“kutsu wo haku” vs. “kutsu wo nugu”：They Are The Opposite Meaning.

Shoes are everywhere in Japanese culture — and so are the rituals around them. Removing your shoes before entering a home or certain restaurants is not just politeness; it is a deeply rooted social practice. That is why knowing both 靴を履く (kutsu wo haku, put on shoes) and 靴を脱ぐ (kutsu wo nugu, take off shoes) is essential from the very first time you visit a Japanese home. This guide covers both expressions in full, including conjugation, usage, and all the situations where you will need them.

Yuka

Hey Rei, what’s the best way to remember the difference between 靴を履く and 靴を脱ぐ?

Rei

The best trick is to associate each word with a strong image or situation. By the end of this article you’ll have one for each — promise!

At a Glance: 靴を履く vs. 靴を脱ぐ

靴を履く (kutsu wo haku) — Putting On Shoes

靴を履く means to put on shoes — the action of placing shoes on your feet. The verb 履く (haku) is also used for all lower-body clothing: socks, boots, pants, skirts. When used with 靴 (shoes), the combination 靴を履く is one of the most fundamental daily expressions in Japanese.

Formation note: 履く is a う-verb (godan). The te-form 履いて (haite) is used when describing an action done and then continuing, such as 靴を履いて出かける (put on shoes and go out). The state form 履いている (haite iru) means “currently wearing (shoes).”

Example 1 — preparing to go out:

靴を履いて、出発しましょう。
Kutsu wo haite, shuppatsu shimashou.
Let’s put on our shoes and head out.

Example 2 — asking someone to put on shoes:

早く靴を履いて。バスが来るよ。
Hayaku kutsu wo haite. Basu ga kuru yo.
Hurry up and put your shoes on. The bus is coming.

Example 3 — currently wearing shoes:

もう靴を履いているから準備完了です。
Mou kutsu wo haite iru kara junbi kanryou desu.
I already have my shoes on, so I’m ready.

Yuka

That makes sense! So 靴を履く is about… okay, I think I’m starting to get it.

Rei

You’re getting it! And the more you practice using 靴を履く in sentences, the more automatic it becomes. Language learning is all about repetition.

靴を脱ぐ (kutsu wo nugu) — Taking Off Shoes

靴を脱ぐ means to take off shoes. The verb 脱ぐ (nugu) is the general verb for removing any article of clothing or footwear from your body. It is the opposite of both 履く (for lower body) and 着る (for upper body). In daily Japanese life, the phrase 靴を脱いでください (please take off your shoes) is something you will hear regularly at the entrance of homes, traditional restaurants, and certain temple buildings.

Formation note: 脱ぐ is also a う-verb (godan). Its te-form is 脱いで (nuide). Note the pronunciation shift: the base ぐ → いで in te-form.

Example 1 — entering a home:

玄関で靴を脱いでください。
Genkan de kutsu wo nuide kudasai.
Please take off your shoes at the entrance.

Example 2 — asking a child:

中に入る前に靴を脱ぎなさい。
Naka ni hairu mae ni kutsu wo nuginasai.
Take off your shoes before you come inside.

Example 3 — after a long day:

家に帰って、やっと靴を脱いでほっとした。
Ie ni kaette, yatto kutsu wo nuide hotto shita.
I came home, finally took off my shoes, and felt relieved.

Yuka

Alright. And now explain 靴を脱ぐ? I want to make sure I have both down.

Rei

Sure! 靴を脱ぐ is actually the easier one to remember once you have a clear mental image. Let’s look at the examples.

The Genkan — Why This Vocabulary Matters in Japan

Japan has the 玄関 (genkan) — the entrance area just inside the front door where shoes are always removed before stepping up into the living area. This is not optional. If you visit any Japanese home, you will be expected to remove your shoes and leave them neatly at the genkan. Knowing 靴を脱ぐ and being able to respond to requests like 靴を脱いでください is part of basic cultural fluency in Japan.

Conjugation Comparison

Decision Flowchart: 履く or 脱ぐ?

You want to talk about shoes in Japanese.
        |
        v
Are the shoes going ON the feet
or coming OFF the feet?
        |
   _____|_______________
  |                     |
GOING ON               COMING OFF
(putting on,           (removing,
 wearing)               taking off)
  |                     |
  v                     v
靴を履く               靴を脱ぐ
(kutsu wo haku)       (kutsu wo nugu)
靴を履いていく         玄関で脱ぐ
(go out wearing shoes) (take off at entrance)

Quick Quiz — Test Yourself!

Yuka

Okay Rei, quiz time! I want to test how well I’ve absorbed all this.

Rei

Challenge accepted on your behalf! Let’s see how much of 靴を履く and 靴を脱ぐ has sunk in.

Choose 履く or 脱ぐ (conjugated as needed) for each sentence.

Q1. Please take off your shoes at the entrance.
玄関で靴を＿＿＿ください。
Genkan de kutsu wo ___ kudasai.

Answer: 脱いで (nuide)
Reason: Removing shoes at the entrance. Use 脱ぐ → 脱いでください.

Q2. She put on her sneakers and ran outside.
彼女はスニーカーを＿＿＿外に走り出た。
Kanojo wa suniikaa wo ___ soto ni hashirideta.

Answer: 履いて (haite)
Reason: Putting on sneakers to go outside. Use 履く → 履いて.

Q3. I had already taken off my shoes when the guest arrived.
お客さんが来たとき、もう靴を＿＿＿いた。
Okyaku-san ga kita toki, mou kutsu wo ___ ita.

Answer: 脱いで (nuide) — 脱いでいた
Reason: Shoes had already been removed. Use 脱ぐ → 脱いでいた.

Q4. You should put your shoes on neatly before leaving.
出かける前に、きちんと靴を＿＿＿べきだ。
Dekakeru mae ni, kichinto kutsu wo ___ beki da.

Answer: 履く (haku)
Reason: Putting shoes on properly. Use 履く.

Q5. At a traditional restaurant, guests take off their shoes.
料亭では、お客さんが靴を＿＿＿。
Ryoutei de wa, okyaku-san ga kutsu wo ___.

Answer: 脱ぎます / 脱ぐ (nugimasu / nugu)
Reason: Removing shoes at a traditional restaurant. Use 脱ぐ.

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あわせて読みたい

Want to expand your clothing vocabulary? Check out the full guide to 履く vs. 着る — when to use each verb for different types of clothing:

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And for a complete picture of how Japanese handles dressing and undressing, see the guide to 着る vs. 脱ぐ:

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