How to Say ‘Can you stand?’ in Japanese
立てますか。
tate masu ka
[tah-teh mahs kah]
💬 Usage Tip: A more natural full question is [長い時間、立てますか。] (“Can you stand for a long time?”).
🇯🇵 In Japan: This question often relates to long periods assisting in the bathroom or bathing area, where sitting may not be possible.
Phrase Breakdown
立てます
tate masu
can stand; can set up (polite potential/regular form depending on context)
From 「立つ」 (to stand). In many job/interview contexts, it often means “Can you stand (for long hours)?” depending on the previous phrase.
30分ぐらい立てます。
I can stand for about 30 minutes.
Words in this phrase
立て
tate
[tah-teh]
can stand
Asks about ability to remain standing; common when evaluating physical readiness.
長い時間立てますか。
Can you stand for a long time?
ます
masu
[mahs]
polite verb ending
Polite ending used in questions and statements during interviews.
立てますと答えます。
I answer that I can stand.
か
ka
[kah]
question marker
Marks the sentence as a question; polite interview style.
立てますかと確認されました。
They checked by asking whether I can stand.
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