When using the verb「たたむ」, it implies the action of folding something neatly, like clothes or an umbrella. It can also be used in a more figurative sense, such as to close a business or to put away one's feelings. Understanding the context helps in grasping the nuance, as it's more than just a simple fold. For instance, 「店をたたむ」 means to close down a shop, suggesting a finality to the action. This verb is quite versatile and frequently used in daily Japanese conversation, reflecting the Japanese emphasis on tidiness and order.
§ What Does たたむ Mean and When Do People Use It?
The Japanese verb たたむ (tatamu) directly translates to "to fold." It's a common and practical verb you'll encounter frequently in daily life in Japan. Think about all the things you fold regularly: clothes, laundry, paper, blankets, umbrellas, futons, and even your hands. たたむ is used for all these actions.
When you're dealing with items that need to be put away neatly or made more compact, たたむ is the word you'll reach for. It implies an action of making something smaller or more organized by bending it over itself. It's not just about making something flat; it's about making it ready for storage or transport.
- DEFINITION
- たたむ (tatamu): To fold; to bend something over on itself to make it more compact or orderly.
Let's look at some common situations where you would use たたむ.
- Laundry: After washing and drying, clothes need to be folded. This is a primary use of たたむ. You'll hear phrases like 服をたたむ (fuku o tatamu - to fold clothes) or 洗濯物をたたむ (sentakumono o tatamu - to fold laundry).
- Bedding: In Japan, many homes use futons which are designed to be folded and stored during the day to save space. So, 布団をたたむ (futon o tatamu - to fold the futon) is a very common phrase.
- Umbrellas: When it stops raining, you close and fold your umbrella. 傘をたたむ (kasa o tatamu - to fold an umbrella) is the correct expression.
- Paper/Documents: If you need to put a large map into a smaller bag or a document into an envelope, you would たたむ it. 紙をたたむ (kami o tatamu - to fold paper).
- Shop curtains/awnings: Store owners will often たたむ their shop curtains or awnings at the end of the day.
The nuance of たたむ is important. It implies an intentional act of organizing or preparing something by folding. It's not just about something accidentally creasing or bending. You are actively performing the action of folding.
洗濯物をたたむのを手伝ってください。 (Sentakumono o tatamu no o tetsudatte kudasai.)
Hint: Please help me fold the laundry.
毎日、布団をたたんで収納します。 (Mainichi, futon o tatande shūnō shimasu.)
Hint: Every day, I fold and store the futon.
Understanding たたむ is key to describing many everyday activities. Pay attention to the context, and you'll quickly get a feel for when and how to use it correctly. It's a fundamental verb for describing orderliness and efficiency in a Japanese context.
§ Understanding たたむ
The Japanese verb たたむ (tatamu) means 'to fold' or 'to bend something over on itself'. It's a versatile word used for folding many different things.
- Meaning
- To fold; to bend something over on itself.
§ Basic Usage
たたむ is generally used when you physically fold something. Think of clothes, blankets, umbrellas, or even your hands. It implies a neat and deliberate action of making something compact.
洗濯物をたたむ。
- Hint
- To fold the laundry.
傘をたたんでください。
- Hint
- Please close (fold) the umbrella.
§ たたむ in Figurative Speech
たたむ can also be used figuratively. For example, when a business closes down, you might hear a phrase that uses たたむ.
店をたたむ。
- Hint
- To close a shop/business.
§ Similar Words and When to Use たたむ
While たたむ is the primary verb for folding, there are other words that might seem similar but are used in different contexts. Understanding these differences will make your Japanese sound more natural.
- 折る (oru): This verb also means 'to fold', but it's more general and can imply a single bend or creasing.
紙を半分に折る。
- Hint
- To fold paper in half.
- 畳む (tatamu): Yes, this is the same pronunciation and meaning as たたむ, but it's the kanji spelling. You will see both in use. For common, everyday items like clothes, たたむ (hiragana) is often preferred, but both are correct.
着物を畳む。
- Hint
- To fold a kimono.
The key difference is that たたむ (or 畳む) is about making something neat and smaller through multiple folds, while 折る can be a single bend or crease without necessarily making something compact. When you are folding clothes, a blanket, or an umbrella, たたむ is almost always the correct choice.
§ When to Use たたむ: Summary
Use たたむ when you are:
- Folding laundry (洗濯物をたたむ)
- Folding a blanket or futon (布団をたたむ)
- Closing an umbrella (傘をたたむ)
- Folding a map (地図をたたむ)
- Figuratively closing a business (店をたたむ)
Remember, たたむ is for making things compact and tidy through folding. If you keep this in mind, you'll use it correctly most of the time.
Niveau de difficulté
Common hiragana verb.
Easy to write hiragana characters.
Straightforward pronunciation.
Clear and distinct sounds.
Quoi apprendre ensuite
Prérequis
Apprends ensuite
Avancé
Exemples par niveau
洗濯物をたたんでください。
Please fold the laundry.
Using 〜てください (te kudasai) to make a polite request.
地図をたたんでポケットに入れました。
I folded the map and put it in my pocket.
Using 〜て (te) form to connect two actions in sequence.
傘をたたんで、店に入った。
I closed (folded) my umbrella and went into the store.
Using 〜て (te) form to connect two actions in sequence, implying 'then'.
この椅子はたたむことができます。
This chair can be folded.
Using 〜ことができます (koto ga dekimasu) to express ability.
布団をたたんで、部屋を広くした。
I folded the futon and made the room more spacious.
Using 〜て (te) form to connect two actions, with the first action leading to the second result.
彼は腕をたたんで考えていた。
He stood with his arms crossed, thinking.
たたむ is used here in the context of 'crossing' arms, implying folding them over.
店をたたむことを決めました。
I decided to close (fold up) the shop.
This is a common idiom meaning to close a business permanently.
シーツを半分にたたんでください。
Please fold the sheet in half.
Using 〜に (ni) to indicate the way something is folded.
洗濯物をたたんでください。
Please fold the laundry.
地図をたたんでポケットに入れた。
I folded the map and put it in my pocket.
傘をたたんで中に入った。
I folded my umbrella and went inside.
テーブルをたたんで隅に置いた。
I folded the table and put it in the corner.
店をたたむことを決めた。
I decided to close (fold up) the shop.
This is an idiomatic use meaning to close down a business.
この椅子はたたんで収納できます。
This chair can be folded for storage.
彼女はハンカチを丁寧にたたんだ。
She carefully folded the handkerchief.
使わないときはこの棚をたたんでください。
Please fold this shelf when not in use.
洗濯物をきちんとたたんでから棚にしまう。
Fold the laundry neatly before putting it on the shelf.
彼は椅子をたたんで部屋の隅に置いた。
He folded the chair and put it in the corner of the room.
地図をたたんでポケットに入れた。
I folded the map and put it in my pocket.
風が強かったので、傘をたたんでリュックにしまった。
The wind was strong, so I folded my umbrella and put it in my backpack.
店をたたむことを決意した。
I decided to close (fold up) the shop.
「店をたたむ」 is an idiomatic expression meaning to close a business.
事業をたたむという厳しい決断を下した。
I made the difficult decision to close down (fold) the business.
「事業をたたむ」 is an idiomatic expression meaning to close down a business.
テントをたたんで次のキャンプ地へ移動した。
We folded the tent and moved to the next campsite.
この紙はきれいにたたむのが難しい。
It's difficult to fold this paper neatly.
Modèles grammaticaux
Structures de phrases
〜をたたむ (to fold ~)
シャツをたたむ (fold a shirt)
〜がたたむ (something folds)
傘がたたむ (an umbrella folds)
〜をたたんでください (please fold ~)
洗濯物をたたんでください (please fold the laundry)
〜をたたむことができます (can fold ~)
紙をたたむことができます (can fold paper)
〜をたたんでおく (to fold ~ in advance/leave it folded)
毛布をたたんでおいてください (please fold the blanket and leave it)
〜をたたんでから〜 (after folding ~, then ~)
地図をたたんでからバッグに入れた (after folding the map, I put it in my bag)
Teste-toi 72 questions
このシャツをきれいに___ください。(Please fold this shirt neatly.)
The verb 'たたむ' (tatamu) means 'to fold'. In this context, 'きれいにたたむ' (kirei ni tatamu) means 'to fold neatly'. The て-form 'たたんで' (tatande) is used to make a request.
傘を___、カバンに入れました。(I folded the umbrella and put it in my bag.)
To describe the action of folding the umbrella before putting it in the bag, the て-form of 'たたむ' (tatamu) is used to connect the two actions sequentially.
使ったタオルは___置いてください。(Please fold the used towel and leave it.)
Here, 'たたんで' (tatande) is used in a request, asking someone to fold the towel before leaving it. The て-form is crucial for connecting the actions.
洗濯物を___手伝ってくれますか。(Could you help me fold the laundry?)
'たたむのを手伝う' (tatamu no o tetsudau) means 'to help fold'. 'のを' (no o) is used to nominalize the verb 'たたむ' (tatamu) when it's the object of the verb '手伝う' (tetsudau - to help).
私は毎日、ふとんを___習慣があります。(I have a habit of folding my futon every day.)
The plain form of 'たたむ' (tatamu) is used before '習慣があります' (shuukan ga arimasu - I have a habit of).
お店が___前に、買い物に行きましょう。(Let's go shopping before the store closes.)
In this context, 'お店がたたむ' (omise ga tatamu) is a common expression meaning 'the store closes' or 'the store goes out of business'. It refers to the folding up of operations.
This sentence means 'Please fold the clothes.' In Japanese, the object (服 - clothes) comes before the particle を, followed by the verb in its -te form (たたんで - folding), and then the request ください (please).
This means 'Don't forget to fold the umbrella.' 傘 (umbrella) is the object, followed by を. たたむ (to fold) is in its dictionary form, followed by のを (indicating the act of folding as the object of the next verb). 忘れないで is 'don't forget'.
This translates to 'I folded the map and put it in my bag.' 地図 (map) is the object, followed by を. たたんで (folding) is the -te form, connecting the actions. かばんに (into the bag) indicates destination, and 入れた is the past tense of 'to put in'.
What are you being asked to fold?
What did he fold?
What should you fold before going inside?
Read this aloud:
テーブルをたたむ
Focus: ta-ta-mu
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
服をたたむのが得意です。
Focus: fu-ku o ta-ta-mu no ga to-ku-i de-su
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
この椅子はたたむことができますか？
Focus: ko-no i-su wa ta-ta-mu ko-to ga de-ki-ma-su ka?
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This means 'Please fold the clothes.'
This means 'Don't forget to fold the umbrella.'
This means 'To fold the map neatly.'
洗濯物をきれいに___。
The context '洗濯物' (laundry) and 'きれいに' (neatly) suggests the action of folding.
地図を___て、ポケットに入れた。
To put a map in your pocket, you would fold it first. 'ひらいて' (open) is the opposite.
使った傘は、きちんと___ください。
After using an umbrella, it is polite and practical to fold it. '開いて' (open) is incorrect.
キャンプの後はテントを___のが大変だ。
After camping, you 'たたむ' (fold up) the tent. 'たてる' means to set it up.
彼はいつもシャツを丁寧に___。
People typically 'たたむ' (fold) shirts carefully. The other options are unrelated actions.
この椅子は___ことができるので、収納に便利です。
If a chair is convenient for storage, it's likely because you can 'たたむ' (fold) it. '組み立てる' means to assemble.
Imagine you're helping a friend pack for a trip. Write a short message telling them what you're folding. Use 'たたむ'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
友達の荷造りを手伝っているよ。今、服をたたんでいるところ。これでスーツケースにきれいに収まるはず！ (I'm helping my friend pack. I'm folding clothes right now. This way, they should fit neatly in the suitcase!)
You've just finished using an umbrella. Write a sentence describing what you do with it after coming inside, using 'たたむ'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
家に帰ったら、濡れた傘をたたんで、玄関に置いた。(After coming home, I folded the wet umbrella and put it by the entrance.)
Describe a situation where you might need to 'たたむ' something quickly. Write a sentence or two explaining why.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
急な来客があったので、散らかったブランケットを素早くたたんでソファに置いた。 (Since we had a sudden guest, I quickly folded the messy blanket and put it on the sofa.)
筆者はなぜ段ボール箱を「たたんで」保管することにしましたか？ (Why did the author decide to store the cardboard boxes 'folded'?)
Read this passage:
引っ越しのため、段ボール箱がたくさん必要になった。お店で無料で手に入ると聞いて、いくつか持ち帰ったが、そのままではかさばるので、使う時まで平らにたたんで保管することにした。
筆者はなぜ段ボール箱を「たたんで」保管することにしましたか？ (Why did the author decide to store the cardboard boxes 'folded'?)
文章には「そのままではかさばるので」と明記されています。 (The passage clearly states 'because they were bulky as they were'.)
文章には「そのままではかさばるので」と明記されています。 (The passage clearly states 'because they were bulky as they were'.)
仲居さんは何をたたみましたか？ (What did the maid fold?)
Read this passage:
旅館に泊まった際、朝食後に仲居さんが布団をたたんで部屋を片付けてくれた。その手際の良さに感心した。やはりプロの仕事は違うなと感じた。
仲居さんは何をたたみましたか？ (What did the maid fold?)
文章には「布団をたたんで部屋を片付けてくれた」と書かれています。 (The passage says 'the maid folded the futon and tidied up the room'.)
文章には「布団をたたんで部屋を片付けてくれた」と書かれています。 (The passage says 'the maid folded the futon and tidied up the room'.)
筆者はなぜグラフの紙を「たたんで」持ち運んだのですか？ (Why did the author carry the graph paper 'folded'?)
Read this passage:
プレゼンテーションの準備で、大きな紙にグラフを描いた。しかし、持ち運びの際にしわにならないように、 carefullyたたんでファイルに挟んだ。発表直前に広げたら、全く問題なかった。
筆者はなぜグラフの紙を「たたんで」持ち運んだのですか？ (Why did the author carry the graph paper 'folded'?)
文章に「持ち運びの際にしわにならないように」とあります。 (The passage states 'to prevent wrinkles during transport'.)
文章に「持ち運びの際にしわにならないように」とあります。 (The passage states 'to prevent wrinkles during transport'.)
This means 'Please fold the clothes.'
This means 'I folded the map.'
This means 'I folded the umbrella and went into the house.'
What does 'たたむ' refer to in this context?
What action is being performed with the futon?
What is requested to be done with the screen?
Read this aloud:
この傘、うまくたためないのですが、手伝っていただけませんか？
Focus: たためない
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
旅行に行くので、荷物をコンパクトにたたんでおきたい。
Focus: コンパクトにたたんでおきたい
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
テーブルをたたんで、部屋を広く見せましょう。
Focus: たたんで、広く見せましょう
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'He folds the laundry every day.' The particle は marks the topic (彼), 毎日 indicates 'every day,' and を marks the direct object (洗濯物).
This sentence means 'She carefully folded the map.' 丁寧に is an adverb meaning 'carefully.'
This sentence means 'The clerk quickly folded the item and put it in a bag.' 素早く is an adverb meaning 'quickly,' and the て-form of たたむ connects it to the next action.
彼女は使用済みのタオルをきちんと___。
文脈から、タオルをきれいに片付ける動作を表す「たたんだ」が適切です。
使わない傘は小さく___収納する。
傘をコンパクトにする動作なので、「たたんで」が正解です。
彼の意見は、会議の雰囲気を___しまっていた。
「雰囲気をたたむ」は、場の空気を冷ます、活気をなくすという意味で使われます。
事業を___、心機一転、新たな道を進むことにした。
「事業をたたむ」は、事業を閉鎖するという意味の慣用表現です。
彼は、どんなに困難な状況でも、決して希望を___ことはなかった。
「希望をたたむ」は、希望を諦める、失うという意味で使われます。
使わないときは、椅子を___隅に置いてください。
椅子をコンパクトにする動作なので、「たたんで」が適切です。
Choose the most appropriate meaning for 「彼の事業はたたむことになった」 (Kare no jigyō wa tatamu koto ni natta).
In this context, 「たたむ」 (tatamu) figuratively means to close down or cease operations, often referring to a business.
Which sentence uses 「たたむ」 (tatamu) metaphorically?
Here, 「たたむ」 (tatamu) is used metaphorically to mean 'to close off' or 'to put behind oneself' one's past, implying a new beginning.
What is the most nuanced meaning of 「たたむ」 (tatamu) in the phrase 「彼女は自分の感情をたたんで、冷静に対処した」 (Kanojo wa jibun no kanjō o tatande, reisei ni taisho shita)?
In this advanced context, 「たたむ」 (tatamu) suggests 'folding away' or 'keeping in check' one's emotions to maintain composure.
You can use 「たたむ」 (tatamu) to describe putting away a tent after camping.
Yes, 「テントをたたむ」 (tento o tatamu) is a common phrase meaning 'to fold up a tent'.
When someone says 「話はここでたたむ」 (hanashi wa koko de tatamu), they mean they want to continue the conversation later.
No, 「話はここでたたむ」 (hanashi wa koko de tatamu) means 'to conclude the conversation here' or 'to wrap up the discussion'.
It is appropriate to use 「たたむ」 (tatamu) when referring to closing a book.
No, while a book has pages that fold, the common verb for closing a book is 「閉じる」 (tojiru), not 「たたむ」 (tatamu).
This exercise is designed to help you practice the correct word order when using 'たたむ' (to fold) in a travel context. In Japanese, the object of the verb usually comes before the verb.
This exercise focuses on ordering words when giving an instruction or request involving folding laundry. '早く' (quickly) modifies the verb 'たたんで' (fold).
This exercise practices constructing a sentence that advises folding an umbrella when not in use. '使わない時は' (when not using) sets the condition.
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Perfect score!
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