取る (toru): taking something in Japanese

The idea

取る is a godan verb. 取ります is polite non-past, 取りません negative, 取りました past and 取って the て-form. を marks what is taken; 休みを取る means to take time off. Here the verb is transitive.

Examples

• 机つくえの上うえの本ほんを取とります。I take the book on the desk.
• そこから塩しおを取とってください。Please take the salt from there.
• 昨日きのう、休やすみを取とりました。Yesterday I took a day off.
• 授業じゅぎょうでメモを取とります。I take notes in class.
• 旅行りょこうで写真しゃしんを撮とります。I take photos on a trip.
• この箱はこを取とって、母ははに渡わたします。I take this box and give it to my mother.

Watch out

For a photograph write 写真を撮る with 撮, not 取. Both are pronounced とる but use different kanji.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the particle in brackets. 本ほん＿取とります。（を／に）

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   を

   を is correct. を marks what is taken; 休みを取る means to take time off.

2. Complete the ending to make the verb’s て-form. 塩しおを取と＿ください。（取とる→て）

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   って

   って completes 取って. 取って is the て-form of 取る; it joins actions or precedes ください in a request.

3. Complete the ending to make the polite past. 昨日きのう、休やすみを取と＿。（取とる→ました）

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   りました

   りました completes 取りました. 取りました is the polite past of 取る; 昨日 places the event yesterday.

Use it today

Adapt an example with 取る to your own life, then put it into the polite past. Check the particle and verb form.