⚽🦶📍

How to Say ‘To put the ball close to the feet’ in Japanese

ボールを足の近くに置く

booru o ashi no chikaku ni oku

[boh-roo oh ah-SHEE noh chikaku nee OH-koo]

💬 Usage Tip: を marks what you move, and に marks where it ends up. The action word 置く "put" comes last.

Phrase Breakdown

ボールを

booru o

the ball (as object)

ボール (booru) has a long 'o'. を (pronounced 'o') marks the object.

Example

ボールを蹴ります。

I kick the ball.

Words in this phrase

ボール

booru

[boh-roo]

ball

The second part of ハイボール; together it means 'highball.'

Example

じゃあ、ハイボールをお願いします。

Well then, a highball please.

を

[oh]

object marker

The particle を marks the direct object of a verb.

Example

チケットを二枚ください。

Two tickets, please.

足の近くに置く

ashi no chikaku ni oku

keep it near your foot

に marks the location. 置く (oku) means 'to put' or 'to place'.

Example

かばんを机の近くに置く。

Put the bag near the desk.

Words in this phrase

足

ashi

[ah-SHEE]

foot

The foot, the part of the body used to control the ball.

Example

左の足で蹴ってみて。

Try kicking with your left foot.

の

[noh]

of; linking particle

Connects 'usual' to 'road.'

Example

いつもの道を使いたいです。

I'd like to use the usual road.

近く

chikaku

[chikaku]

nearby; close by

Refers to a place that is close to the speaker or current location.

Example

近くに駅があります。

There is a station nearby.

に

[nee]

in; at; to

Marks the location where someone lives.

Example

おおさかにすんでいます。

I live in Osaka.

置く

oku

[OH-koo]

to put; to place

Dictionary form of the verb meaning to set something down somewhere.

Example

コーンをここに置く。

Put the cone here.

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