Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
'Make up' is a versatile verb used to describe inventing stories, becoming friends again, or forming a whole.
- Use it to mean 'invent' (e.g., 'He made up an excuse').
- Use it to mean 'reconcile' after a fight (e.g., 'They finally made up').
- When using a pronoun (it/them), put it in the middle: 'Make it up'.
Overview
make や get、take といった基本動詞に、up、off、out などの前置詞や副詞が組み合わさって、元の動詞とは全く異なる新しい意味を生み出す表現のことです。make up は、その中でも特に重要で、かつ多義的な（多くの意味を持つ）句動詞です。中級レベル（B1）の学習者にとって、make up の核となる2つの意味――「（話や言い訳を）でっち上げる・作り上げる」と「（喧嘩の後に）仲直りする」――をマスターすることは、英語の表現力を飛躍的に高める鍵となります。make up なのでしょうか？ この謎を解き明かし、日本語の感覚と結びつけて理解することで、丸暗記ではなく「納得」して使えるようになります。この記事では、日本人が間違いやすいポイントや、ネイティブが日常会話でどのようにこの表現を使い分けているかを徹底的に解説します。make up の仕組みを理解するためには、まず make（作る）と up（完全に、上に）という2つの要素がどのように組み合わさっているかを考える必要があります。up に非常に近いです。up には「下から上へ」という方向だけでなく、「完成（completion）」や「完全に」というニュアンスがあります。つまり、頭の中にある断片的な情報を組み合わせて、一つの完成したストーリーや言い訳を「作り上げる」のが make up です。make up です。ここでも up は、沈んだ関係を「上に」引き上げ、良好な状態へと「完成させる」役割を果たしています。make up (a story) | 作り上げる | 想像力を使って完成させる |make up (after a fight) | 仲直りする | 壊れた関係を修復して元に戻す |make up one's mind | 決心する | 迷いを断ち切り、考えを固める |make up は単に「作る」だけでなく、「何かをあるべき形に整える」「完成させる」という強いエネルギーを持った表現なのです。make up を使う際に最も注意すべきは、「目的語（何を）」をどこに置くかというルールです。これは「分離可能性（Separability）」と呼ばれるルールで、日本人が最も間違いやすい文法ポイントの一つです。- 目的語が名詞の場合：
makeとupの間に入れても、upの後に置いてもどちらでも構いません。 He made up a story.(彼は話を作り上げた。)He made a story up.(同上)
a very long and complicated story）の場合は、最後に置く方が自然です（エンドウェイトの法則）。- 目的語が代名詞（it, them, thisなど）の場合： 必ず
makeとupの間に挟みます。 I made it up.(〇 正解)I made up it.(× 不正解)
with を伴う）- 単独で使う場合：
They finally made up.(彼らはついに仲直りした。)- 「〜と仲直りする」と言う場合：
make up with [人]という形をとります。I want to make up with my sister.(妹と仲直りしたい。)
make up [noun] / make [noun] up | make [it] up (挟む) |make up with [person] | make up with [him/her] (挟まない) |make up が使われるか見ていきましょう。I had to make up an excuse for being late.
Don't believe him; he's just making it all up!
The children love to make up their own games.
Authors have to make up interesting characters.
We had a big argument last night, but we made up this morning.
It's time to make up with your best friend.
Have you made up your mind about the new job offer?
made up it と言ってしまいがちです。- Bad:
The story is false. He made up it. - Good:
The story is false. He made it up.
it や them のような軽い代名詞は、動詞とパーティクル（upなど）の間に挟まれるというリズム上のルールがあります。make up を使ってしまうmake up は「形のないもの（話、関係、決心）」を作り上げる時に使います。物理的なものを作る時は単に make を使います。- Bad:
I will make up a bookshelf this weekend. - Good:
I will make a bookshelf this weekend. - Good:
I will assemble a bookshelf this weekend.
make up は「構成する」「でっち上げる」という抽象的なニュアンスが強いため、家具などを組み立てる際には不自然です。with 忘れwith が必須です。- Bad:
I made up him.(これでは「彼を創作した」という意味に聞こえてしまいます！) - Good:
I made up with him.
make up with で一つのセットです。with がないと、前述の「でっち上げる」という意味に誤解されるリスクがあります。make up と混同しやすい他の表現と比較してみましょう。make up との違い |invent | 発明する、考案する | invent はよりフォーマル。make up は日常会話（特に嘘や言い訳）でよく使われる。 |decide | 決定する | make up one's mind は「迷った末に決心する」というプロセスに焦点がある。 |reconcile | 和解させる | 非常に硬い言葉。外交や法的な文脈で使われる。日常の仲直りは make up。 |make up for | 埋め合わせをする | for がつくと「失ったものを取り戻す（補償する）」という意味に変わる。 |make up vs make up for の違いに注意！We made up.(私たちは仲直りした。)I will make up for the delay.(遅れの埋め合わせをします。)
for 一つで意味が大きく変わるのが句動詞の面白い（そして恐ろしい）ところです。make up ですか？makeup（化粧品）、動詞では put on makeup と言います。これも「顔を作り上げる（整える）」というニュアンスから来ています。実は make up には「（不足を埋めて）構成する」という意味もあり、顔の足りない部分を補うという感覚ですね。make it up と make up it は本当に使い分けが必要ですか？make up it という語順は非常に不自然に聞こえます。これは it が弱く発音される単語であるため、文の最後に来るのを嫌う性質があるからです。常に make it up というリズムで覚えてしまいましょう。make up を使うことはありますか？make up のような句動詞をマスターするコツは、日本語の「単語」と一対一で対応させるのではなく、「イメージ」で捉えることです。- 何もないところから、何かが形になって「上がってくる」＝ でっち上げる、創作する。
- 壊れた関係を修理して、元のレベルまで「上げる」＝ 仲直りする。
up のエネルギーを感じることができれば、状況に応じて自然と言葉が出てくるようになります。まずは、次に友達と喧嘩してしまった時（あるいは言い訳を思いついた時！）に、心の中で I need to make up (with)... と呟いてみてください。一歩ずつ、ネイティブの感覚に近づいていきましょう！Conjugating 'Make Up'
| Tense | Subject | Verb Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I / You / We / They
|
make up
|
They make up stories.
|
|
Present Simple
|
He / She / It
|
makes up
|
She makes up excuses.
|
|
Past Simple
|
All subjects
|
made up
|
We made up yesterday.
|
|
Present Continuous
|
I
|
am making up
|
I am making up the bed.
|
|
Present Perfect
|
He / She
|
has made up
|
He has made it up.
|
|
Future
|
All subjects
|
will make up
|
They will make up soon.
|
Common Contractions with 'Make Up'
| Full Form | Contraction | Context |
|---|---|---|
|
I have made up
|
I've made up
|
Informal speech
|
|
They will make up
|
They'll make up
|
Casual conversation
|
|
It is made up
|
It's made up
|
Describing a lie
|
Meanings
A multi-use phrasal verb primarily used for creating fictional information or restoring a relationship after a disagreement.
Invent/Fabricate
To create a story, lie, or explanation that is not true.
“Stop making up excuses for being late!”
“The author made up a whole new world for her book.”
Reconcile
To become friends again after a quarrel or fight.
“We had a huge argument, but we made up the next day.”
“Kiss and make up!”
Constitute/Form
To be the parts that form a whole.
“Women make up 50% of the workforce.”
“Ten chapters make up this textbook.”
Compensate
To do something extra because you missed something earlier (often used with 'for').
“I'll work late to make up the time I lost.”
“He bought her flowers to make up for his mistake.”
Reference Table
| 意味 | 目的語の種類 | 構造例 | ヒント |
|---|---|---|---|
|
話／嘘をでっち上げる
|
名詞
|
make up a story / make a story up
|
作り話やごまかすときに使うことが多いです。
|
|
言い訳をでっち上げる
|
名詞
|
make up an excuse / make an excuse up
|
問題や責任を避けるためです。
|
|
それをでっち上げる（代名詞）
|
代名詞
|
make it up
|
代名詞は必ず「make」と「up」の間に置きます。
|
|
（誰かと）仲直りする
|
人
|
make up with her/him/them
|
意見の不一致の後に再び友達になることです。
|
|
仲直りする（全般）
|
暗黙的
|
They finally made up.
|
多くの場合、「with each other」が含まれていることを示唆します。
|
|
構成する／形成する
|
グループ／一部
|
Students make up 70% of the class.
|
構成要素を説明します（第二の意味）。
|
|
化粧をする
|
顔／自分
|
She makes up her face.
|
もう一つの一般的ですが異なる意味です。
|
フォーマル度スペクトル
The two parties have reached a reconciliation. (Relationships)
They have made up. (Relationships)
They're cool again. (Relationships)
They're Gucci now. (Relationships)
Make Up: 2つのコアな意味
でっち上げる／作り出す（フィクション）
- Story 物語をでっち上げる
- Excuse 理由をでっち上げる
- Game 遊びを創造する
仲直りする（友情）
- With someone 再び友達になる
- After argument 対立を解決する
- Differences 意見の相違を解決する
Make Up 対 類似の動詞
「Make Up」を効果的に使うには
何かをでっち上げたり（話、言い訳、ゲームなど）する意味ですか？
目的語は代名詞（it, themなど）ですか？
誰かと仲直りする意味ですか？
「Make Up」の文脈
でっち上げる
- • 言い訳
- • 話
- • ゲーム
- • 嘘
- • 歌
- • アリバイ
仲直りする
- • 友達と
- • 喧嘩の後で
- • 意見の相違
- • 家族と
- • 不一致
使わないとき
- • 物を建てる時
- • 科学的発見
- • 損失の補償
- • 公式報告書（通常）
似たアイデア
- • Invent
- • Create
- • Reconcile
- • Devise
- • Fabricate
レベル別の例文
I make up stories.
They make up after the fight.
Do not make up a lie.
We are friends, we make up.
He made up a funny song.
Did you and Sarah make up?
I need to make up an excuse.
She made it up to be nice.
Women make up half of the class.
I'll make up the missed work tomorrow.
They finally made up after not speaking for years.
He made up the whole story about the ghost.
The committee is made up of local residents.
How can I make it up to you?
The lost hours must be made up by Friday.
He has a tendency to make things up when he's nervous.
The cultural make-up of the city has changed significantly.
He tried to make up for his lack of experience with enthusiasm.
The pharmacist is making up your prescription now.
It’s hard to make up the ground we lost in the first quarter.
The very fabric of their society is made up of these ancient traditions.
She struggled to make up the deficit in her emotional well-being.
The actors were required to make up their own lines in the improv show.
He could not make up the discrepancy between the two reports.
間違えやすい
Learners often mix these up because they both involve 'make' and a preposition.
Both mean to create something new.
Both use 'up' and a common verb.
よくある間違い
I make up it.
I make it up.
We make up a story.
We made up a story.
They make up.
They made up.
I make up my face.
I put on makeup.
He made up for a story.
He made up a story.
Did you make up with?
Did you make up with him?
I made up the bed.
I made the bed.
The team makes up of ten people.
The team is made up of ten people.
I'll make up my mistake.
I'll make up for my mistake.
He made up his mind up.
He made up his mind.
He made up the lost ground.
He made up the ground he had lost.
The makeup of the atom...
The make-up of the atom...
文型パターン
I had to make up a ___ because ___.
___ and ___ finally made up after ___.
___ make up approximately ___ percent of ___.
How can I make up for ___?
Real World Usage
Are we good? Did we make up?
I can make up the hours if I leave early.
Small businesses make up the backbone of the economy.
She totally made that up for clout.
The pilot tried to make up the time in the air.
We are making up your prescription now.
代名詞の置き場所のルール
補償の「make up」に注意！
仲直りには「with」を忘れずに
カジュアル？フォーマル？
Smart Tips
Imagine the pronoun is a sandwich filling. It must go inside the verb 'make' and the particle 'up'.
Use the 'Make it up to you' pattern. It's the most natural way to offer a favor after a mistake.
Use 'is made up of' instead of just 'has'. It sounds more professional and descriptive.
If it's a lie, use 'make up'. If it's a machine, use 'invent'.
発音
Stress on the particle
In phrasal verbs, the stress usually falls on the preposition/particle, not the verb.
Linking
When 'make' is followed by 'up', the 'k' sound links to the 'u'.
Rising on 'up'
Did you make UP? ↗
Asking a question
暗記しよう
記憶術
Make a story, Make a friend, Make a whole until the end.
視覚的連想
Imagine a person building a Lego house. They are 'making up' the house from small parts. Then imagine them drawing a fake map (making up a story) and finally shaking hands with a friend (making up after a fight).
Rhyme
If you tell a lie, you make it up. If you stop a cry, you make it up.
Story
Tim was late for work. He had to 'make up' an excuse about a flat tire. His boss was angry, but they 'made up' after Tim promised to 'make up' the lost hours by staying late. Now, those extra hours 'make up' a large part of his paycheck.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Write three sentences using 'make up': one about a lie, one about a friend, and one about a percentage.
文化メモ
Very common in high school dramas and sitcoms to discuss 'making up' after a breakup.
Often used in the context of 'making up a bed' for a guest, which is slightly more common in the UK than the US.
Used globally in English-speaking offices to discuss 'making up the hours' when taking time off for appointments.
The phrase dates back to the late 14th century, combining 'make' (to create) with 'up' (to completion).
会話のきっかけ
Have you ever had to make up an excuse for being late?
What qualities make up a good friend?
How do you usually make up with someone after a fight?
If you could make up a new holiday, what would it be?
日記のテーマ
よくある間違い
Test Yourself
My friends often ___ stories about their weekend adventures.
Find and fix the mistake:
After the argument, they made up it.
Rephrase: 'They invented a ridiculous excuse to avoid their responsibilities.'
Answer starts with: ["T...
Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /4
練習問題
8 exercisesWhich one is correct?
They had a fight, but they finally made ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
The team makes up of five players.
He invented a lie about the car.
1. Invent 2. Reconcile 3. Constitute
A: I'm so sorry I missed your birthday. B: It's okay, how are you going to ___?
'We finally made up.'
I'll work on Saturday to make ___ the lost time.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe author loves to ___ new characters for her fantasy novels.
We need to make up for the lost profit.
Choose the correct sentence:
Rephrase using 'make up': 'They invented a clever plan.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
「make up」の主な意味を持つ文を合わせましょう：
My little brother loves to ___ excuses for not doing his chores.
The band wants to make up it's own songs.
「make up」を使って和解を正しく表している文はどちらですか？
Rephrase using 'make up': 'I will compensate for the time I missed.'
これらの単語を並べ替えて文を作りましょう：
目的語と「make up」の正しい構造を合わせましょう：
Score: /12
よくある質問 (8)
Usually no. Use `invent` for things like the lightbulb or the internet. Use `make up` for stories, lies, and excuses.
It is neutral to informal. In very formal writing, use `fabricate`, `reconcile`, or `constitute`.
`Make up` means to invent or reconcile. `Make up for` means to compensate for a mistake or a loss.
Yes! This is a very common idiom meaning 'I decided'.
When written as one word (makeup), it is a noun meaning cosmetics or the composition of something. As two words (make up), it is a verb.
Use `be made up of`. For example: 'The class is made up of students from ten countries.'
It implies reconciliation, which might include kissing, but the verb for kissing specifically is `make out`.
`Made up of` is much more common and generally considered correct for parts of a whole.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Inventar / Reconciliarse
English uses one verb for both; Spanish uses 'inventar' and 'reconciliarse'.
Inventer / Se réconcilier
French requires reflexive verbs for the 'reconcile' meaning.
Erfinden / Sich versöhnen
German separable verbs are common, but the meanings are split across different roots.
Netsuzou suru / Nakanaori suru
Japanese has no concept of 'verb + preposition' phrasal verbs.
Ikhtara'a / Tasalaha
Arabic uses root-based morphology instead of phrasal particles.
Biānzào / Héhǎo
Chinese uses compound verbs that describe the result of the action.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
句動詞「Face up to」（現実を受け入れる）
Overview この句動詞は、回避から承認への心の変化を意味します。具体的には、困難で不快なこと、あるいは少し恥ずかしいことを...
時の前置詞：in, on, at の使い方
### Overview 英語の学習において、`in`、`on`、`at`という3つの前置詞は、避けては通れない非常に重要なステップです。日本語...
句動詞: Take off (脱ぐ・出発する)
### Overview 英語のフレーズ動詞（Phrasal Verbs）は、ネイティブスピーカーが日常会話で頻繁に使う、非常に重要な要素です。B...
ちょっと待って！「Hold on」を使う
### Overview 英語学習において、`hold on` は非常に頻繁に使われるフレーズですが、日本語にはこれと完全に一致する単語がない...
着飾る：フォーマルウェアとコスチューム (Dress up)
### Overview 英語の学習において、句動詞（Phrasal Verbs）は避けて通れない壁であり、同時に表現の幅を大きく広げてくれる鍵...
