If you’ve ever wanted to skip class or sneak out of a meeting, Japanese has just the word for you — さぼる (saboru). This casual slang verb is heard constantly in everyday conversation, but there are important limits on when you can use it.
YukaYuka: What does さぼる actually mean, and where does it come from?
ReiRei: さぼる means to skip, ditch, or slack off. It’s borrowed from the French word “sabotage,” and while everyone uses it casually, you should never say it to your boss.
At a Glance: さぼる
| Word | Register | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| さぼる | Casual slang | Skip / Ditch / Slack off | 学校をさぼる — ditch school |
| 休む | Neutral/Formal | Take a day off / Absent | 会議をお休みします — miss the meeting (polite) |
| ずる休み | Casual slang | Fake illness / Play hooky | ずる休みがばれた — got caught playing hooky |
What さぼる Means and Where It Comes From
さぼる (also written サボる) is a gairaigo (borrowed word) from the French saboter, meaning to sabotage. In Japanese it softened into casual slang meaning to skip, ditch, or half-heartedly avoid a duty. It is used by everyone from school kids to office workers in informal contexts.
Conjugation: さぼります (formal) / さぼる (plain) / さぼらない (negative) / さぼった (past) / さぼらなかった (past negative)
Yuka社会の授業をサボって、映画を観に行きたいなー。 (I wanna skip social studies to go watch a movie.)
Reiさぼったら？ (Why don’t you just skip it?)
さぼる with Different Subjects
さぼる fits naturally with school, work, and class. The object is marked with を.
Yuka木田くんがスポーツ観戦に行くために授業をサボってたよ。 (Kida-kun skipped class to go watch sports.)
Reiみつる、ずる休みしたのがばれたみたいだね。 (I heard Mitsuru got caught playing hooky.)
Yuka今日は学校サボろうよー。 (Why don’t we ditch school today?)
Rei学校サボって俺の家に来なよ。 (Ditch class and come to my place.)
When NOT to Use さぼる — Use 休む Instead
さぼる implies deliberate shirking and is only appropriate with people you know well. In formal or business contexts — emails, talking to a superior, or politely excusing yourself — use 休む or お休みします instead.
Yuka今日は学校サボりたいなー。 (I wanna ditch school today.)
Reiすみません、今日は会議をお休みします。 (Sorry, I’ll be absent from the meeting today.) ← Use this with your boss, not さぼる.
Quick Quiz
Choose さぼる or お休みします for each situation.
1. You tell your friend you want to skip PE class. → さぼる (友達には: 体育サボろうよ)
2. You email your boss to say you will miss tomorrow’s meeting. → お休みします (上司へ: 明日の会議をお休みします)
3. You tell your classmate someone ditched the school trip. → さぼった (修学旅行をさぼったよ)
さぼる is a handy word that makes you sound natural in everyday Japanese — just keep it out of formal settings and anything your boss might read.
📖 Want to take your Japanese further? Practice speaking with a professional Japanese tutor on italki — affordable 1-on-1 online lessons at your own pace.
＼ Learn more! ／
