よく読む

You can use this phrase in its dictionary form よく読む when speaking casually with friends. If you are in a more polite setting, you change it to よく読みます (yoku yomimasu). If you want to tell someone else to be careful, you use the request form よく読んでください (yoku yonde kudasai). It is very flexible! You just place the object you are reading (like a book or a letter) at the start, followed by the particle を (o).

Use this when the details really matter. Think about when you are setting up a new piece of furniture and the instructions are confusing. That is a perfect よく読む moment. It is also great for school or work when you need to show you are being diligent. If a friend sends you a very long, emotional text message, telling them you "read it well" shows that you truly care about what they said. It is a sign of respect for the text.

Avoid using this for things that don't require effort. You wouldn't say you よく読む a digital clock or a giant "EXIT" sign. That sounds a bit silly, like you are staring at the word "EXIT" trying to find a hidden meaning. Also, if you just want to say you "saw" a notification, use 見る (miru) instead. よく読む implies a level of concentration that simple signs or quick alerts don't usually need.

In Japan, there is a strong cultural emphasis on precision and following rules correctly. This is why you will see よく読んでください (Please read carefully) on almost every official form, medicine bottle, and instruction manual. Being a "careful reader" is seen as a trait of a responsible adult. There is also a deep respect for literature, so saying you read a specific author "well" or "often" is a common way to bond over shared hobbies.

You will often hear よく読みました (yoku yomimashita) to mean "I read it thoroughly." Another common one is よく読んでから (yoku yonde kara), which means "After reading carefully..." as in "After reading carefully, please sign here." If you want to describe a person who is very well-read, you might use different terms, but よく本を読みます (yoku hon o yomimasu) is the perfect A1-level way to say someone reads books often.