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How to Say ‘To tell; to teach’ in Japanese

教える

oshieru

[oh-shee-eh-roo]

💬 Usage Tip: [教える] means both “teach” and “tell.” It’s the “give information” verb in many daily situations.

🇯🇵 In Japan: In polite requests, Japanese often uses [〜てください]. It’s direct but acceptable, especially from staff to parent for necessary info.

Phrase Breakdown

教える

oshieru

[oh-shee-eh-roo]

to tell; to inform; to teach

Means “to tell/teach.” In absence calls, it often appears with reasons/details: 理由を教える “tell the reason.”

Example

欠席の理由を教える必要があります。

You need to tell the reason for the absence.

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