宿題をする

Grammatically, this is a classic 'Noun + を + Verb' structure. The noun is 宿題 (homework) and the verb is する (to do). In casual conversation, you can often drop the を and just say 宿題する. If you want to sound a bit more 'cool' or 'rough,' you might swap する for やる. Parents often yell 宿題やったの？ (Did you do your homework?) to their kids. For your Japanese studies on SubLearn or Duolingo, you would use this phrase when you sit down to finish your daily streak or specific grammar assignments. It is incredibly versatile and works in almost any tense: 宿題をした (did), 宿題をしている (doing), or 宿題をしない (not doing—though we don't recommend that!).

Imagine you're at a Starbucks in Shibuya. You see a high schooler with a Frappuccino and a mountain of math sheets. They are definitely 宿題をしている. Or think about a Zoom class where the teacher asks, 宿題をしましたか？ (Did you do the homework?). You might reply, 今、宿題をしています (I'm doing it right now) while frantically typing. Even in the gaming world, if you're playing an RPG and need to complete 'fetch quests' to level up, some players jokingly call this 宿題をする because it feels like necessary but repetitive work. It’s a phrase that transitions perfectly from the classroom to the real world of digital productivity.

Use this whenever you are referring to work assigned by an educational institution. This includes university assignments, language school worksheets, or even online course tasks. It is perfect for scheduling your day: 3時に宿題をする (I will do homework at 3 o'clock). It is also the correct choice when you are reporting your progress to a teacher or a study buddy. If you are a parent, you will use it constantly to check on your children's progress. It’s a neutral, safe, and universally understood phrase that fits into any student's daily vocabulary. You can even use it for 'self-assigned' homework if you are a very disciplined self-studier.

Don't use this for general 'learning' or 'reading for fun.' If you are just browsing a Japanese news site to pick up new words, that is 勉強 (study), not 宿題 (homework). Also, avoid using it for work-related tasks in an office. Your boss doesn't give you 'homework'; they give you 仕事 (work) or 課題 (tasks). Calling a project for a client 宿題 might sound a bit childish or unprofessional, as if you're back in middle school. Lastly, don't use it for chores like cleaning your room. That’s 掃除 (cleaning), even if it feels just as annoying as math homework.

One of the biggest traps for English speakers is trying to say 'make homework' using つくる. In Japanese, 宿題をつくる means you are the teacher *creating* the assignment! Unless you’re writing the questions for others, stick to する. Another common slip-up is using 働く (to work). While homework is work, 働く is specifically for earning a paycheck.

Remember, する is your best friend here. It’s the Swiss Army knife of Japanese verbs.

If you want to sound more natural, you can use 宿題を片付ける (to clear out/finish up homework). This has a great vibe of 'getting it out of the way' so you can go play video games. Another one is 課題をこなす (to handle/complete tasks), which sounds a bit more mature and is often used by college students. Then there is 宿題を済ませる (to finish/complete homework), which is slightly more formal and implies you’ve checked it off your list. Each of these adds a little flavor to the basic 'doing' of the work. It’s like the difference between saying 'I’m doing it' and 'I’m crushing it.'

You will often hear 宿題が出る, which means 'homework is assigned' (literally: homework comes out). If you’re a bit forgetful, you might say 宿題を忘れる (to forget homework). On a better note, 宿題を出す means 'to hand in homework.' Notice the difference: する is the act of doing it, while 出す is the act of giving it to the teacher. If you are working together with a friend, you might say 一緒に宿題をしよう (Let’s do homework together). This is a classic 'study date' line in anime. Just make sure you actually study and don't just eat snacks!

Is 宿題 only for kids? No, adults use it too for any assigned learning tasks. Can I drop the を? Yes, in casual speech 宿題する is very common and sounds natural. Is やる better than する? やる is more casual and 'active,' while する is neutral and polite. What if I'm studying on an app? You can still call those lessons 宿題 if you consider them your daily assignment. Does it mean 'studying'? Not exactly; it specifically means 'doing the assigned task.' You can study without having homework.