急ぐ
isogu
Hurry/Rush
Phrase in 30 Seconds
{急|い}ぐ is the essential Japanese verb for 'to hurry' or 'to rush' when you are short on time.
- Means: To move or act quickly because of a deadline or lack of time.
- Used in: Catching trains, finishing work, or telling someone to move faster.
- Don't confuse: With {速|はや}い (fast speed) or {忙|いそが}しい (being busy/having much to do).
Explanation at your level:
المعنى
To move or act with great speed.
خلفية ثقافية
The 'walking speed' in Tokyo is often cited as one of the fastest in the world. People are constantly {急|い}いでいる to maintain the strict social schedule. In Japanese business, 'ASAP' is often expressed as '{至|し}急' (shikyuu). However, using it too much can be seen as poor planning. Characters often shout '{急|い}げ!' (Isoge!) during action scenes. This is the imperative form and is very masculine and aggressive. When you are in a hurry and need to get past someone, it is polite to say 'Sumimasen' rather than 'Isoide kudasai' (which sounds like you are ordering them).
Use 'Isoide' for requests
If you want someone to hurry, just saying 'Isoide!' is the most natural way among friends.
Avoid 'Isoge!'
Unless you are an anime protagonist or in a life-or-death situation, 'Isoge!' sounds too aggressive.
المعنى
To move or act with great speed.
Use 'Isoide' for requests
If you want someone to hurry, just saying 'Isoide!' is the most natural way among friends.
Avoid 'Isoge!'
Unless you are an anime protagonist or in a life-or-death situation, 'Isoge!' sounds too aggressive.
The 'Isogashii' connection
Remember that 'Isogashii' (busy) and 'Isogu' (hurry) share the same root. If you are busy, you will likely need to hurry!
اختبر نفسك
Choose the correct form to complete the sentence: '{電|でん}{車|しゃ}に{遅|おく}れそうなので、____。'
I'm going to be late for the train, so I will hurry.
{急|い}ぎます is the polite verb form. '{急|い}ぐです' is grammatically incorrect.
Fill in the blank with the correct 'te-form' to say 'Please hurry.'
すみません、ちょっと____ください。
For verbs ending in 'gu', the te-form ends in 'ide'.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Which phrase fits a business email asking for a quick reply?
This is a polite way to acknowledge that you are asking the other person to hurry.
Complete the dialogue.
A: {結|けっ}婚を____。 B: まだ{付|つ}き{合|あ}って一ヶ月でしょ?
A is stating their current desire/state of rushing into marriage.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Isogu vs Hayai vs Isogashii
الأسئلة الشائعة
5 أسئلةIt can be both. You can 'hurry' (intransitive) or 'hurry a task' (transitive).
No, use {速|はや}い for speed. {急|い}ぐ is for the action of hurrying.
{急|い}ぐ is the physical act; {焦|あせ}る is the mental panic.
Say '{急|い}いでいます' (Isoide imasu).
It means 'More haste, less speed' or 'Slow and steady wins the race.'
عبارات ذات صلة
{焦|あせ}る
similarTo panic or feel impatient.
{急|せ}かす
specialized formTo hurry someone else up.
{速|はや}める
similarTo accelerate or move up a schedule.
{急|きゅう}ぐ
synonymAn older, more literary way to say hurry.
أين تستخدمها
Catching a train
Friend A: あと{二|に}{分|ふん}で{電|でん}{車|しゃ}が{来|く}るよ!
Friend B: やばい、{急|い}ごう!
In a taxi
Passenger: {空|くう}{港|こう}までお{願|ねが}いします。ちょっと{急|い}いでいます。
Driver: かしこまりました。{急|い}ぎますね。
At the office
Boss: この{資|し}{料|りょう}、{急|い}ぎで{作|つく}ってくれる?
Staff: はい、{急|い}いで{取|と}り{掛|か}かります。
Morning routine
Mother: もう{八|はち}{時|じ}だよ!{急|い}ぎなさい!
Child: わかってるよ、{今|いま}{急|い}いでる!
Ordering food
Customer: {一番|いちばん}{早|はや}い{料|りょう}{理|り}はどれですか?{急|い}いでいるので。
Waiter: こちらのカレーがすぐにお{出|だ}しできます。
Meeting a friend
Friend A: ごめん、{道|みち}に{迷|まよ}った!
Friend B: {映|えい}{画|が}が{始|はじ}まっちゃうよ。{急|い}いで{来|く}て!
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Imagine an **E-S-O-G-U** (Emergency: Someone On Ground Urgently) needing help, so you have to hurry!
Visual Association
Visualize a salaryman in a suit, toast in mouth, running toward a closing train door with a giant clock ticking behind him.
Rhyme
Don't be slow, you've got to go—{急|い}ぐ (isogu) is the word you know!
Story
You are late for a date at a sushi restaurant. You look at your watch and shout 'Isogu!'. You run so fast that you arrive 'iso-ide' (in a hurry) and accidentally trip over a 'gu' (ingredient) on the floor.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Try to say '{急|い}いで!' (Isoide!) out loud every time you see someone walking fast on the street today.
In Other Languages
To hurry / To rush
English uses 'rush' as both a noun and verb; Japanese uses {急|い}ぐ primarily as a verb.
Apurarse / Darse prisa
Spanish uses reflexive verbs (apurarse), while Japanese uses a standard intransitive verb.
Se dépêcher
French is reflexive; Japanese is not.
Sich beeilen
German requires the reflexive pronoun 'sich'.
赶 (gǎn) / 急 (jí)
Chinese splits the physical action and the emotional state into two different words.
서두르다 (seodureuda)
Very few differences; the two words are direct equivalents.
عجل (ajala)
Arabic has a stronger moral connotation against hurrying in some contexts.
Apressar-se
Reflexive structure vs Japanese simple verb structure.
Easily Confused
Both relate to speed.
{速|はや}い is an adjective (The car is fast). {急|い}ぐ is a verb (I am hurrying).
Both sound similar (iso-).
{忙|いそが}しい means you have a lot of work. {急|い}ぐ means you are moving fast.
الأسئلة الشائعة (5)
It can be both. You can 'hurry' (intransitive) or 'hurry a task' (transitive).
No, use {速|はや}い for speed. {急|い}ぐ is for the action of hurrying.
{急|い}ぐ is the physical act; {焦|あせ}る is the mental panic.
Say '{急|い}いでいます' (Isoide imasu).
It means 'More haste, less speed' or 'Slow and steady wins the race.'