目錄
“Japanese compound verbs” place an action on a timeline and show whether it has just begun, suddenly started, continued over time, or reached its endpoint. The Chinese translations of 「読み始める」「雨が降り出す」「働き続ける」「書き終わる」 are not difficult in themselves. What tends to be confusing is which part of the timeline the sentence is focusing on. In particular, both 「〜始める」 and 「〜出す」 can be translated as “start,” but the former usually describes the starting point neutrally, while the latter more readily highlights the moment when an action suddenly gets underway. Once these four forms are placed back on the same timeline, many example sentences become easier to understand without memorizing them word by word.
Why should Japanese compound verbs be understood on a timeline?
「〜始める／〜出す／〜続ける／〜終わる」 all attach to the verb stem formed by removing 「ます」 from the ます-form, but they do not add the same kind of information. Japanese frequently uses these following verbs to describe finer details of an action, especially in novels, news writing, and everyday narration. Compared with simply saying 「読む」 or 「雨が降る」, adding 「始める」 or 「出す」 immediately introduces a sense of time into the sentence.
If the distinctions are not clear, the easiest pair to confuse is 「〜始める」 and 「〜出す」. Both can indicate the beginning of an action, but 「〜始める」 is more neutral and is often used for either deliberate actions or natural beginnings. 「〜出す」, by contrast, often carries a sense of something happening suddenly, unexpectedly, or bursting into motion from a particular moment. Meanwhile, 「〜続ける」 and 「〜終わる」 focus on the continuation and completion point of an action respectively.
Basic conjugation of Japanese compound verbs: remove 「ます」 from the verb’s ます-form
The basic pattern for 「〜始める／〜出す／〜続ける／〜終わる」 is to attach them after removing 「ます」 from the verb’s ます-form. For example, 「読む」 becomes 「読み」, 「書く」 becomes 「書き」, and 「降る」 becomes 「降り」. The following verbs 「始める」「出す」「続ける」「終わる」 then conjugate according to the tense of the sentence.
| Attachment target | Formation | Example | Nuance |
| Verb ます-form stem | 読み＋始める | 読み始める | start reading |
| Verb ます-form stem | 降り＋出す | 降り出す | suddenly start raining |
| Verb ます-form stem | 働き＋続ける | 働き続ける | continue working |
| Verb ます-form stem | 書き＋終わる | 書き終わる | finish writing |
How to use 「〜始める」｜Indicating that an action begins
「〜始める」 indicates that an action has entered its starting stage and has a relatively neutral tone. It can be used for deliberate human actions, such as starting to read or starting work, as well as natural changes, such as flowers beginning to bloom. The key idea is that “the action was not happening before, but now it has entered the state of happening.” This form is more neutral than 「〜出す」 and does not necessarily imply suddenness.
- Example: 子どもが本を読み始めました。
Kana: こどもが ほんを よみはじめました。
Translation: The child started reading a book.
「読み始めました」 indicates that the act of reading has begun, with a neutral tone. - Example: 駅に着いてから、雨が降り始めました。
Kana: えきに ついてから、あめが ふりはじめました。
Translation: After I arrived at the station, it started to rain.
This sentence describes the point when the weather change begins and does not necessarily convey sudden surprise. - Example: 新しい仕事に慣れ始めています。
Kana: あたらしい しごとに なれはじめています。
Translation: I’m beginning to gradually get used to the new job.
「慣れ始める」 is often used when a state is gradually beginning to change, giving the expression a sense of process.
How to use 「〜出す」｜Indicating a sudden beginning or something bursting into motion
「〜出す」 can also indicate the beginning of an action, but compared with the neutral 「〜始める」, it more readily places the focus on the moment when an action emerges or suddenly gets underway. It is often used with emotions, weather, and human actions, although whether it carries a sense of unexpectedness still depends on the surrounding context. Common combinations include 「泣き出す」「走り出す」「降り出す」「笑い出す」. When a sentence describes something naturally emerging, an emotional outburst, or an action suddenly occurring, 「〜出す」 creates a more vivid scene than 「〜始める」.
- Example: 赤ちゃんが急に泣き出しました。
Kana: あかちゃんが きゅうに なきだしました。
Translation: The baby suddenly started crying.
「泣き出す」 conveys the feeling of suddenly beginning to cry and has a stronger sense of immediacy than 「泣き始める」. - Example: 空が暗くなって、雨が降り出しました。
Kana: そらが くらくなって、あめが ふりだしました。
Translation: The sky grew dark, and it started to rain.
「降り出す」 is often used when natural phenomena such as rain or snow suddenly begin. - Example: 彼は何も言わずに走り出しました。
Kana: かれは なにも いわずに はしりだしました。
Translation: Without saying anything, he suddenly ran off.
「走り出す」 presents the action as suddenly unfolding, like a person abruptly dashing away in a scene.
How to use 「〜続ける」｜Indicating that an action continues without stopping
「〜続ける」 indicates that the same action continues over time, with the focus on “keeping on doing it.” It is often used with actions such as making an effort, waiting, working, walking, or using something, and it can also convey a sense of hardship or persistence. If the verb itself describes an instantaneous change, care is needed to determine whether the action can naturally continue.
- Example: 彼女は三時間も勉強し続けました。
Kana: かのじょは さんじかんも べんきょうしつづけました。
Translation: She studied continuously for three hours.
「し続ける」 emphasizes that the action continued without interruption, while the three hours simply specifies the duration. - Example: 雨の中を歩き続けました。
Kana: あめのなかを あるきつづけました。
Translation: I kept walking in the rain.
This sentence emphasizes that the action of walking continued even under poor conditions. - Example: 失敗しても、挑戦し続けることが大切です。
Kana: しっぱいしても、ちょうせんしつづけることが たいせつです。
Translation: Even if you fail, it is important to keep trying.
「挑戦し続ける」 carries a sense of not giving up and is often used in motivational or goal-oriented contexts.
How to use 「〜終わる」｜Indicating that an action is completed to the end
「〜終わる」 indicates that an action has been carried through to the end, with the focus on its completion point. It commonly attaches to actions with a clear endpoint, such as 「書く」「読む」「食べる」「洗う」. If an action does not have a clear endpoint, attaching 「終わる」 directly may sound unnatural. Compared with a simple past tense, 「〜終わる」 more strongly emphasizes that “the entire action has been completed.”
- Example: レポートを書き終わりました。
Kana: レポートを かきおわりました。
Translation: I finished writing the report.
「書き終わる」 indicates that the writing action has been completed, not merely that writing happened in the past. - Example: この本を読み終わったら、感想を話します。
Kana: このほんを よみおわったら、かんそうを はなします。
Translation: After I finish reading this book, I’ll share my thoughts.
「読み終わったら」 places the condition at the point when the book has been completely read. - Example: 食べ終わった食器はここに置いてください。
Kana: たべおわった しょっきは ここに おいてください。
Translation: Please place the dishes here after you finish eating.
This is commonly seen in restaurants or cafeterias, and 「食べ終わった」 indicates that the act of eating has already been completed.
What is the difference between 「〜始める」 and 「〜出す」? How do 「〜続ける」 and 「〜終わる」 compare?
Both 「〜始める」 and 「〜出す」 can indicate the beginning of an action, but the former is neutral while the latter often carries a sense of suddenness. 「〜続ける」 and 「〜終わる」 focus on different points along the timeline: one looks at how an action continues, while the other looks at when the action reaches completion. Understanding these four forms makes it possible to break Japanese actions down into finer temporal stages.
| Comparison | 〜始める | 〜出す | 〜続ける | 〜終わる |
| Core nuance | beginning | sudden beginning | continuation | completion |
| Sense of suddenness | low | high | low | low |
| Common combinations | 読む、勉強する、慣れる | 泣く、降る、走る | 働く、待つ、歩く | 読む、書く、食べる |
| Timeline focus | starting point | instantaneous starting point | process | endpoint |
| Common mistake | confusing it with 「出す」 | using it for an overly gradual or calm beginning | using it with instantaneous verbs | using it with actions that have no endpoint |
▌What is the difference between 「降り始める」 and 「降り出す」? Both are correct, but the focus differs
❌ Less precise in nuance: 急に雨が降り始めました。
✅ More natural: 急に雨が降り出しました。
When the sentence contains 「急に」, 「降り出す」 better expresses the sense that the rain suddenly started.
▌Which verbs work with 「〜続ける」? First check whether the action can continue
❌ Unnatural: 駅に着き続けました。
✅ Natural: 駅まで歩き続けました。
「着く」 describes the instantaneous moment of arrival, so it is not suitable for expressing continuation. 「歩く」 can continue over time, so it naturally works with 「続ける」.
▌How is 「〜終わる」 different from the ordinary past tense? The completion point is the key
❌ Not precise enough in nuance: レポートを書きました。
✅ More precise: レポートを書き終わりました。
「書きました」 only states that the writing happened, while 「書き終わりました」 explicitly states that the writing has been completed.
Japanese compound verbs in travel and everyday conversation: three practical situations
In travel situations and everyday narration in Japan, 「〜始める／〜出す／〜続ける／〜終わる」 are often used to make events more vivid. Sudden changes in the weather, continuing to walk during a trip, moving on after finishing a meal, or beginning to adjust to a new environment can all be described more precisely with these expressions.
▌Situation ①｜It suddenly starts raining during a trip
A：空が暗くなってきましたね。
そらが くらくなってきましたね。
The sky is starting to get dark.
B：本当ですね。雨が降り出しそうです。
ほんとうですね。あめが ふりだしそうです。
You’re right. It looks like it’s about to start raining.
📌 Grammar Point: 「降り出しそう」 indicates that rain looks as though it is about to break out, giving a sense that it may begin suddenly.
▌Situation ②｜Walking continuously during a trip
A：駅からここまで、ずっと歩き続けました。
えきから ここまで、ずっと あるきつづけました。
I kept walking all the way from the station to here.
B：それは疲れますね。少し休みましょう。
それは つかれますね。すこし やすみましょう。
That must be tiring. Let’s take a short break.
📌 Grammar Point: 「歩き続ける」 emphasizes that the action of walking continued, which also brings out a sense of fatigue.
▌Situation ③｜Getting ready to leave after a meal
A：食べ終わったら、次の店に行きましょう。
たべおわったら、つぎのみせに いきましょう。
Once we finish eating, let’s go to the next place.
B：いいですね。もう少しだけ待ってください。
いいですね。もうすこしだけ まってください。
Sounds good. Please wait just a little longer.
📌 Grammar Point: 「食べ終わったら」 places the next action after the meal has been completed, making the sequence of events very clear.
Cultural Notes:
- Japanese often breaks actions down into finer stages. Compared with simply saying 「行った」 or 「食べた」, adding 「始める」「続ける」「終わる」 gives an event a clearer starting point, process, and endpoint.
- Weather and emotions often combine with 「〜出す」. Expressions such as 「泣き出す」「笑い出す」「降り出す」 all carry the sense of something suddenly unfolding from a particular moment.
- Compound verbs frequently appear in travel diaries and Japanese drama dialogue. Once learners can recognize the timeline involved, many descriptions become easier to understand than they would through word-for-word translation alone.
How do Japanese 「〜始める／〜出す／〜続ける／〜終わる」 compare with Korean 「-기 시작하다／계속 하다」?
◆ Similar grammar: Korean 「-기 시작하다」「계속 -하다」
Korean can also use grammatical constructions to express the beginning, continuation, and completion of an action. For example, 「-기 시작하다」 indicates a beginning, 「계속 -하다」 indicates continuation, and 「다 읽다」「다 쓰다」 can express completing an action. The four Japanese forms more often attach directly to the verb stem to create a compound verb, so they tend to read more like a single integrated action.
- Example: 비가 내리기 시작했어요.
Romanization: bi-ga nae-ri-gi si-jak-hae-sseo-yo
Translation: It started to rain.
「-기 시작하다」 is close to Japanese 「降り始める」 and indicates that an action has begun. - Example: 그는 계속 걸었어요.
Romanization: geu-neun gye-sok geo-reo-sseo-yo
Translation: He kept walking.
「계속」 indicates continuation and is close in nuance to Japanese 「歩き続ける」. - Example: 책을 다 읽었어요.
Romanization: chae-geul da il-geo-sseo-yo
Translation: I finished reading the book.
「다 읽다」 indicates completion of the entire action and is close to Japanese 「読み終わる」.
◆ Core differences from 「〜始める／〜出す／〜続ける／〜終わる」:
Japanese often compresses the stage of an action into a single compound verb, while Korean more often marks it with words such as 「시작하다」「계속」「다」. Both languages can describe a timeline, but Japanese 「〜出す」 especially often carries a sense of suddenness, which cannot be fully captured by simply translating it as “start.”
A useful way to understand “Japanese compound verbs” is to first identify where the action falls on the timeline. 「〜始める」 marks the point where an action begins; 「〜出す」 focuses on the instant when the action emerges and often creates a sudden, vivid scene; 「〜続ける」 stretches out the process of an ongoing action; and 「〜終わる」 marks the point of completion. When two forms can both work in the same sentence, there is no need to immediately search for a single correct answer. Instead, consider whether the speaker wants to describe the beginning neutrally or make that particular moment feel more vivid. That usually makes the nuance easier to distinguish.
FAQs
All four forms attach after removing 「ます」 from the verb’s ます-form. For example, 「読む」 becomes 「読み始める」, while 「書く」 becomes 「書き終わる」.
「〜始める」 indicates an ordinary beginning and has a neutral tone, while 「〜出す」 often indicates a sudden beginning or something bursting into motion. For example, 「雨が降り出す」 has a stronger sense of sudden rain than 「雨が降り始める」.
No. 「〜続ける」 requires an action that can continue over time. Forms such as 「歩き続ける」 and 「勉強し続ける」 are natural, while an instantaneous action such as 「着き続ける」 is unnatural.
The simple past only indicates that an action occurred, while 「〜終わる」 emphasizes that the entire action was completed. 「読みました」 means “read,” while 「読み終わりました」 means “finished reading.”
Place them on the same timeline: 「始める」 marks the starting point, 「出す」 marks a sudden starting point, 「続ける」 marks the ongoing process, and 「終わる」 marks the endpoint. Remembering them as parts of a timeline is more reliable than memorizing their Chinese translations separately.