Use かかる to talk about how long something takes or how much it costs.

The idea

かかる is an intransitive godan verb. A duration or amount can stand directly before it; time or money can also be marked with が. Mark the activity or purpose with に, or use a dictionary-form verb plus のに.

Patterns to compare
Dictionary formPolite non-pastPolite negativePolite pastて form
かかるかかりますかかりませんかかりましたかかって

Examples

  • 駅えきまで歩あるいて十分じゅっぷんかかります。It takes ten minutes to walk to the station.
  • 東京とうきょうから大阪おおさかまで新幹線しんかんせんでどのくらいかかりますか。How long does it take from Tokyo to Osaka by Shinkansen?
  • この料理りょうりを作つくるのに一時間いちじかんかかりました。It took an hour to make this dish.
  • ホテルまでタクシーで三千円さんぜんえんかかります。A taxi to the hotel costs 3,000 yen.
  • 修理しゅうりにお金かねがたくさんかかりました。The repair cost a lot of money.
  • この図書館としょかんは利用りようするのにお金かねがかかりません。It costs nothing to use this library.

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Watch out

Do not use を to mark the time or money consumed by かかる. The て form is かかって, with a small っ; かかる has other meanings, so context matters.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the polite non-past form. ＿。（かかる→ます）

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    かかります

    かかります is the polite non-past form; it can describe a present or future expense or duration.

  2. Write the て form. ＿。（かかる→て）

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    かかって

    かかって is the godan て form: the final る changes to って.

  3. Fill in the particle: the repair took two days. 修理しゅうり＿二日ふつかかかりました。

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    に

    に marks the purpose, making the sentence mean that the repair took two days.

Use it today

Describe a journey and a purchase using かかる, then change one sentence to the polite past.