する
する
suru
= to do / to make / to perform
Suru (する) is one of the most important verbs in Japanese—perhaps the most frequently used. It means ‘to do’ or ‘to make’ and is essential for nearly all Japanese speakers at every level.
Suru is an irregular verb meaning ‘to do,’ ‘to make,’ ‘to perform,’ or ‘to carry out.’ It’s incredibly versatile: benkyou suru (study), shigoto suru (work), tabemono suru (make food), kekkon suru (get married). Suru combines with nouns to create verbs: denwa suru (make a phone call), ryokou suru (travel), kaigi suru (hold a meeting). The verb is so fundamental that understanding suru usage patterns is crucial to Japanese. Suru also expresses duration: san-jikan suru (takes three hours), and time: ashita suru (will do tomorrow).
Suru is irregular: suru → shinai (doesn’t do), shita (did), shiro (do! imperative). Common combinations: nani o suru? (what are you doing?), mou shita? (finished yet?), sou shite (do it this way). Many noun + suru combinations are essential—benkyou suru, ryokou suru, etc. Learners should practice recognizing and using common suru combinations.
する is typically written in hiragana. When written with kanji, it’s 為る, but modern Japanese rarely uses this.
Everyday use
毎日勉強をしています。
Mainichi benkyou wo shite imasu.
I study every day.
Casual / Social Media
この週末に何をするつもりですか？
Kono shuumatsu ni nani wo suru tsumori desu ka?
What are you planning to do this weekend?
Formal / Cultural context
毎朝30分運動をします。
Maiasa sanjuppun undou wo shimasu.
I exercise for 30 minutes every morning.
Suru’s ubiquity reflects its importance in Japanese grammar and communication. Most activities are expressed through noun + suru combinations, making it foundational to fluent speech.
Understanding suru is key to acquiring Japanese—it’s used constantly and cannot be avoided. Beginners who master common suru combinations can express themselves far beyond their apparent vocabulary level.
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