Best Way To Use “saboru”：Japanese Slang

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.

Yuka

Yuka: What does さぼる actually mean, and where does it come from?

Rei

Rei: 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

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

社会しゃかいの授業じゅぎょうをサボって、映画えいがを観みに行いきたいなー。 (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

木田きだくんがスポーツ観戦かんせんに行いくために授業じゅぎょうをサボってたよ。 (Kida-kun skipped class to go watch sports.)

Rei

みつる、ずる休やすみしたのがばれたみたいだね。 (I heard Mitsuru got caught playing hooky.)

Yuka

今日きょうは学校がっこうサボろうよー。 (Why don’t we ditch school today?)

Rei

学校がっこうサボって俺おれの家いえに来きなよ。 (Ditch class and come to my place.)

When NOT to Use さぼる — Use 休やすむ 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 休やすむ or お休やすみします instead.

Yuka

今日きょうは学校がっこうサボりたいなー。 (I wanna ditch school today.)

Rei

すみません、今日きょうは会議かいぎをお休やすみします。 (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 お休やすみします 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. → お休やすみします (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.

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