Taking time and costing money
The meaning every learner needs first is the cost in time or money. The structure is simple: the time or money is the subject with ga, and kakaru says that it is consumed. Jikan ga kakaru, it takes time; okane ga kakaru, it costs money; ichi-jikan kakaru, it takes an hour. The person who pays or waits is usually not mentioned; if needed, they take wa or ni.
The question form is dono kurai kakarimasu ka, which asks about both time and money, so add jikan or okane if you need to be specific. For money, kakaru overlaps with suru, as in sen-en suru, but kakaru sounds like an expense being incurred while suru sounds like a price tag. Hiyō ga kakaru, costs arise, is the standard way to talk about expenses in business.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 駅まで歩いて十五分かかります。 | Eki made aruite jūgofun kakarimasu. | It takes fifteen minutes on foot to the station. |
| 修理にどのくらいかかりますか。 | Shūri ni dono kurai kakarimasu ka. | How long or how much will the repair take? |
| 引っ越しにはお金がかかる。 | Hikkoshi ni wa okane ga kakaru. | Moving house costs money. |
| 思ったより時間がかかった。 | Omotta yori jikan ga kakatta. | It took longer than I thought. |
| 送料は別にかかりますか。 | Sōryō wa betsu ni kakarimasu ka. | Is shipping charged separately? |
| 準備に手間がかかります。 | Junbi ni tema ga kakarimasu. | The preparation takes some effort. |
Hanging, resting and leaning on
The physical core of kakaru is hanging or resting on something. A picture hangs on a wall, e ga kabe ni kakatte iru; a coat hangs on a hook; a bridge spans a river, hashi ga kawa ni kakatte iru. The particle is ni for the thing it rests on, and the -te iru form is standard because these are states, not actions.
The same image gives you clouds and mist over a mountain, kumo ga kakaru, a rainbow appearing, niji ga kakaru, and a voice or a hand landing on someone, koe ga kakaru, someone calls out to you. In each case something arrives and settles on a surface. This is also the sense in kakaru compounds such as motare-kakaru, to lean on, and tobi-kakaru, to leap at.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 壁に大きな絵がかかっている。 | Kabe ni ōkina e ga kakatte iru. | A large picture is hanging on the wall. |
| コートがハンガーにかかっています。 | Kōto ga hangā ni kakatte imasu. | The coat is on the hanger. |
| 川に古い橋がかかっている。 | Kawa ni furui hashi ga kakatte iru. | An old bridge spans the river. |
| 山に霧がかかっていた。 | Yama ni kiri ga kakatte ita. | Mist hung over the mountain. |
| 後ろから声がかかった。 | Ushiro kara koe ga kakatta. | Someone called out from behind. |
Locks, engines and switches
When something mechanical catches and holds, that is kakaru too. A lock engages: kagi ga kakatte iru, it is locked. An engine catches and starts: enjin ga kakaru. Brakes bite: burēki ga kakaru. Music starts playing from a device: ongaku ga kakatte iru. These are all things that were loose and are now engaged or running.
Kagi ga kakatte iru is a state description. Compare it with kagi ga shimatte iru, which is also common and means the same thing in everyday speech; kakatte iru emphasises the lock mechanism, shimatte iru the door being shut. Enjin ga kakaranai, the engine will not start, is what you say to a mechanic; the transitive enjin o kakeru is you turning the key.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ドアに鍵がかかっている。 | Doa ni kagi ga kakatte iru. | The door is locked. |
| 寒くてエンジンがかからない。 | Samukute enjin ga kakaranai. | It's cold and the engine won't start. |
| 急ブレーキがかかった。 | Kyū burēki ga kakatta. | The brakes slammed on. |
| 店に好きな曲がかかっていた。 | Mise ni suki na kyoku ga kakatte ita. | A song I like was playing in the shop. |
| エアコンがかかっていますか。 | Eakon ga kakatte imasu ka. | Is the air conditioning on? |
Calls, messages and things that come your way
Denwa ga kakaru means a phone call comes in. In practice you almost always hear it with kuru: denwa ga kakatte kita, a call came, or denwa ga kakatte kuru, a call will come. The caller takes kara. This is the mirror of denwa o kakeru, to make a call. Note that denwa ga kakaru on its own can also mean the call connects, as in nakanaka denwa ga kakaranai, I cannot get through.
The same arrival sense appears in pressure and burdens landing on you: puresshā ga kakaru, pressure is on; futan ga kakaru, a burden falls on someone; meiwaku ga kakaru, trouble is caused to someone. Physically, water and sauce splash onto you: mizu ga kakatta, I got splashed. Suspicion also lands: utagai ga kakaru, to fall under suspicion.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| さっき会社から電話がかかってきた。 | Sakki kaisha kara denwa ga kakatte kita. | A call came from the office just now. |
| 何度かけても電話がかからない。 | Nando kakete mo denwa ga kakaranai. | However many times I dial, I can't get through. |
| 新人には負担がかかりすぎている。 | Shinjin ni wa futan ga kakarisugite iru. | Too much burden is falling on the new staff. |
| ご迷惑がかかると思います。 | Go-meiwaku ga kakaru to omoimasu. | I think it will cause you trouble. |
| 車に水をかけられて、服にかかった。 | Kuruma ni mizu o kakerarete, fuku ni kakatta. | A car splashed water and it got on my clothes. |
Being caught: traps, tricks and illnesses
If something catches and holds you, you kakaru into it. Wana ni kakaru, to be caught in a trap; sagi ni kakaru, to fall for a scam; hikkakaru, to get snagged, both literally on a nail and figuratively on a trick. Fish are caught this way too: sakana ga tsuri-bari ni kakatta, a fish took the hook.
Illness follows the same image. Byōki ni kakaru means to catch a disease, with ni on the illness. It is a little more formal than kaze o hiku, which is the fixed phrase for catching a cold, and it is the natural verb for named illnesses: infuruenza ni kakaru, to get flu. Compare kakaru with hamaru, to fall into a hole or to get hooked on a hobby, which is more casual and often positive.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ネズミがわなにかかった。 | Nezumi ga wana ni kakatta. | A mouse got caught in the trap. |
| 詐欺にかからないように気をつけて。 | Sagi ni kakaranai yō ni ki o tsukete. | Be careful not to fall for scams. |
| 袖が釘に引っかかった。 | Sode ga kugi ni hikkakatta. | My sleeve caught on a nail. |
| 去年インフルエンザにかかりました。 | Kyonen infuruenza ni kakarimashita. | I got flu last year. |
| その手にはかからないよ。 | Sono te ni wa kakaranai yo. | I won't fall for that trick. |
Doctors, dependence and o-me ni kakaru
Isha ni kakaru means to see a doctor, to place yourself in a doctor's care. The particle ni marks the doctor or hospital. It is the standard phrase on clinic forms and in conversation: ima kakatte iru byōin wa arimasu ka, are you currently seeing a hospital. Your regular doctor is kakaritsuke no isha, and the phrase kakaritsuke has become a normal word for a family doctor.
The same dependence sense gives ni kakatte iru for things that depend on something: seikō wa kimi ni kakatte iru, success depends on you. A related idiom is inochi ga kakatte iru, a life is at stake. Kakaru also means to be underway: shigoto ni kakaru, to get down to work; tori-kakaru, to set about a task.
Finally, o-me ni kakaru is the humble expression for meeting someone you respect. It comes from the same image, coming into the sight of their honoured eyes. O-me ni kakarete kōei desu, I am honoured to meet you, is the phrase for interviews, first business meetings and formal introductions. Its pair o-me ni kakeru means to show something to someone respected.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 早めに医者にかかったほうがいい。 | Hayame ni isha ni kakatta hō ga ii. | You should see a doctor soon. |
| かかりつけの病院はありますか。 | Kakaritsuke no byōin wa arimasu ka. | Do you have a regular hospital? |
| 結果はあなたの努力にかかっている。 | Kekka wa anata no doryoku ni kakatte iru. | The result depends on your effort. |
| そろそろ作業に取りかかりましょう。 | Sorosoro sagyō ni torikakarimashō. | Let's get started on the work. |
| お目にかかれて光栄です。 | O-me ni kakarete kōei desu. | I'm honoured to meet you. |
| 先日、社長にお目にかかりました。 | Senjitsu, shachō ni o-me ni kakarimashita. | I met the president the other day. |
Common collocations at a glance
The particle tells you which meaning is active. Ga marks the thing that is spent, hangs or arrives; ni marks the surface, the trap, the doctor or the person something depends on. The table groups the collocations you will hear most.
| Collocation | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 時間がかかる | jikan ga kakaru | It takes time |
| お金がかかる | okane ga kakaru | It costs money |
| 手間がかかる | tema ga kakaru | It takes effort |
| 鍵がかかる | kagi ga kakaru | A lock is on |
| エンジンがかかる | enjin ga kakaru | An engine starts |
| 電話がかかってくる | denwa ga kakatte kuru | A call comes in |
| 迷惑がかかる | meiwaku ga kakaru | Trouble is caused to someone |
| わなにかかる | wana ni kakaru | To be caught in a trap |
| 病気にかかる | byōki ni kakaru | To catch an illness |
| 医者にかかる | isha ni kakaru | To see a doctor |
| 仕事にかかる | shigoto ni kakaru | To get down to work |
| お目にかかる | o-me ni kakaru | To meet (humble) |
Notice that kakaru never takes o. The moment you want a direct object, hang the picture, lock the door, make the call, you have crossed over to kakeru.
Mistakes learners make with kakaru
The first mistake is making the person the subject of the time or money meaning. Watashi wa ichi-jikan kakarimashita sounds like you yourself were spent. Say ichi-jikan kakarimashita on its own, or watashi wa ichi-jikan kakatte tsukimashita, I arrived after an hour. The time or money is the subject; you are context.
The second is swapping kakaru and kakeru. Kagi o kakaru and denwa ga kakeru are both wrong. Ga goes with kakaru, o goes with kakeru. If you find yourself saying o before kakaru, change the verb. The third mistake is confusing kakaru with tsuku for switches and lights. Denki ga kakatte iru is not natural; use denki ga tsuite iru.
Finally, watch the doctor phrase. Isha o miru means to look at a doctor, and isha ni au means to run into one socially. To be treated, it is isha ni kakaru or, more plainly, byōin ni iku. And o-me ni kakaru is only ever for you meeting them; for the other person, use the respectful o-ai ni naru.
- Time and money take ga; never make yourself the subject of kakaru
- Before o, the verb is kakeru, not kakaru
- Lights and screens use tsuku; engines, locks and music use kakaru
- See a doctor is isha ni kakaru, not isha o miru
- O-me ni kakaru is humble and describes only your own meeting
When you can picture kakaru as something settling onto something else, the particle choices follow: ga for what settles, ni for where it lands. Say the collocations aloud until the pairing is automatic.