教える
おしえる·oshieru
Meaning
to teach; to tell; to inform; to show (how to do something)
Nuance & Usage
教える has two main uses: (1) to teach (先生が数学を教える — the teacher teaches math), and (2) to tell/inform (電話番号を教える — tell someone a phone number). The pattern is: [person]に[thing]を教える. This dual meaning is useful but can cause confusion. Related: 教え (oshie — teaching, lesson), 教室 (kyoushitsu — classroom), 教科書 (kyoukasho — textbook).
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 教える (to teach/tell) with 習う (narau — to learn from a teacher). They are a pair: the teacher 教える and the student 習う. Also, when asking for information in everyday speech, 教えてください can sound demanding — a softer form is 教えていただけますか？ or 教えてもらえますか？ (Could you tell me?).
Example Sentences (3)
日本語を教えてくれませんか？
にほんごをおしえてくれませんか？
Could you teach me Japanese?
道を教えていただけますか？
みちをおしえていただけますか？
Could you tell me the way?
姉がピアノの弾き方を教えてくれました。
あねがぴあののひきかたをおしえてくれました。
My older sister taught me how to play the piano.
Quick Quiz
Quick Quiz
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