A1 Collocation Neutre

歌を歌う

uta o utau

Sing a song

Phrase in 30 Seconds

This is the most natural way to say 'to sing a song' in Japanese.

  • Means: To perform a vocal musical piece.
  • Used in: Karaoke, music class, or talking about hobbies.
  • Don't confuse: Don't use '歌う' alone if you want to specify the object.
🎤 + 🎵 = {歌|うた}を{歌|うた}う

Explanation at your level:

This is a basic phrase. 'Uta' means song and 'utau' means to sing. You use it to say you are singing a song.
This is a transitive verb construction. In Japanese, we use the particle 'o' to mark the object. It is very common in daily life, especially when talking about hobbies or karaoke.
This phrase demonstrates the Japanese tendency to use cognate objects. While English speakers might just say 'to sing', Japanese speakers often include the noun 'uta' to be specific about the action.
The phrase '歌を歌う' is a fundamental collocation. In formal contexts, it is used to describe musical performances, while in casual settings, it is the standard way to invite others to sing.
From a linguistic perspective, this is a classic example of a verb-object collocation where the semantic content of the verb is already contained within the noun. This redundancy is a hallmark of natural Japanese phrasing.
This collocation exemplifies the Japanese preference for explicit object marking in transitive constructions. Even when the verb 'utau' implies the object, the inclusion of 'uta' provides a rhythmic and structural balance typical of the language's agglutinative nature.

Signification

To vocalize a musical piece.

🌍

Contexte culturel

Karaoke is a social bonding activity. Singing is a universal human activity.

💡

Particle usage

Remember to use 'o' before the verb.

Signification

To vocalize a musical piece.

💡

Particle usage

Remember to use 'o' before the verb.

Teste-toi

Choose the correct verb for singing.

私は歌を____。

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 歌う

歌う is the verb for singing.

🎉 Score : /1

Questions fréquentes

1 questions

Yes, if the context is clear.

Expressions liées

🔗

カラオケに行く

similar

To go to karaoke

🔗

歌が上手

builds on

Good at singing

Où l'utiliser

🎤

Karaoke Night

A: 次、何歌う？ (What will you sing next?)

B: この歌を歌うよ！ (I'll sing this song!)

informal
🎵

Music Class

Teacher: みんなで歌を歌いましょう。(Let's all sing a song.)

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Uta' as 'You-ta' (you sing a song).

Visual Association

Imagine a karaoke microphone. You are holding it and singing a song.

Rhyme

Uta o utau, singing is wow!

Story

Ken goes to karaoke. He picks a song. He starts to sing. He is happy.

Word Web

音楽カラオケ歌手曲歌声歌う

Défi

Sing a simple Japanese song and record yourself.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Cantar una canción

Japanese uses particles like 'o' which Spanish does not.

French high

Chanter une chanson

French requires articles (une) while Japanese does not.

German moderate

Ein Lied singen

German is SVO/SOV depending on the clause structure.

Japanese N/A

歌を歌う

Highly context-dependent.

Arabic high

يغني أغنية

Arabic verb conjugation is much more complex.

Easily Confused

歌を歌う vs 歌を話す

Using 'speak' instead of 'sing'.

Always use 'utau' for singing.

FAQ (1)

Yes, if the context is clear.

C'tait utile ?

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