延ばす in 30 Sekunden
- 延ばす (nobasu) means to extend time (postpone) or physical length (linear).
- It is a transitive verb, meaning you perform the action on an object.
- Commonly used for deadlines, meetings, roads, and railway lines.
- Distinct from 伸ばす (stretching muscles/hair) and 延びる (intransitive).
The Japanese verb 延ばす (nobasu) is a versatile transitive verb primarily focused on the extension of time, space, or physical length through the addition of more material or duration. At its core, it signifies the act of making something longer than it currently is, or pushing a scheduled event further into the future. In the context of time, it is the standard word for 'to postpone' or 'to delay.' For example, if a meeting is moved from Monday to Wednesday, you are 延ばす-ing the meeting. In terms of physical space, it refers to extending things like a railway line, a road, or the length of a building. It is crucial to distinguish this from its homophone 伸ばす, which refers to stretching something elastic or growing something out (like hair or talent).
- Time Extension
- Postponing a deadline, delaying a trip, or extending a stay. It implies a change in the schedule.
- Physical Extension
- Adding length to a linear object like a fence, a pipe, or a highway system.
- Transitivity
- This is a transitive verb (他動詞), meaning an agent performs the action on an object (e.g., 期限を延ばす).
「雨だったので、出発を来週に延ばした。」 (Because of the rain, I postponed the departure until next week.)
「鉄道の線路をさらに北へ延ばす計画がある。」 (There is a plan to extend the railway tracks further north.)
「返済の期限をもう一ヶ月延ばしていただけませんか？」 (Could you please extend the repayment deadline by one more month?)
「会議の時間を３０分延ばすことにした。」 (We decided to extend the meeting time by 30 minutes.)
「寿命を延ばすための健康習慣。」 (Healthy habits to extend one's lifespan.)
- Grammar Note
- The object is marked with を. The point in time to which something is postponed is marked with に.
Using 延ばす correctly requires understanding the difference between 'postponing' and 'stretching.' In professional settings, it is frequently used with terms like 期限 (kigen - deadline), 予定 (yotei - schedule), and 会期 (kaiki - session period). When you want to ask for an extension, the polite form 延ばしていただけますか (Nobashite itadakemasu ka) is standard. In physical contexts, it is used for infrastructure: 道路を延ばす (douro o nobasu - extend a road). It is important to note that 延ばす implies an intentional action by someone to change the end point. If a deadline simply 'gets extended' without focusing on who did it, the intransitive 延びる (nobiru) is used instead. For example, 'The deadline was extended' is 期限が延びた. In contrast, 'I extended the deadline' is 期限を延ばした. This verb is also used metaphorically in expressions like 寿命を延ばす (extend life) or 記録を延ばす (extend a record/streak). When dealing with physical objects that are not 'lines' (like dough or hair), you must switch to 伸ばす. 延ばす is strictly for linear extension or temporal extension.
You will encounter 延ばす in a variety of daily and formal situations. In an office, a manager might say, 'We need to extend the project deadline' (プロジェクトの締め切りを延ばす必要がある). At a train station, you might hear announcements about construction to extend a line (路線の延長, using the noun form). In news reports, it is common when discussing government sessions being extended or international treaties being prolonged. In sports, commentators use it when a player extends their scoring record (記録を延ばす). In casual conversation, friends might use it when deciding to stay out later: 'Let's extend our stay at the cafe' (カフェでの滞在時間を延ばそう). It is also a key word in medical contexts regarding longevity and life expectancy. Because it deals with time management and planning, it is a high-frequency word in business Japanese (Keigo) contexts, often appearing in requests for more time or notifications of delays.
The most frequent mistake learners make is confusing 延ばす (nobasu) with 伸ばす (nobasu). While they are pronounced identically, their kanji and usage are distinct. 延ばす is for time and linear addition (postponing, extending a road). 伸ばす is for stretching, straightening, or developing (stretching muscles, growing hair, straightening a bent wire, or developing one's skills). For example, saying 手を延ばす (extending a hand) is technically incorrect; it should be 手を伸ばす because you are stretching your limb. Similarly, 才能を延ばす is wrong; it should be 才能を伸ばす (developing talent). Another mistake is using 延ばす when the intransitive 延びる is more natural. If a meeting runs long naturally, use 延びた. If the chairperson intentionally makes it longer, use 延ばした. Finally, don't confuse it with 遅らせる (okuraseru), which means 'to cause a delay' (often negative/unintentional), whereas 延ばす is often a planned extension of a period.
Several words share semantic space with 延ばす. 延長する (enchou suru) is the formal, Sino-Japanese (Kango) equivalent. It is used in official contexts like 'overtime' in sports (延長戦) or 'extending a contract' (契約を延長する). While 延ばす is more common in spoken Japanese, 延長する is preferred in writing and formal announcements. 延期する (enki suru) specifically means 'to postpone' an event to a later date and is almost always interchangeable with 延ばす when referring to schedules. 遅らせる (okuraseru) means to make something late; it focuses on the delay itself rather than the extension of the duration. 引き延ばす (hikiobasu) has a slightly negative nuance, often meaning to 'drag out' or 'procrastinate' (e.g., 返事を引き延ばす - to stall on giving an answer). Understanding these nuances helps in choosing the right word for the level of formality and the specific intent of the extension.
How Formal Is It?
Schwierigkeitsgrad
Wichtige Grammatik
Transitive vs Intransitive (延ばす vs 延びる)
Te-morau for favors
Tame ni for purpose
Ba... hodo for correlation
Beispiele nach Niveau
予定を少し延ばします。
I will extend the schedule a little.
Verb in polite form.
線を延ばしてください。
Please extend the line.
Te-form for request.
休みを延ばしたいです。
I want to extend my vacation.
Tai-form for desire.
時間を延ばしましょう。
Let's extend the time.
Mashou-form for suggestion.
彼は出発を延ばした。
He postponed the departure.
Past tense plain form.
会議を１０分延ばす。
Extend the meeting by 10 minutes.
Plain form.
もっと道を延ばす。
Extend the road more.
Adverb 'motto' with verb.
期限を延ばせますか？
Can you extend the deadline?
Potential form.
レポートの締め切りを三日延ばしてもらった。
I had the report deadline extended by three days.
Te-morau (to receive a favor).
雨で旅行の日程を延ばすことにした。
We decided to postpone the trip schedule due to rain.
Koto ni suru (to decide).
この道を駅まで延ばす計画があります。
There is a plan to extend this road to the station.
Noun modification.
滞在をもう一晩延ばせますか？
Can I extend my stay for one more night?
Potential form.
チケットの有効期限を延ばしたい。
I want to extend the expiration date of the ticket.
Tai-form.
彼は返事をわざと延ばしている。
He is intentionally delaying the answer.
Te-iru (progressive).
寿命を延ばすために野菜を食べる。
Eat vegetables to extend your life.
Tame ni (purpose).
工事の期間を延ばす必要がある。
It is necessary to extend the construction period.
Hitsuyou ga aru.
交渉を有利に進めるために、時間を延ばした。
I stalled for time to advance the negotiations in my favor.
Tame ni (purpose).
その建物は、翼の部分をさらに北へ延ばす設計だ。
The building is designed to extend its wing further north.
Noun modification.
支払いを来月まで延ばしていただけないでしょうか。
Could you possibly extend the payment until next month?
Keigo (humble request).
彼は自己ベストの記録をさらに延ばした。
He further extended his personal best record.
Past tense.
結論を出すのをこれ以上延ばすべきではない。
We should not delay reaching a conclusion any longer.
Bekide wa nai (should not).
政府は国会の会期を大幅に延ばす方針だ。
The government plans to significantly extend the Diet session.
Houshin da (plan/policy).
この薬は寿命を延ばす効果があると言われている。
This medicine is said to have the effect of extending life.
To iwarete iru.
締め切りを延ばす代わりに、質を上げてほしい。
Instead of extending the deadline, I want you to improve the quality.
Kawari ni (instead of).
不況の影響で、新路線の建設を延ばさざるを得なかった。
Due to the recession, they had no choice but to postpone the construction of the new line.
Zaru o enai (have no choice but to).
彼は巧みな話術で、決定を巧みに延ばした。
He skillfully delayed the decision with his clever speaking skills.
Adverbial usage.
寿命を延ばすだけでなく、健康寿命を延ばすことが重要だ。
It is important not only to extend life but also to extend healthy life expectancy.
Dake de naku (not only).
借金の返済期限を延ばす交渉が難航している。
Negotiations to extend the debt repayment deadline are stalling.
Noun modification.
このプロジェクトは、期間を延ばせば延ばすほどコストがかかる。
The more we extend the period of this project, the more it will cost.
Ba... hodo (the more... the more).
相手のミスを誘って、試合時間を延ばす作戦だ。
The strategy is to extend the match time by inducing mistakes from the opponent.
Sakusen da (strategy).
その作家は、連載の回数を延ばすために新しいキャラクターを登場させた。
The author introduced a new character to extend the number of installments in the series.
Tame ni (purpose).
ビザの滞在期間を延ばす手続きには時間がかかる。
The procedure to extend the visa stay period takes time.
Noun modification.
法改正により、時効の期間を延ばすことが検討されている。
With the legal amendment, extending the statute of limitations is being considered.
Passive voice 'kento sarete iru'.
企業の寿命を延ばすためには、絶え間ないイノベーションが必要だ。
Constant innovation is necessary to extend the lifespan of a company.
Tame ni wa (in order to).
彼は自分の影響力を延ばすために、政界に深く入り込んだ。
He delved deep into politics to extend his influence.
Tame ni (purpose).
鉄道網を地方まで延ばすことは、地域活性化の鍵となる。
Extending the railway network to rural areas is the key to regional revitalization.
Koto wa... kagi to naru.
その議論は、本質を避けて時間を延ばすだけのものだった。
That discussion was merely a way to stall for time while avoiding the essence of the matter.
Dake no mono (merely a thing that).
賞味期限を延ばすための新しい保存技術が開発された。
A new preservation technology to extend shelf life has been developed.
Noun modification.
彼は一命を延ばすことができたが、予後は芳しくない。
He managed to prolong his life, but the prognosis is not good.
Ichimei o nobasu (idiomatic).
このまま決定を延ばし続けるのは、組織にとって不利益だ。
Continuing to delay the decision like this is disadvantageous for the organization.
Nobashi-tsuzukeru (continue to extend).
人類の知的地平を延ばすべく、科学者たちは未知の領域に挑む。
Scientists challenge unknown realms in order to extend the intellectual horizons of humanity.
Beku (in order to - formal/literary).
その政権は、延命策を講じて任期を延ばすことに汲々としている。
The administration is frantically trying to extend its term by taking life-prolonging measures.
Kyukyu to shite iru (frantically busy with).
古の建築家たちは、回廊を延ばすことで空間の奥行きを演出した。
Ancient architects created a sense of spatial depth by extending the corridors.
Koto de (by doing).
言葉の定義を恣意的に延ばすことは、論理的破綻を招く。
Arbitrarily extending the definition of words leads to logical failure.
Shiiteki ni (arbitrarily).
彼は自らの命を延ばすことよりも、大義を全うすることを選んだ。
He chose to fulfill his great cause rather than prolong his own life.
Yori mo (rather than).
都市の境界を際限なく延ばすスプロール現象が問題となっている。
The urban sprawl phenomenon, extending city boundaries without limit, is becoming a problem.
Noun modification.
その詩人は、一行の詩を延ばすことで沈黙の重みを表現した。
The poet expressed the weight of silence by extending a single line of verse.
Koto de (by doing).
外交交渉において、期限を延ばすことは時に強力な武器となる。
In diplomatic negotiations, extending the deadline can sometimes be a powerful weapon.
Toki ni (sometimes).
Häufige Kollokationen
Häufige Phrasen
Wird oft verwechselt mit
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
Leicht verwechselbar
Used for stretching muscles, growing hair, or developing skills.
Intransitive; something extends or gets postponed on its own.
Noun/Suru-verb specifically for postponing events.
Satzmuster
So verwendest du es
延ばす implies an addition to an existing length or duration.
The opposite of 延ばす (extend) is 縮める (shorten).
- Using 延ばす for stretching muscles (correct: 伸ばす).
- Using 延ばす for growing hair (correct: 伸ばす).
- Using 延ばす for developing talent (correct: 伸ばす).
- Confusing 延ばす with 延びる in passive contexts.
- Using the wrong particle (using 'ni' instead of 'wo' for the object).
Tipps
Kanji Memory
Associate 延 with 'Extension' (both start with E). Use it for time and lines.
Transitivity
Remember: [Person] ga [Object] wo nobasu. [Object] ga nobiru.
Softening Requests
Use 'Nobashite itadakemasu ka' to be polite when asking for more time.
Compound Verbs
Learn 'hikiobasu' to describe someone stalling for time.
Roads and Rails
Always use 延ばす for extending infrastructure like highways or train tracks.
Business Emails
In emails, 期限の延長 (extension of deadline) is often preferred over 延ばす.
Office Talk
You will hear this constantly regarding meeting times and project schedules.
Longevity
Use 寿命を延ばす when talking about health, diet, or medical breakthroughs.
Records
When an athlete breaks their own record, they 'extend' it: 記録を延ばす.
Nobasu vs Nobiru
Nobasu is your action; Nobiru is the result or an automatic process.
Einprägen
Wortherkunft
Kultureller Kontext
Japan's history of extending Shinkansen lines is often discussed using '延ばす' or '延長'.
When requesting an extension, use '申し訳ございませんが、期限を延ばしていただけないでしょうか' to show humility.
Im Alltag üben
Kontexte aus dem Alltag
Gesprächseinstiege
"締め切りを延ばす必要がありますか？"
"旅行の滞在を延ばしたいと思ったことはありますか？"
"どうすれば健康寿命を延ばせると思いますか？"
"仕事の予定を延ばすとき、何と言いますか？"
"新しい道路をどこまで延ばすべきだと思いますか？"
Tagebuch-Impulse
最近、予定を延ばしたことはありますか？その理由は何ですか？
もし寿命を100年延ばせるとしたら、何をしたいですか？
締め切りを延ばしてもらった時の気持ちを書いてください。
自分の得意なことの記録を延ばすために努力していることはありますか？
街の鉄道がどこまで延びてほしいか、延ばす計画を考えてください。
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, for physical stretching of limbs, you must use 伸ばす.
It is a standard verb. In polite speech, use 延ばします. In very formal business, use 延長いたします.
延期する specifically means to move an event to a later date. 延ばす can mean that, but also extending a duration (like making a 1-hour meeting 2 hours).
No, use 伸ばす for hair growth.
Use 道路を延ばす.
Yes, it is transitive. The intransitive version is 延びる.
No, use 待たせる (make someone wait) or 遅らせる (delay).
The kanji 延 (En).
Usually 伸ばす is used for reaching out a hand, but 延ばす could be used if you are physically adding length to a robotic arm, for example.
Not inherently, but '引き延ばす' (dragging out) often does.
Teste dich selbst 180 Fragen
/ 180 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Use 延ばす when you are intentionally making a schedule longer or adding length to a physical line. Always check if you mean 'postpone' (延) or 'stretch' (伸) before writing the kanji.
- 延ばす (nobasu) means to extend time (postpone) or physical length (linear).
- It is a transitive verb, meaning you perform the action on an object.
- Commonly used for deadlines, meetings, roads, and railway lines.
- Distinct from 伸ばす (stretching muscles/hair) and 延びる (intransitive).
Kanji Memory
Associate 延 with 'Extension' (both start with E). Use it for time and lines.
Transitivity
Remember: [Person] ga [Object] wo nobasu. [Object] ga nobiru.
Softening Requests
Use 'Nobashite itadakemasu ka' to be polite when asking for more time.
Compound Verbs
Learn 'hikiobasu' to describe someone stalling for time.
Beispiel
会議の時間を30分延ばした。
Verwandte Inhalte
Dieses Wort in anderen Sprachen
Verwandte Redewendungen
Mehr general Wörter
いくつか
B1An unspecified small number of things; some, a few.
ちょっと
A2Ein bisschen; ein Moment. Wird oft verwendet, um Bitten höflicher zu formulieren.
すこし
A2A little; a few.
さっき
A2Vorhin; vor kurzem.
能力
A1Nouryoku refers to the mental or physical power, skill, or capacity required to perform a specific task or function. It can describe both innate talent and skills acquired through learning and practice.
異常
A1A word used to describe something that deviates from the normal state, standard, or expected pattern. It often implies a problem, malfunction, or an extraordinary occurrence that requires attention or investigation.
～について
A2Ein Ausdruck, der verwendet wird, um das Thema eines Gesprächs oder einer Überlegung einzuleiten.
〜について
B1Ein Ausdruck, der 'über' oder 'bezüglich' bedeutet.
～ぐらい
A2Eine japanische Partikel, die 'ungefähr' oder 'etwa' bedeutet.
ぐらい
A2Ich habe etwa drei Stunden geschlafen. (J'ai dormi environ 3 heures.)
