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How to Say ‘To make (cook)’ in Japanese

作ります

tsukuri masu

[tsoo-koo-ree mahss]

💬 Usage Tip: [作ります] is polite [作る]. It can mean “make” (general) or “cook” when the context is food.

🇯🇵 In Japan: In Japan, [作る] is used a lot for homemade things—bento, sweets, even playlists sometimes (as “make”).

Phrase Breakdown

作り

tsukuri

[tsoo-koo-ree]

make; cook (stem)

作り is the stem form of 作る. Used with ます to make the polite verb 作ります.

Example

何を作りますか。

What do you make/cook?

ます

masu

[mahss]

polite verb ending

ます attaches to a verb stem for polite speech. 作ります = “(I) make / cook.”

Example

今日はカレーを作ります。

I’ll make curry today.

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