like a customer or a problem.
To handle, deal with, or attend to a matter, inquiry, or customer.
お客様の質問に対応しています。
I am attending to the customer's questions.
To take care of or look after someone, like a patient or child.
看護師が患者の世話をしている。
The nurse is attending to the patients.
To tackle or attend to a problem or task with effort.
出席する is too formal for parties, concerts, or informal gatherings. Use 参加する or simply 行く instead.
通う means you are enrolled and go regularly. 出席する means you were present on a specific day or at a specific class. 学校に通っている (I attend school) vs. 今日の授業に出席した (I attended today's class).
彼女は銀行に勤めています。
She attends work at a bank. (She works at a bank.)
彼はその問題に真剣に取り組んでいる。
He is seriously attending to the problem.