Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
“To go up” or “To raise/lift”.
🎯 Primary Function
Expresses upward movement, increase in degree/amount, completion of an action (when used as a suffix), or giving/receiving (上げる only, less common at this level but relevant). Also distinguishes between intransitive (上がる) and transitive (上げる) actions.
📋 Grammar Structure
V-ます form + 上がる (V_intransitive is finished/completed)
V-ます form + 上げる (V_transitive is finished/completed by someone)
Noun が 上がる (Noun rises/goes up)
Noun を 上げる (Someone/Something raises/lifts Noun)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used in formal contexts depending on the specific meaning (e.g., price increases, project completion reports).
Informal Situations
Very common in daily conversation for physical movement, temperature, volume, etc.
Written Language
Frequently appears in various written materials.
Spoken Language
Extremely common in spoken Japanese.
💡 Common Applications
Physical movement / Location change
上がります means to go up (stairs, hill, enter a house). 上げます means to lift or move something up.
Example: 階段を上がる (kaidan o agaru) – to go up the stairs; 荷物を上げる (nimotsu o ageru) – to lift the luggage.
Increase in degree / Amount
上がります indicates an increase (price, temperature, skill level). 上げます indicates raising or increasing something (voice volume, speed, tax).
Example: 値段が上がる (nedan ga agaru) – the price goes up; スピードを上げる (supiido o ageru) – to increase the speed.
Completion of an action (as a suffix)
Attaches to the -masu stem of a verb to indicate the completion of the action, often implying reaching a certain point or finishing thoroughly. 上がる is intransitive (the action is finished), 上げる is transitive (someone finished the action).
Example: 書き上がる (kakiagaru) – to finish writing; 作り上げる (tsukuriageru) – to finish making/building.
Frequency
High
Difficulty
Intermediate (due to multiple meanings and transitive/intransitive distinction)
Example Sentences
プロジェクトは先週、無事に出来上がりました。
The project was successfully completed last week.
彼は重い荷物を一人で持ち上げた。
He lifted the heavy luggage by himself.
夏の湿気で、部屋の温度がすぐに上がります。
The room temperature quickly rises with the summer humidity.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Transitive vs. Intransitive
上がる is generally intransitive (the subject itself goes up/rises). 上げる is transitive (someone or something raises/lifts an object). Pay close attention to the particle (が vs. を).
Example: 水温が上がる (suion ga agaru – water temperature rises) vs. 水温を上げる (suion o ageru – to raise the water temperature).
Meaning as a suffix (V-masu form + verb)
This is a common N3 usage. It means “to finish” or “to complete” an action. 出来上がる means something is completed; 作り上げる means someone completed making something.
Example: 料理が出来上がった (ryouri ga dekiagatta – The dish is ready/finished) vs. 彼はその作品を作り上げた (kare wa sono sakuhin o tsukuriageta – He completed that work).
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using 上がる instead of 上げる for transitive actions.
✅ Use 上げる with the object marked by を.
If you are raising something, you need the transitive verb 上げる.
❌ Confusing the “completion” meaning with the “physical ascent” meaning.
✅ Context is key. The V-masu form + verb structure almost always indicates completion.
「書き上がった」 means “finished writing”, not “wrote upwards”.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: The “giving” meaning of 上げる can be used towards superiors, but 差し上げる (sashiageru) is the more common humble form for giving to those higher than you. When entering a house, 「お上がりください」 is a standard polite invitation.
Social Situations: Used in various social contexts, from simple directions to formal business discussions about prices or project status.
Regional Variations: Meanings are standard across Japan, but specific phrasings might slightly vary.
🔍 Subtle Differences
V-masu + 上がる vs. V-masu + 終わる
Both mean “to finish”, but V-masu + 上がる often implies completing something thoroughly or reaching a desired state, while V-masu + 終わる simply means the action has stopped.
When to use: Use V-masu + 上がる when the emphasis is on the result or successful completion (e.g., building is *finished* and ready), use V-masu + 終わる when the emphasis is just on the action ceasing (e.g., the meeting *ended*).
上げる (giving) vs. くれる / やる
上げる is typically used for giving *up* to someone of equal or higher status (less common in general conversation than くれる). くれる is for giving *to* the speaker or their in-group. やる is for giving *down* to inferiors, animals, or plants.
When to use: For JLPT N3 level, focus on 上がる/上げる for ascent/increase/completion. While recognizing the “giving” meaning of 上げる is good, other verbs are more common for simple giving actions.
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📝 Conjugation Notes
Both 上がる (agaru) and 上げる (ageru) follow standard Japanese verb conjugations. 上がる is a Godan verb, and 上げる is an Ichidan verb.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
The pitch accent for 上がる is あがる (low-high-low/flat) and for 上げる is あげる (low-high-low/flat). Pay attention to the difference in the ‘ge’ sound.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of the kanji 上 (うえ) meaning “up”. 上がる is “go up” (intransitive), 上げる is “make something go up” or “raise” (transitive). For the completion meaning, think of “finishing UP” a task.
Practice Exercises
テストの点数が（ ）。
上がった
上げた
終わった
されました
今日の会議で新しいプロジェクトを（ ）。
上がりましょう
上げましょう
終わりにしましょう
始めましょう
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