How to Say “Make” in Japanese: 5 Useful Expressions Beyond 作る

When you start learning Japanese, one of the first words you might learn for “make” is **作る（つくる）**.

For example:

- I make dinner. → 夕食を作る。

- I make a cake. → ケーキを作る。

- I make something by hand. → 手作りで何かを作る。

But did you know that Japanese doesn't always use 作る when English speakers use the word “make”?

Depending on the situation, Japanese uses completely different verbs and expressions. Learning these differences will help you sound more natural and understand Japanese conversations more easily.

In this article, we'll look at five common expressions involving “make” and how to express them in Japanese.

## 1. Make a Decision — 決める・決断する

In English, we say “make a decision.” However, in Japanese, you generally wouldn't translate this literally using 作る.

Instead, you can use **決める（きめる）**, meaning “to decide,” or **決断する（けつだんする）**, meaning “to make a decision.”

**Examples:**

- I need to make a decision.

→ 決めなければなりません。

- She made an important decision.

→ 彼女は重要な決断をしました。

- Have you decided yet?

→ もう決めましたか。

**Learning tip:** 決める is common in everyday conversation, while 決断する often emphasizes making an important or difficult decision.

## 2. Make Money — お金を稼ぐ（かせぐ）

When English speakers talk about making money, they aren't talking about physically creating money. They're talking about earning it.

In Japanese, the natural expression is **お金を稼ぐ**.

**Examples:**

- I want to make more money.

→ もっとお金を稼ぎたいです。

- He makes a lot of money.

→ 彼はたくさんのお金を稼いでいます。

- How do you make money online?

→ オンラインでどうやってお金を稼いでいるのですか。

The key vocabulary here is **稼ぐ（かせぐ）**, which means “to earn” or “to make money.”

You might also encounter **収入（しゅうにゅう）**, meaning “income,” and **利益（りえき）**, meaning “profit.”

Learning these related words will help you understand more advanced Japanese conversations about work and business.

## 3. Make Someone Do Something — 人に何かをさせる

In English, we use “make” to express that someone causes or forces another person to do something.

For example:

“My boss made me work overtime.”

In Japanese, you can express this using a causative verb form.

**Example:**

上司は私に残業をさせました。

My boss made me work overtime.

The expression **させる** comes from the causative form of する. It can mean “to make someone do something” or “to let someone do something,” depending on the context.

Here are two more examples:

- My parents made me study.

→ 親は私に勉強をさせました。

- The teacher made the students write an essay.

→ 先生は学生たちに作文を書かせました。

**Learning tip:** Japanese causative forms can express permission as well as causation. Context helps you determine the intended meaning.

## 4. Make a Mistake — 間違える（まちがえる）

Another common English expression is “make a mistake.”

Japanese doesn't usually use 作る for this expression. Instead, you can use **間違える（まちがえる）**, meaning “to make a mistake” or “to get something wrong.”

**Examples:**

- I made a mistake.

→ 間違えました。

- Everyone makes mistakes.

→ 誰でも間違えることがあります。

- I made a mistake on the test.

→ テストで間違えました。

You can also use **ミスをする**, which is another common way to say “to make a mistake.”

For example:

仕事でミスをしてしまいました。

I made a mistake at work.

Learning both expressions will help you understand how Japanese speakers communicate in everyday and professional situations.

## 5. Make It — 間に合う・成功する・参加できる

The English expression “make it” has several meanings. It can mean arriving somewhere on time, succeeding, or being able to attend an event.

Japanese uses different expressions depending on the meaning.

### Meaning 1: Arrive on time

会議に間に合いました。

I made it to the meeting on time.

**間に合う（まにあう）** means “to be on time” or “to make it in time.”

### Meaning 2: Succeed

彼女はプロの歌手になりました。

She made it as a professional singer.

Here, the Japanese expression describes achieving a goal rather than translating “make it” word for word.

### Meaning 3: Be able to attend

明日のパーティーには参加できません。

I can't make it to tomorrow's party.

**参加する（さんかする）** means “to participate” or “to attend.”

As you can see, the right Japanese expression depends on what you actually mean by “make it.”

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## Bonus Tip: Learn Japanese Vocabulary Through Kanji

Understanding individual words is an important step toward learning Japanese, but recognizing the kanji used in those words can help you build a much stronger vocabulary.

For example:

- 決断（けつだん）— decision

- 稼ぐ（かせぐ）— to earn

- 間違える（まちがえる）— to make a mistake

- 収入（しゅうにゅう）— income

- 利益（りえき）— profit

As you progress toward JLPT N2, you'll encounter increasingly advanced vocabulary that appears in news articles, professional settings, and everyday Japanese conversations.

Learning to recognize these words in context is an important part of preparing for the exam.

## How Strong Is Your JLPT N2 Kanji Vocabulary?

Are you studying for the JLPT N2, or do you want to find out how much advanced Japanese vocabulary you already know?

Take the **JLPT N2 Kanji Vocabulary Test** from The Study Kin to assess your current knowledge and identify areas where you may need more practice.

Your results can help you understand where you stand and what you should focus on next.

**[Take the JLPT N2 Kanji Vocabulary Test Here

Challenge yourself and discover how well you really know Japanese kanji vocabulary!