When you want to talk about a "key" in Japanese, the word you'll use is カギ (kagi).
This word is often written in katakana like this: カギ. You might also see it written in hiragana as かぎ, but both mean the same thing.
For example, if you want to say "door key," you can say ドアのカギ (doa no kagi). If you want to say "car key," you'd say 車のカギ (kuruma no kagi).
It's a very useful word to know for everyday situations!
Guide de prononciation
- Pronouncing the 'g' sound too softly, like a 'j'.
Niveau de difficulté
Simple katakana, short word.
Simple katakana, short word.
Easy pronunciation, common word.
Clear pronunciation, distinct sound.
Quoi apprendre ensuite
Prérequis
Apprends ensuite
Avancé
Exemples par niveau
これはカギです。
This is a key.
ドアのカギ。
Door's key.
カギはどこですか？
Where is the key?
カギをください。
Please give me the key.
カギがあります。
There is a key. / I have a key.
カギがありません。
There is no key. / I don't have a key.
くるまのカギ。
Car's key.
へやのカギ。
Room's key.
カギをなくしてしまって家に入れないんだ。
I lost my key and can't get into the house.
なくす (to lose) + しまう (indicates completion/regret)
自転車のサドルにカギがかけっぱなしだよ。
The key is left hanging on the bicycle seat.
かけっぱなし (left in a state of being locked/hanging)
この引き出しはカギがかかっていて開かない。
This drawer is locked and won't open.
カギがかかる (to be locked)
部屋のスペアキーはどこに保管してありますか？
Where is the spare key for the room kept?
保管してある (is kept/stored)
彼の話がこの事件の解決の大きなカギとなった。
His story became a big key to solving this case.
〜のカギとなる (to become the key to something)
車のカギを車内に閉じ込めてしまいました。
I locked my car key inside the car.
閉じ込める (to lock in/confine)
新しいアパートの玄関のカギは番号式です。
The entrance key for the new apartment is a numeric code.
番号式 (numeric/code type)
カギをかけるのを忘れて家を出てきてしまった。
I forgot to lock up and left the house.
カギをかける (to lock up)
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Imagine a 'cage-y' person who keeps their keys very secret, not wanting anyone to know where they are. 'Cage-y' sounds like 'kagi'.
Association visuelle
Picture a large, ornate key, and on its handle, you see the shape of the katakana characters カ (ka) and ギ (gi).
Word Web
Défi
Think about all the places you use keys in your daily life. Now, try to describe those actions in simple Japanese using カギ. For example: '車のカギ' (car key), '家のカギ' (house key).
Pratique dans la vie réelle
Contextes réels
lost and found
- 鍵をなくしました。(Kagi o nakushimashita.) - I lost my key.
- 鍵が見つかりましたか？(Kagi ga mitsukarimashita ka?) - Have you found my key?
- 鍵はありましたか？(Kagi wa arimashita ka?) - Was there a key?
locking/unlocking
- 鍵をかけます。(Kagi o kakemasu.) - I'll lock it.
- 鍵を開けます。(Kagi o akemasu.) - I'll unlock it.
- 鍵がかかっています。(Kagi ga kakatte imasu.) - It's locked.
giving/receiving a key
- 鍵を渡します。(Kagi o watashimasu.) - I'll hand over the key.
- 鍵をもらえますか？(Kagi o moraemasu ka?) - Can I have the key?
- これが鍵です。(Kore ga kagi desu.) - This is the key.
types of keys
- 車の鍵 (Kuruma no kagi) - Car key
- 家の鍵 (Ie no kagi) - House key
- スペアキー (Supea kī) - Spare key
asking for a key
- 鍵はどこですか？(Kagi wa doko desu ka?) - Where is the key?
- 鍵を貸してください。(Kagi o kashite kudasai.) - Please lend me the key.
- 鍵を借りたいのですが。(Kagi o karitai no desu ga.) - I'd like to borrow the key.
Amorces de conversation
"家の鍵をどこに置いたか覚えていますか？(Ie no kagi o doko ni oita ka oboete imasu ka?) - Do you remember where you put the house key?"
"もし鍵をなくしたら、どうしますか？(Moshi kagi o nakushitara, dō shimasu ka?) - What would you do if you lost your key?"
"あなたの車の鍵はどんな形ですか？(Anata no kuruma no kagi wa donna katachi desu ka?) - What does your car key look like?"
"誰かに鍵を貸したことがありますか？(Dareka ni kagi o kashita koto ga arimasu ka?) - Have you ever lent someone your key?"
"鍵を閉め忘れたことはありますか？(Kagi o shimewasureta koto wa arimasu ka?) - Have you ever forgotten to lock up?"
Sujets d'écriture
今日、鍵を使った状況を3つ書いてください。(Kyō, kagi o tsukatta jōkyō o mittsu kaite kudasai.) - Write three situations where you used a key today.
もし世界中のすべての鍵を一つにまとめられたら、何が起こると思いますか？(Moshi sekaijū no subete no kagi o hitotsu ni matomeraretara, nani ga okoru to omoimasu ka?) - If all the keys in the world could be combined into one, what do you think would happen?
鍵に関する面白い思い出を書いてください。(Kagi ni kansuru omoshiroi omoide o kaite kudasai.) - Write an interesting memory related to a key.
あなたの家には何個鍵がありますか？それはどこで使いますか？(Anata no ie ni wa nanko kagi ga arimasu ka? Sore wa doko de tsukaimasu ka?) - How many keys do you have for your house? Where do you use them?
もしあなたが特別な鍵を持っていたら、どんな扉を開けたいですか？(Moshi anata ga tokubetsu na kagi o motte itara, donna tobira o aketai desu ka?) - If you had a special key, what kind of door would you want to open?
Teste-toi 48 questions
ドアを閉めるときは、___を忘れずに。
ドアを閉める時は、鍵 (かぎ) を忘れずに。- When closing the door, don't forget the key.
あなたの___はどこですか？
あなたの鍵 (かぎ) はどこですか？- Where is your key?
この___でドアを開けてください。
この鍵 (かぎ) でドアを開けてください。- Please open the door with this key.
自転車の___をなくしました。
自転車の鍵 (かぎ) をなくしました。- I lost my bicycle key.
車に___をかけました。
車に鍵 (かぎ) をかけました。- I locked the car (lit. put a key on the car).
どこに___を置きましたか？
どこに鍵 (かぎ) を置きましたか？- Where did you put the key?
ドアの___はどこですか？ (Where is the ___ of the door?)
The sentence asks for 'where is the ___ of the door?', and 'カギ' (key) fits perfectly in this context.
この___でドアを開けてください。(Please open the door with this ___.)
To open a door, you need a 'カギ' (key).
なくした___を見つけました。(I found the ___ I lost.)
The sentence indicates finding something that was lost. 'カギ' (key) is a common item to lose.
車の___を忘れてしまいました。(I forgot the car ___.)
To operate a car, you need its 'カギ' (key).
自転車の___をかけました。(I locked the bicycle with a ___.)
To lock a bicycle, you use a 'カギ' (key or lock).
引き出しに___をかけました。(I locked the drawer with a ___.)
To lock a drawer, you would use a 'カギ' (key).
Which of these means 'key'?
カギ (kagi) directly translates to 'key' in English.
You want to say 'I lost my key'. Which word would you use for 'key'?
カギ (kagi) is the Japanese word for 'key'.
Look at the sentence: わたしは カギを あります。(Watashi wa kagi o arimasu.) Which word means 'key'?
In this sentence, カギ (kagi) is the word for 'key'.
The word カギ (kagi) means 'door'.
カギ (kagi) means 'key', not 'door'. The word for 'door' is ドア (doa).
If you are looking for your house key, you would use the word カギ (kagi).
Yes, カギ (kagi) is the correct word for 'key'.
カギ (kagi) is a verb.
カギ (kagi) is a noun, meaning 'key'. It is not a verb.
Write a short sentence using 「カギ」 to say 'I lost my key.'
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
カギをなくしました。
Write a question asking 'Do you have a key?' using 「カギ」.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
カギはありますか。
Write a sentence to say 'Please give me the key.' using 「カギ」.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
カギをください。
What is the problem?
Read this passage:
すみません、ドアの カギがありません。 どこにありますか。
What is the problem?
The passage says 'ドアのカギがありません。' which means 'I don't have the door key.'
The passage says 'ドアのカギがありません。' which means 'I don't have the door key.'
What is being given?
Read this passage:
これはあたらしい カギです。どうぞ。
What is being given?
The passage states 'これはあたらしいカギです。' which means 'This is a new key.'
The passage states 'これはあたらしいカギです。' which means 'This is a new key.'
Where is the key?
Read this passage:
カギはテーブルの うえにあります。
Where is the key?
The passage says 'カギはテーブルのうえにあります。' 'うえ' means 'on' or 'above'.
The passage says 'カギはテーブルのうえにあります。' 'うえ' means 'on' or 'above'.
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 私は___をなくしてしまいました。
The sentence means 'I lost my ___'. 'カギ' (key) fits best in this context, implying the common experience of losing a key.
Which of the following phrases correctly uses 'カギ' to mean 'to lock'?
'カギをかける' is the standard Japanese phrase for 'to lock' something using a key. 'カギを開ける' means 'to unlock', 'カギを持つ' means 'to hold a key', and 'カギを探す' means 'to search for a key'.
Which sentence implies someone is trying to get into a locked place?
'ドアにカギがかかっています。' means 'The door is locked.' This directly implies an obstacle to entry. The other options refer to losing, searching for, or owning a key, not necessarily trying to enter.
The phrase 'カギをなくす' means 'to find a key'.
'カギをなくす' means 'to lose a key'. The phrase for 'to find a key' would be 'カギを見つける'.
If someone asks 'カギ、持ってる？', they are asking if you have a key.
'カギ、持ってる？' is a casual way of asking 'Do you have the key?' or 'Are you carrying the key?'
You would typically use 'カギ' when talking about the key to a car.
Yes, 'カギ' can refer to a car key, a house key, or any other type of physical key.
This sentence asks 'Where is my key?' The particles の (no) and は (wa) connect the words logically.
This sentence means 'This door is locked.' カギがかかっています (kagi ga kakatte imasu) is a common phrase for 'is locked.'
This sentence means 'I found the car key.' The particle を (o) marks the direct object 'car key'.
この部屋の___はどこにありますか。
The sentence asks where the 'key' to this room is. 'カギ' means key.
車に___をかけましたか。
To 'lock' a car (車にカギをかける) literally means to put a key on it or to lock it with a key. 'カギ' is the correct choice here.
彼はいつも家の___をなくします。
The sentence states that he always loses the 'key' to his house. 'カギ' means key.
自転車に___をかけて、盗難を防ぎましょう。
To 'lock' a bicycle (自転車にカギをかける) means to secure it with a key to prevent theft. 'カギ' is the appropriate word here.
この引き出しは___がかかっています。開けられません。
The sentence indicates that the drawer is 'locked' (カギがかかっています), meaning it has a key or is secured by a key, and therefore cannot be opened. 'カギ' is the correct term.
彼は新しい___で玄関のドアを開けました。
The sentence says he opened the front door with a new 'key'. 'カギ' is the appropriate word for key.
The speaker forgot the room key somewhere.
The speaker is troubled because they can't find the car key.
He gave the house key to the speaker.
Read this aloud:
この鍵でドアが開きますか？
Focus: kagi de doa ga akimasu ka
Tu as dit :
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Read this aloud:
鍵をかけ忘れないでください。
Focus: kagi o kakewasurenai de kudasai
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
新しい鍵を作ってもらえますか？
Focus: atarashii kagi o tsukutte moraemasu ka
Tu as dit :
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/ 48 correct
Perfect score!
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