べんきょうする

§ What does べんきょうする mean and when do people use it?

You're learning Japanese, so you're probably doing a lot of studying! The Japanese verb for 'to study' is べんきょうする (benkyō suru). This is a very common and useful verb. Let's break it down.

DEFINITION

To study. This verb is used for academic study, learning a new skill, or preparing for an exam. It literally combines 'endeavor/diligence' (勉強 - benkyō) with the verb 'to do' (する - suru).

You'll use べんきょうする anytime you want to talk about studying. It's a straightforward verb. Think of it as 'to do studying'.

Hint: I study Japanese every day.

This is a polite form of the verb, which you'll use in most general conversations. The plain form is べんきょうする. Like many Japanese verbs, it conjugates. Don't worry too much about the conjugations for now, just focus on understanding the basic meaning and when to use it.

You can specify what you are studying by using the particle を (o) after the subject. For example, if you are studying English:

Hint: I want to study English.

Here, したい (shitai) is the 'want to do' form of する. You'll learn more about these verb forms as you progress. The key takeaway is that べんきょうする is flexible and can be used for various study-related activities.

It's not just for school or university. You can use it when you're studying for a driving test, learning to cook, or even memorizing song lyrics. If it involves putting in effort to learn something, べんきょうする is the verb you need.

• 日本語をべんきょうする - To study Japanese
• 試験のためにべんきょうする - To study for an exam
• 歴史をべんきょうする - To study history

As an A2 learner, you'll encounter this verb constantly. Make sure you get comfortable with it early on. It's fundamental for talking about your learning journey.

Hint: I studied a lot last night.

The past tense polite form is べんきょうしました (benkyō shimashita). As you can see, once you know the basic する verb conjugations, applying them to べんきょうする is easy.

In summary, べんきょうする is your go-to verb for 'to study'. It's polite, common, and versatile. Use it when you're talking about learning anything, from languages to school subjects to new hobbies. Keep practicing with examples, and you'll master it quickly.

§ Understanding べんきょうする

The Japanese verb べんきょうする (benkyousuru) means 'to study.' It's a very common verb, and you'll hear and use it a lot. It's a bit special because it's a ' する (suru) verb.' This means it combines a noun (勉強 - benkyou, meaning 'study') with the verb する (suru, meaning 'to do'). So, literally, it's like 'to do study.'

Because it's a する verb, it's pretty flexible. You can use 勉強 (benkyou) as a noun by itself to mean 'study' or 'studies.' For example, 日本語の勉強 (nihongo no benkyou) means 'the study of Japanese' or 'Japanese studies.'

§ Basic Sentence Structure with べんきょうする

The most straightforward way to use べんきょうする is to simply state that someone is studying. You'll often see it with a subject and sometimes a location.

Watashi wa benkyoushimasu.
I study.

Kare wa mainichi benkyoushimasu.
He studies every day.

§ Specifying What You Study with を (o)

To say *what* you are studying, you use the particle を (o) after the direct object. This is a very common grammatical pattern in Japanese.

Nihongo o benkyoushimasu.
I study Japanese.

Rekishi o benkyoushiteimasu.
I am studying history. (Note: -ています indicates an ongoing action)

Grammar Note: を (o) particle

The particle を (o) marks the direct object of a verb. So, if you're studying 'Japanese,' then 'Japanese' is the direct object.

§ Where You Study with で (de)

To indicate the location where you study, you use the particle で (de). This particle marks the place where an action takes place.

Toshokan de benkyoushimasu.
I study at the library.

Ie de nihongo o benkyoushimasu.
I study Japanese at home.

Grammar Note: で (de) particle

The particle で (de) indicates the location where an action or event takes place. Think of it as 'at' or 'in' when referring to the place of an activity.

§ Combining What and Where

You can combine these elements to form more complex sentences. The order is pretty flexible, but generally, the topic/subject comes first, then the location, then the object, and finally the verb.

• Subject (optional)
• Location (で)
• Object (を)
• Verb (べんきょうする)

Watashi wa gakkou de suugaku o benkyoushimasu.
I study math at school.

Kare wa kafe de eigo o benkyoushiteimasu.
He is studying English at a cafe.

§ Common Phrases with べんきょうする

Here are a few more common ways you'll hear べんきょうする used:

• Phrase

  がんばってべんきょうしてください。
  Ganbatte benkyou shite kudasai.
  Please study hard. (A common encouragement.)

• Phrase

  もっとべんきょうしたいです。
  Motto benkyou shitai desu.
  I want to study more.

Mastering べんきょうする is key for any learner. Keep practicing these sentence patterns, and you'll be using it naturally in no time!