Japanese word of the day: 急ぐ (Isogu)

What does 急ぐ (Isogu) mean?

急ぐ (Isogu) (verb, godan, intransitive/transitive) – To hurry, to rush, to be in a hurry, to hasten. This verb is used when you need to do something quickly, or when you’re running late and need to speed up.

Kanji details for 急

Character: 急 — hurry, emergency, sudden, steep
Radical: heart 心 (忄, ⺗)

Example sentences with 急ぐ (Isogu)

• 急がないと電車に間に合いません。
  (Isoganai to densha ni maniaimasen.)
  🚆 If I don’t hurry, I won’t make the train.

• 急いでください。
  (Isoide kudasai.)
  ⏳ Please hurry.

• 彼は急いで家を出た。
  (Kare wa isoide ie o deta.)
  🏃‍♂️ He left home in a hurry.

Confused about how to conjugate 急ぐ (Isogu)?
Our conjugation tables can help.

急ぐ (Isogu) in context

急ぐ is a practical, everyday verb you’ll use when you’re running late, when you need someone to move faster, or when you want to reassure someone there’s no need to rush. It’s the word you’ll use to tell a taxi driver to hurry, to encourage a friend to speed up, or to remind yourself not to miss your train.

It’s also commonly used in polite requests: “急いでください” (“Please hurry”) or “急いでいます” (“I’m in a hurry”). For more formal or written contexts, you might see 急ぐ in phrases like “急ぎの用事” (urgent business) or “急ぎ足” (walking quickly).

The te-form, “急いで” (isoide), is especially useful for making requests or describing actions done in a hurry, like “急いで食べる” (to eat quickly).