Translation guide
The English word 'catch' covers many actions: capturing a moving object, trapping someone, contracting an illness, understanding something, and more. Japanese uses different verbs depending on what is being caught and how.
To stop and hold something that is moving through the air or towards you, typically with your hands.
The most common verb for catching a ball or similar object. Often written in kana as とる.
ボールを捕る
catch a ball
彼はフライを上手に捕った。
He caught the fly ball skillfully.
Loanword from English, used especially in sports contexts. Sounds slightly more casual/modern.
パスをキャッチする
catch a pass
To catch and stop something, often with a nuance of absorbing the impact. Used for heavier or more forceful objects.
彼は飛んできたボールを受け止めた。
He caught the ball that came flying at him.
To take hold of a person or animal, often after pursuit, or to trap them.
General verb for catching a person or animal, implying grabbing and holding. Can also mean to arrest.
警察が犯人を捕まえた。
The police caught the criminal.
猫を捕まえようとしたが逃げられた。
I tried to catch the cat, but it got away.
Can also be used for catching animals, especially in hunting or fishing contexts.
魚を捕る
catch fish
Formal term for capturing animals or people, often used in official or scientific contexts.
野生動物を捕獲する
capture wild animals
To become infected with a disease.
Used specifically with colds (風邪). The most common way to say 'catch a cold'.
風邪を引いた。
I caught a cold.
General verb for contracting an illness. Often used with specific disease names.
To be infected with a pathogen. More medical/formal than 罹る.
ウイルスに感染した。
I caught a virus.
To discover someone doing something wrong or secret.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to be found out'. The person caught is the subject. Often used with 〜ているところを.
嘘をついているところを見つかった。
I was caught lying.
Casual verb meaning 'to be exposed' or 'to be found out'. Often used for secrets or misdeeds.
Transitive verb meaning 'to find' or 'to catch someone doing something'. The discoverer is the subject.
To board a vehicle before it departs.
To perceive or comprehend something, especially something not entirely clear.
To catch what someone says, to make out words. Often used when the sound is unclear.
彼の言ったことが聞き取れなかった。
I didn't catch what he said.
To understand, comprehend. More general than 聞き取る.
彼のジョークを理解できなかった。
I didn't catch his joke.
To understand. Very common. Often used in negative form for 'didn't catch'.
To get snagged or entangled.
To get caught on something, to be snagged. Intransitive.
服が釘に引っかかった。
My clothes got caught on a nail.
Transitive version: to catch something on something else.
To make someone notice or become interested.
Literally 'pull the eye', meaning to attract attention or be eye-catching.
その広告は目を引く。
That advertisement catches the eye.
To attract interest. Literally 'pull interest'.
その話は私の興味を引いた。
That story caught my interest.
捕る (とる) is used for catching objects in motion (balls, fish), while 捕まえる (つかまえる) is for seizing people or animals that are trying to escape. 捕まえる implies grabbing and holding, often after pursuit.
The loanword キャッチする is not used for catching a cold or disease. Use 風邪を引く or 病気に罹る instead.
✕ 風邪をキャッチする
Don't say this
○ 風邪を引く
catch a cold
I caught the flu.
He got caught cheating.
彼が盗んでいるところを見つけた。
I caught him stealing.
I didn't catch what you were saying.
セーターを釘に引っかけてしまった。
I caught my sweater on a nail.