選ぶ
えらぶ
erabu
= to choose; to select; to pick out
Erabu is the everyday verb Japanese speakers reach for whenever there’s more than one option on the table, from picking a lunch set to electing a class representative. It’s a plain Godan verb, so it conjugates simply: erabimasu (polite), erande (te-form), erabanai (negative).
The basic pattern is [thing]を選ぶ — the option you pick takes the particle を, as in ケーキを選ぶ (to choose a cake). When you’re picking from a specific set of options, add から to mark the source group: メニューからカレーを選ぶ means “to choose curry from the menu.” Erabu also covers electing or appointing someone: 選挙で議員を選ぶ (“to elect a representative through an election”) uses the same verb as choosing a snack, which surprises many learners used to English separating “choose” and “elect.” The passive form 〜に選ばれる (“to be chosen/selected as ~”) is extremely common for describing being picked for a team, award, or role, e.g. 代表に選ばれる (“to be chosen as the representative”). In more formal or written contexts, 選択する (sentaku suru) often replaces erabu — it sounds more like “to make a selection” and shows up in reports, exam instructions, and business writing, whereas erabu is the natural spoken choice in daily life.
The most common mistake is marking the chosen item with が instead of を — remember erabu is a transitive verb, so the thing selected always takes を. Another trap is confusing erabu with 決める (kimeru, “to decide”): erabu is the act of picking one option among several, while kimeru is settling on a final decision, and the two often appear together as よく考えて選んで決める (“choose carefully and then decide”). When the options come from a defined group, don’t forget the から marker — dropping it (単にメニューを選ぶ) sounds like you’re choosing the menu itself rather than an item from it. Finally, in written or formal registers, overusing casual erabu where 選択する fits better can read as slightly too casual.
Everyday use
誕生日のプレゼントに何を選べばいいか迷っている。
Tanjoubi no purezento ni nani o erabeba ii ka mayotte iru.
I’m torn about what to choose for a birthday present.
Casual / Social Media
どっちを選ぶべきか迷い中…みんな助けて！
Docchi o erabu beki ka mayoi-chuu… minna tasukete!
I can’t decide which one to pick… someone help me out!
Formal / Cultural context
彼はクラス代表に選ばれた。
Kare wa kurasu daihyou ni erabareta.
He was chosen as the class representative.
Gift-giving culture in Japan puts real weight on the act of choosing. When selecting omiyage (souvenirs) for coworkers after a trip, or a present for a friend’s birthday, people often spend a long time on the verb erabu in practice — weighing packaging, individually wrapped portions for sharing at the office, and whether the choice matches the recipient’s taste. The care put into choosing is itself considered part of the gift.
Schools and workplaces also lean on erabu and its passive form 選ばれる for describing selection into roles of responsibility, such as 学級委員 (class representative) or 生徒会長 (student council president). Being told 「あなたが選ばれました」(“you have been chosen”) carries a mix of honor and obligation in Japanese group culture, since the selection is usually made by peers or teachers rather than self-nominated.
On a national scale, 選ぶ appears constantly around 選挙 (elections), since 選ぶ and 選挙 share the same kanji 選. News coverage of choosing a prime minister, a local mayor, or even company shareholders voting on a board member all uses this same everyday verb, which is a good reminder that in Japanese, the vocabulary for picking a snack and the vocabulary for picking a leader are closer than English speakers might expect.