Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'look after' to describe being responsible for the well-being of people, animals, or objects over a period of time.
- Always keep 'look' and 'after' together; never put the object in between them (e.g., 'look after him').
- Conjugate the verb 'look' normally for tense (looked, looking, looks) while 'after' remains unchanged.
- Use it for both temporary tasks (babysitting) and permanent responsibilities (owning a house).
Overview
look after という表現は非常に重要です。これは「〜の世話をする」「〜を預かる」という意味を持つ「句動詞（phrasal verb）」です。日本語では「世話をする」「面倒を見る」「預かる」といった言葉で表現されますが、英語の look after は、対象が人であれ、ペットであれ、あるいは大切な持ち物であれ、幅広く「責任を持って見守る」というニュアンスをカバーします。look（見る）という動詞に after（〜の後ろに）という前置詞がくっつくことで、全く別の意味が生まれます。これが英語学習の面白いところであり、同時に難しいところでもあります。日本語話者にとって、動詞と前置詞がセットで一つの意味を作るという感覚は馴染みが薄いかもしれません。しかし、この look after をマスターすることは、単なる単語の暗記ではなく、英語特有の「空間的・比喩的な意味の広がり」を理解する第一歩となります。日常生活のあらゆる場面で使われるため、この表現を自然に使いこなせるようになると、表現の幅が劇的に広がります。look after は「分離不可能な句動詞」です。これは、look と after を切り離して使うことができないという意味です。日本語の文法で言えば、一つの複合動詞として捉えるのが最も近いです。例えば「面倒を見る」という言葉を「面倒を……見る」と離して使うことはありませんよね。それと同じように、look と after は常にセットで動きます。look after は、look after + 目的語 という語順が固定されています。この after は、もともとは「時間的・空間的な後ろ」を意味しますが、ここから「対象の後ろにいて、見守り続ける」という比喩的な意味が生まれました。つまり、「対象から目を離さず、安全を確認し続ける」というニュアンスが含まれているのです。after の後ろに置くという点です。look after の活用は、普通の動詞 look と全く同じです。主語に合わせて look を変化させ、after はそのままにします。以下に基本的なパターンをまとめました。She looks after her sick mother. |He looked after the store yesterday. |I am looking after my neighbor's cat. |I will look after your luggage. |look after という塊は崩れません。特に looks と s をつけるのを忘れないように注意しましょう。これは三人称単数のルールですが、日本語にはない概念なので、意識的に練習する必要があります。look after は、以下のような「責任」や「保護」が伴う場面で使います。- 1人やペットの世話: 最も一般的な使い方です。
Can you look after my dog?（私の犬の世話をしてくれる？）のように、相手に一時的な責任を委ねる際に使います。 - 2物の管理・保管: 貴重品を預けるときにも使います。
Please look after my bag.（私のバッグを見ていてください＝預かっていてください）は、コンビニやカフェで席を立つときにも使える自然な表現です。 - 3仕事上の責任: プロジェクトや部署を管理する場合です。
He looks after the marketing department.（彼はマーケティング部を統括している）のように、ビジネスシーンでも「管理する」という意味で頻繁に使われます。 - 4自己管理: 自分自身の健康を気遣う際にも使います。
You need to look after yourself.（自分自身を大切にしなさい）というフレーズは、友人や家族を気遣う際に非常に温かい響きを持ちます。
- 1目的語を間に挟んでしまう: 日本語の語順（目的語→動詞）に引きずられ、
look my cat afterと言ってしまうミスです。これは英語の句動詞のルールに反します。必ずlook after my catとしてください。 - 2
look forとの混同:look forは「探す」です。I am looking after my keysと言うと、「鍵の世話をしている（鍵を見守っている）」という奇妙な意味になります。鍵を探しているならlook forを使いましょう。これは日本語でどちらも「見る」という言葉から連想しやすいため起こる干渉です。 - 3前置詞の重複:
look after for the babyのように、afterとforを両方使ってしまうミスです。look after自体で「世話をする」という一つの動詞の役割を果たしているため、後ろに余計な前置詞は不要です。
look after に似た表現との違いを明確にしましょう。look after | 世話をする・預かる | 責任を持って見守る、保護する |take care of | 面倒を見る・処理する | 世話をするだけでなく、問題を解決する、担当する |look at | 〜を見る | 単に視線を向ける、観察する |take care of は look after とほぼ同じ意味で使えますが、take care of の方が「問題を解決する（処理する）」というニュアンスが強くなります。例えば take care of the problem とは言いますが、look after the problem とはあまり言いません。look after は take care of とどう使い分けますか？take care of の方が「処理する・解決する」というタスク管理の側面が強いです。人やペットの世話ならどちらでも自然です。look after は分離できないのですか？look after を使った丁寧な依頼の仕方は？Could you look after my cat while I'm away? のように、Could you ~ を使うと非常に丁寧で自然です。ぜひ使ってみてください。2. Negative Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
do not look after
|
don't look after
|
I don't look after cats.
|
|
does not look after
|
doesn't look after
|
He doesn't look after his car.
|
|
did not look after
|
didn't look after
|
We didn't look after the plants.
|
|
is not looking after
|
isn't looking after
|
She isn't looking after the baby.
|
Conjugating 'Look After'
| Tense | Subject | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I / You / We / They
|
look after
|
I look after the dog.
|
|
Present Simple
|
He / She / It
|
looks after
|
She looks after the dog.
|
|
Past Simple
|
All subjects
|
looked after
|
We looked after the dog.
|
|
Present Continuous
|
I
|
am looking after
|
I am looking after the dog.
|
|
Present Continuous
|
He / She / It
|
is looking after
|
He is looking after the dog.
|
|
Present Perfect
|
I / You / We / They
|
have looked after
|
They have looked after the dog.
|
|
Future (Will)
|
All subjects
|
will look after
|
I will look after the dog.
|
|
Gerund
|
N/A
|
looking after
|
Looking after a dog is hard work.
|
Meanings
To take care of someone or something by ensuring they have what they need, remain safe, or stay in good condition.
Physical Care
Providing for the basic needs of a living being, like a child or a pet.
“She looks after her younger brother every afternoon.”
“Who is going to look after the dog while we are at work?”
Maintenance/Protection
Ensuring that property or objects do not get damaged or lost.
“Please look after my luggage for a minute while I buy a ticket.”
“You should look after your phone; it was very expensive.”
Responsibility/Management
Being in charge of a task, a department, or a business interest.
“My assistant looks after all my travel arrangements.”
“The finance department looks after the company's taxes.”
Reference Table
| 句動詞 | 意味 | 使い方 | 例 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
`look after`
|
世話をする/監督する
|
人、動物、物
|
Can you `look after` my dog?
|
|
`take care of`
|
世話をする、処理する
|
`look after`と似ているが、問題の「処理」にも使える
|
I'll `take care of` the arrangements.
|
|
`care for`
|
世話をする（より丁寧）、愛情を感じる
|
人（特に高齢者）、感情的な繋がり
|
She `cares for` her ailing mother.
|
|
`mind`
|
短期間預かる（英）、嫌がる
|
物の一時的な預かり、嫌悪を表す
|
Do you `mind` my bag for a minute?
|
フォーマル度スペクトル
I am responsible for the oversight and well-being of the children. (childcare)
I am looking after the children today. (childcare)
I'm watching the kids. (childcare)
I'm on kid-duty. (childcare)
「Look After」の世界
物
- Phone My friend looks after my phone.
- House Can you look after the house?
- Luggage Please look after my luggage.
人
- Children She looks after her children.
- Elderly Nurses look after patients.
- Yourself Remember to look after yourself.
動物
- Dog Who's looking after the dog?
- Cat I'm looking after a cat.
- Pets Looking after pets is fun.
責任
- Business He looks after the business.
- Accounts She looks after the accounts.
Look Afterと似たフレーズの比較
「Look After」を使うべきか？
世話や監督をすることですか？
それは人、動物、物ですか？
何かを探すことですか？
視覚的に観察することですか？
何を「Look After」できる？
人
- • 子供
- • 高齢の親戚
- • 病気の友人
- • 自分自身
動物
- • ペット（犬、猫）
- • 家畜
- • 負傷した野生動物
物
- • 携帯電話/ノートパソコン
- • 家/植物
- • 貴重品
- • カバン/荷物
責任
- • 財務
- • プロジェクト
- • 部署
- • 顧客のニーズ
レベル別の例文
I look after my cat.
I take care of my cat.
She looks after her baby.
She takes care of her baby.
Do you look after your toys?
Do you take care of your toys?
They look after the garden.
They take care of the garden.
I looked after my brother yesterday.
I took care of my brother yesterday.
Can you look after my bag for a minute?
Can you watch my bag for a minute?
We are looking after our neighbor's house.
We are taking care of our neighbor's house.
He doesn't look after his health.
He doesn't take care of his health.
I've been looking after this department for three years.
I have been managing this department for three years.
It's hard to look after a large house by yourself.
It is difficult to maintain a large house alone.
Who is looking after the arrangements for the party?
Who is handling the party arrangements?
You need to look after your skin in the sun.
You need to protect your skin in the sun.
The government needs to look after the interests of small businesses.
The government must protect small business interests.
She has a reputation for looking after her employees well.
She is known for taking good care of her staff.
If you look after your tools, they will last a lifetime.
If you maintain your tools, they will last forever.
He was looking after his elderly parents while working full-time.
He was caring for his aged parents while also working.
The executor is responsible for looking after the estate until probate is granted.
The executor manages the property until legal processes are finished.
In this industry, you really have to look after number one.
In this field, you must prioritize your own interests.
The charity looks after the welfare of retired greyhounds.
The charity manages the well-being of former racing dogs.
The museum looks after some of the world's most precious artifacts.
The museum preserves very valuable historical items.
The state's failure to look after its most vulnerable citizens led to a crisis.
The government's inability to care for the poor caused a crisis.
One must look after the nuances of the contract before signing.
One must attend to the small details of the contract.
He has spent a lifetime looking after the legacy of his late father.
He dedicated his life to preserving his father's reputation.
The ecological balance is looked after by a complex web of predators.
Nature's balance is maintained by predators.
間違えやすい
Both start with 'look' and involve an object, but one is about care and the other is about searching.
Learners sometimes use 'look after' when they just mean 'observing' something.
They are very similar, but 'take care of' can be used for solving problems, while 'look after' cannot.
よくある間違い
I look my dog after.
I look after my dog.
I look for my baby.
I look after my baby.
He look after the cat.
He looks after the cat.
I am look after the house.
I am looking after the house.
I will look after to you.
I will look after you.
She looked after her bag for a minute.
She looked after my bag for a minute.
Did you looked after the plants?
Did you look after the plants?
The project was looked after me.
The project was looked after by me.
I look after to my health.
I look after my health.
I'm looking after for a new job.
I'm looking for a new job.
He looks after number one's interests.
He looks after number one.
文型パターン
I need someone to look after my ___ while I am ___.
It is important to look after your ___ if you want it to ___.
Who is going to look after the ___ for the ___?
Having to look after ___ taught me a lot about ___.
Real World Usage
I am looking after a Golden Retriever this weekend.
I looked after the budget for the entire marketing department.
Can someone look after Grandma on Tuesday?
Could you look after my seat while I go to the restroom?
He looks after the lawn every Saturday.
The nurses look after the patients around the clock.
Keep it together!
look afterは、「look」と「after」がくっついた一つの動詞（句動詞）なので、目的語は必ず全体の後ろに来ます。間違って「look the children after」とは言わないでくださいね。「She looks after her kids.」Don't confuse with 'look for'!
look after my phone, not look for it.」Versatility is key
look afterは、人、動物、物、何にでも使えます。猫のお世話から、会社の書類管理まで、「世話をする」「管理する」ことなら何でもOKです。「Can you look after my plants?」British vs. American English
look after the house.」Past tense is easy!
looked after the dog last week.」Smart Tips
Use 'look after' to sound more like a leader. It implies you are in control of the outcome.
Treat 'look after' as a single, long verb that cannot be broken. If you can't put a word inside 'care', don't put one inside 'look after'.
Always put the pronoun at the very end. Phrasal verbs like 'pick up' change order with pronouns, but 'look after' never does.
Place the adverb at the end of the sentence, not between 'look' and 'after'.
発音
Stress Pattern
The primary stress is on the verb 'look', while 'after' is spoken more quickly and with less emphasis.
Linking
The 'k' in 'look' often links smoothly to the 'a' in 'after' in fast speech, sounding like 'loo-kafter'.
Falling Intonation
I'll look after it. ↘
Conveys a promise or a statement of fact.
暗記しよう
記憶術
Think of 'After' as 'Behind'. If you look after someone, you are 'watching their back' to keep them safe.
視覚的連想
Imagine a mother duck walking in front and 'looking after' her ducklings who are following 'after' her in a line.
Rhyme
To keep it safe and keep it clean, look after things that must be seen.
Story
Once there was a boy who had a magic plant. He had to look after it every day. He looked after the water, he looked after the sunlight, and eventually, the plant looked after him by growing gold leaves.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Find three things in your room right now that you need to look after. Say out loud: 'I look after my [object] because [reason].'
文化メモ
In the UK, 'look after' is the standard way to talk about childcare. 'Babysitting' is the activity, but 'looking after' is the verb used most often in conversation.
Americans use 'look after' frequently, but 'take care of' is often the first choice in casual speech.
Using 'look after' in a CV or resume is seen as a positive trait, suggesting the candidate is reliable and capable of management without sounding overly aggressive.
The phrase dates back to Middle English. The word 'look' comes from Old English 'locian' (to see), and 'after' comes from 'æfter' (behind/following).
会話のきっかけ
Who looks after your pets when you go on holiday?
What is the most difficult thing you have ever had to look after?
In your opinion, should the government look after everyone's health for free?
How do you look after your mental health during busy times?
日記のテーマ
よくある間違い
Test Yourself
Can you ___ my dog while I'm on holiday?
look afterは世話をするという意味です。look atは観察する、look forは探すという意味です。Find and fix the mistake:
I need to look my little sister after tonight.
look afterは分離できない句動詞です。目的語（「my little sister」）は必ず句動詞全体の後に来なければなりません。Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
look after + 目的語」です。Score: /3
練習問題
8 exercisesYesterday, I ___ my neighbor's cat.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
She is look after the baby right now.
I take care of the garden every Sunday.
1. Look after, 2. Look for, 3. Look at
A: Can you help me? B: Sure, I can ___ your bags while you go.
Sentence: 'He looks his health after.'
after / will / your / who / dog / look / ?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesDon't worry about your jacket, I'll ___ it for you.
Which of these sentences is grammatically incorrect?
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Ella cuida a sus padres ancianos.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the subjects with the correct ending:
My job is to ___ the customers' needs and ensure their satisfaction.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: '¿Puedes cuidar mi casa mientras estoy fuera?'
The security guard looks out for the valuables in the gallery.
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Score: /11
よくある質問 (8)
No, 'after' is the only preposition needed. Adding 'to' is a common mistake. Just say `look after someone`.
Not at all! You can `look after` pets, plants, houses, cars, and even abstract things like a business or your health.
They are mostly the same. However, `take care of` can also mean 'to deal with a problem' or 'to kill someone' (in movies!), while `look after` is strictly about caring and maintenance.
It is neutral. You can use it with your friends, but it is also perfectly fine to use in a business meeting or a job interview.
No. Unlike some phrasal verbs, `look after` is inseparable. The object must always come after the word 'after'.
Similar, but `look after` is more active. If you 'watch' a baby, you might just be looking at them. If you `look after` a baby, you are responsible for their needs.
You can say `The dog is looked after by my sister`. Note that 'looked' and 'after' still stay together.
It is very common in both, but British English speakers use it slightly more frequently than Americans, who might prefer 'take care of'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Cuidar / Ocuparse de
English requires the particle 'after' to change the meaning of 'look'.
S'occuper de / Garder
The English structure is not reflexive and uses a phrasal verb.
Aufpassen auf / Sich kümmern um
German prepositions don't always map 1:1 with English particles.
世話をする (Sewa o suru)
Japanese uses a 'Noun + Verb' construction instead of a 'Verb + Particle' construction.
يعتني بـ (Ya'tani bi)
The direction of the prepositional logic differs.
照顾 (Zhàogù)
Chinese has no verb conjugation for tense, unlike 'look/looked/looking'.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
関連動画
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