neru-vs-okiru

How do you say “to sleep” and “to wake up” in Japanese? 寝る (neru) and 起きる (okiru) are two of the most common daily-life verbs you will need right from the start of learning Japanese. They are opposites, but each has important conjugation patterns, nuances, and related expressions. This guide covers everything with clear examples and a grammar breakdown.

Yuka

Hey Rei, what’s the best way to remember the difference between neru and okiru?

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

Both verbs are Group 2 (ru-verbs), which means they conjugate the same way: drop the る and add the ending. 寝る → 寝て (te-form), 起きる → 起きて (te-form).

What Does 寝る (Neru) Mean?

寝る (ねる) means to sleep or to go to bed. It covers both the act of lying down to sleep and the state of being asleep. In casual conversation, 寝る is one of the most natural ways to say you are going to bed.

Kanji: 寝 (ne) — the character itself contains the radical for “sleep/rest.”

Key conjugations:

Example 1

もう寝るね。おやすみ。
Mō neru ne. Oyasumi.
I’m going to bed now. Goodnight.

Example 2

そろそろ寝る準備するね、おやすみ。
Sorosoro neru junbi suru ne, oyasumi.
I’m getting ready for bed now. Goodnight.

Example 3

いつも何時に寝ますか？
Itsumo nanji ni nemasu ka?
What time do you usually go to bed?

Example 4

昨日は疲れてすぐ寝てしまった。
Kinō wa tsukarete sugu nete shimatta.
I was tired yesterday and fell asleep right away.

What Does 起きる (Okiru) Mean?

起きる (おきる) means to wake up or to get up. It refers to the moment of waking from sleep, as well as the act of getting out of bed. It can also mean “to occur / to happen” in a different context (an event 起きる), but the most common daily use is for waking up.

Kanji: 起 (oki/ki) = “to rise / to stand up.”

Key conjugations:

Example 1

今起きたよ。
Ima okita yo.
I just woke up.

Example 2

朝早く起きるようにしています。
Asa hayaku okiru yō ni shite imasu.
I try to wake up early in the morning.

Example 3

毎朝何時に起きる？
Maiasa nanji ni okiru?
What time do you get up every morning?

Example 4

大体7時に起きるよ。
Daitai shichiji ni okiru yo.
I usually get up at 7.

Neru vs. Okiru: Side-by-Side Comparison

Sleep Vocabulary: Related Words and Expressions

Key nuance — 起きる vs. 起こす:

起きる (okiru) = to wake up on your own (intransitive)
起こす (okosu) = to wake someone else up (transitive)

明日の朝、起こしてくれる？
Ashita no asa, okoshite kureru?
Can you wake me up tomorrow morning?

Decision Flowchart: Neru or Okiru?

Are you talking about sleeping or waking?
              |
              Yes
              |
Is the person going TO SLEEP / lying down?
       |                   |
      Yes                  No
       |                   |
   寝る (neru)         Is the person WAKING UP / getting out of bed?
   = to sleep              |                  |
                          Yes                 No → Use 眠い (sleepy) or 眠れない (can't sleep)
                           |
                       起きる (okiru)
                       = to wake up

Tip on 寝ている vs. 起きている:
寝ている = currently sleeping
起きている = currently awake (not sleeping)

もう起きてるよ！(Mō okiteru yo!) = I’m already awake!
まだ寝てるよ。(Mada neteru yo.) = Still sleeping.

Quick Quiz: Fill in the Blank

Choose 寝る (neru) or 起きる (okiru) — or their correct forms — for each sentence. Answers below.

Q1. 毎晩11時に＿＿ます。
I go to bed at 11 every night.

Q2. 今朝は6時に＿＿た。
I got up at 6 this morning.

Q3. 妹はまだ＿＿てるよ。起こしてあげよう。
My little sister is still _____. Let me wake her up.

Q4. 昨日＿＿坊して、学校に遅刻した。
Yesterday I overslept and was late for school.

Q5. もう＿＿なさい！学校に遅れるよ！
Get up already! You’ll be late for school!

Answers:

A1. 寝 (寝ます) — Going to bed = 寝る → 毎晩11時に寝ます。

A2. 起き (起きた) — Got up in the morning = 起きる → 今朝は6時に起きた。

A3. 寝 (寝てる) — Currently sleeping = 寝ている → 妹はまだ寝てるよ。

A4. 寝 (寝坊) — Oversleeping = 寝坊 (set compound from 寝る) → 昨日寝坊して、学校に遅刻した。

A5. 起き (起きなさい) — Command to wake up / get up = 起きなさい → もう起きなさい！

Summary

Both 寝る and 起きる are Group 2 (ru-verbs), so their conjugation follows the same pattern. Nail these two verbs and you will cover the entire sleep-wake cycle in Japanese.

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