Japanese word of the day: 入れる (Ireru)

What does 入れる mean?

入れる (Ireru) (ichidan verb) — Japanese transitive verb meaning "to put in," "to insert," or "to include," also used for making beverages, turning on devices, or admitting people.

Kanji details for 入

Character: 入 — enter
Radical: enter 入

Example sentences with 入れる

• 冷蔵庫に牛乳を入れておきました。
  (Reizouko ni gyūnyū o irete okimashita.)
  🥛 I put the milk in the refrigerator.

• お客様のためにお茶を入れましょうか？
  (Okyakusama no tame ni ocha o iremashou ka?)
  🫖 Shall I make some tea for our guests?

• 彼女は手紙に写真を入れて送りました。
  (Kanojo wa tegami ni shashin o irete okurimashita.)
  ✉️ She sent the letter with a photo inside it.

Confused about how to conjugate 入れる? Our conjugation tables can help.

入れる (Ireru) in context

In daily Japanese conversations, 入れる (ireru) is incredibly versatile and commonly used when discussing putting objects into containers, such as "カードを入れてください" (Please insert the card). It's also frequently used when making beverages - "お茶を入れますよ" (I'll make some tea). Be careful not to confuse it with its homograph 入れる (haireru), which means "to be able to enter" and is the potential form of 入る (hairu).

When discussing admission to organizations or schools, both forms can appear, so context is crucial - "子供をLingomelo大学に入れたい" (I want my child to enter Lingomelo University). The structure typically follows "(Subject) + (object) + を + (location) + に + 入れる". For clarity in writing, especially in ambiguous situations like "自由に入れる" (can freely enter/put in freely), consider using alternative expressions like "入ることができる" to avoid confusion. Remember that 入れる is transitive, requiring an object, while 入る is intransitive. For beginners, the expression "手に入れる" (to obtain/get) is particularly useful and appears in many everyday conversations.