Translation guide
The English verb 'to do' has many grammatical functions. This guide covers the most common uses for English-speaking learners of Japanese, including main verb 'do', auxiliary 'do' for questions/negatives/emphasis, and pro-verb 'do so'.
Expressing that someone performs a general action, often unspecified or previously mentioned.
The most common and versatile verb for 'do'. Used for a wide range of actions, often with nouns to form verbs (e.g., 勉強する 'study').
What are you doing?
宿題をしなさい。
Do your homework.
More casual than する. Often used for physical actions, giving, or doing something for someone. Can sound rough or masculine.
Formal verb for 'carry out' or 'conduct', used for events, ceremonies, procedures.
会議は明日行われます。
The meeting will be held tomorrow.
Using 'do' to form questions or negative statements in English. Japanese does not use an auxiliary verb for this; instead, it uses particles and verb conjugations.
Japanese forms questions by adding the particle か at the end of a sentence, or by using question words. Negatives are formed by conjugating the verb into its negative form (e.g., しない, 食べない). There is no direct equivalent of 'do' as an auxiliary.
あなたは日本語を話しますか。
Do you speak Japanese?
私は肉を食べません。
I don't eat meat.
Adding emphasis to a statement, like 'I do like it'. Japanese uses adverbs or sentence-ending particles for emphasis.
There is no direct equivalent of emphatic 'do'. Instead, use adverbs such as 本当に (really) or 確かに (certainly), or add the sentence-ending particle よ for assertive emphasis.
Using 'do' or 'do so' to avoid repeating a verb phrase, like 'I finished my homework before he did.'
Japanese often omits the repeated verb phrase entirely. Alternatively, そうする (do so) can be used, but it is less common than omission.
私は宿題を終えたが、彼はまだだ。
I finished my homework, but he hasn't yet.
彼がそうしたように、私もやった。
I did as he did.
Telling someone to do something. Japanese has various imperative forms depending on politeness and urgency.
Polite request form. Attach to the te-form of a verb.
これをやってください。
Please do this.
Firm command, often used by parents or teachers. Attach to the masu-stem.
宿題をしなさい。
Do your homework.
Blunt command form, used in emergencies, by superiors, or in masculine speech. Can be rude.
Use with caution; can sound very harsh.
早くしろ！
Do it quickly!
English uses 'do' to form questions and negatives, but Japanese does not. Instead, use か for questions and conjugate verbs into their negative forms. Adding する to a negative sentence is incorrect.
私は行きません。
I don't go.
する is the standard verb for 'do' and is used in most contexts. やる is more casual and often implies physical effort or doing something for someone. やる can also mean 'to give' (to someone of lower status). In formal situations, stick to する.