Japanese cooking vocabulary can be tricky, especially when two words look almost identical. 煮る (niru) and 煮える (nieru) are both written with the kanji 煮 and both relate to simmering or boiling food — but they are grammatically and functionally different. Understanding this difference is essential for both everyday cooking talk and for grasping a fundamental pattern in Japanese grammar.
YukaRei, my teacher mentioned 煮る and 煮える today. What’s the difference?
ReiGreat question! Both come up a lot in everyday Japanese. The trick is knowing which context calls for which — let me show you!
At a Glance: 煮る vs. 煮える
| Feature | 煮る (niru) | 煮える (nieru) |
|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | To simmer/boil (someone does it) | To be simmered / to cook through (it happens) |
| Word type | Transitive verb (他動詞) | Intransitive verb (自動詞) |
| Kanji | 煮る | 煮える |
| Subject | The cook (a person) | The food itself |
| Object | Takes an object (を) | No object (no を) |
| Focus | The action of cooking | The state of being cooked |
| JLPT level | N3 | N3 |
煮る (niru) — To Simmer: The Cook Does Something
煮る is a transitive verb (他動詞 — tadoushi). This means it requires someone to perform the action on something. The subject of 煮る is always a person (or agent), and there is an object — the food being cooked — marked with を. Think of 煮る as “to cook [something] by simmering.”
In recipes and cooking instructions, 煮る appears frequently with time duration (〜分煮る — simmer for X minutes) or manner (弱火で煮る — simmer on low heat).
Formation note: 煮る is a Group 2 (る-verb / ichidan). Te-form: 煮て (nite). Past: 煮た (nita). Negative: 煮ない (ninai).
Example 1 — cooking instruction:
野菜を20分煮てください。
Yasai wo nijuppun nite kudasai.
Please simmer the vegetables for 20 minutes.
Example 2 — describing what you cooked:
今日、肉と野菜を煮た。
Kyou, niku to yasai wo nita.
Today I simmered meat and vegetables.
Example 3 — simmering method:
弱火でゆっくり煮るのがポイントです。
Yowabi de yukkuri niru no ga pointo desu.
The key is to simmer it slowly over low heat.
YukaI see… so context really matters with 煮る? It’s not just about the literal meaning?
ReiRight! Japanese often works that way. 煮る especially has nuances that go beyond a direct translation — keep that in mind.
煮える (nieru) — To Be Simmered: The Food’s State
煮える is an intransitive verb (自動詞 — jidoushi). It describes the food’s state — the process of becoming cooked through simmering. The subject of 煮える is the food itself, and there is no direct object (no を). Think of 煮える as “to be cooked” or “to cook (on its own).”
煮えた (nieta) means “it has cooked through” or “it is done” — a very useful phrase in Japanese kitchens. 煮えている (niete iru) means “it is currently cooking” or “it is simmering.”
Formation note: 煮える is also a Group 2 (る-verb). Te-form: 煮えて (niete). Past: 煮えた (nieta). Negative: 煮えない (nienai).
Example 1 — food is done cooking:
もう野菜が煮えたよ。
Mou yasai ga nieta yo.
The vegetables are done cooking now.
Example 2 — not cooked through yet:
まだ肉が煮えていない。
Mada niku ga niete inai.
The meat is not fully cooked yet.
Example 3 — food is currently simmering:
スープが煮えている。
Suupu ga niete iru.
The soup is simmering (cooking).
YukaGot it. And 煮える — is that the opposite, or more like a different usage?
ReiMore of a different usage! 煮える carries its own feel. Comparing them together like this is actually the fastest way to master both.
The Key Difference: Transitive vs. Intransitive
The 煮る / 煮える pair is a perfect example of the Japanese transitive/intransitive verb pair pattern (他動詞・自動詞). This pattern is everywhere in Japanese: one verb describes what an agent does to something, and the paired verb describes what happens to the thing itself.
With 煮る and 煮える: 煮る = “I simmer the food” (I do it); 煮える = “the food is simmering / cooks” (it happens to the food).
Common mistake to avoid: Do not say 野菜を煮えた (yasai wo nieta) — this mixes the intransitive verb with a を particle, which is incorrect. The correct pairings are 野菜を煮た (I cooked the vegetables — transitive) and 野菜が煮えた (the vegetables cooked through — intransitive).
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Situation | 煮る | 煮える |
|---|---|---|
| Recipe: “Simmer the vegetables for 10 minutes” | ✓ 野菜を10分煮る | ✗ |
| “The vegetables are done” | ✗ | ✓ 野菜が煮えた |
| Person describing what they cooked | ✓ 肉を煮た | ✗ |
| Checking if food is ready | ✗ | ✓ 煮えた？ |
| Food currently in the pot | ✗ | ✓ 煮えている |
| Instruction to cook something | ✓ ～を煮てください | ✗ |
Decision Flowchart: 煮る or 煮える?
Are you talking about simmering food?
|
v
Is the SUBJECT a PERSON who is doing the cooking?
| |
YES NO
| |
v v
煮る Is the SUBJECT the FOOD ITSELF
(I/you cook that is becoming cooked?
something) | |
YES NO
| |
v v
煮える Recheck —
(food cooks, maybe different
food is done) cooking verb neededQuick Quiz — Test Yourself!
YukaI think I’ve finally got it! Let’s take the quiz to be sure.
ReiPerfect confidence check! Let’s go — you’ve got this!
Fill in the blank with 煮る or 煮える (conjugate as needed).
Q1. Please simmer the tofu for 5 minutes.
豆腐を5分＿＿＿ください。
Toufu wo gofun ___ kudasai.
Answer: 煮て (nite → 煮てください)
Reason: Instruction to the cook to perform the action = 煮る (transitive).
Q2. The potatoes are done cooking!
じゃがいもが＿＿＿た！
Jagaimo ga ___ta!
Answer: 煮え (nieta → 煮えた)
Reason: The food (subject) has finished cooking = 煮える (intransitive).
Q3. I cooked chicken and vegetables yesterday.
昨日、鶏肉と野菜を＿＿＿た。
Kinou, toriniku to yasai wo ___ta.
Answer: 煮 (nita → 煮た)
Reason: Person cooked the food = 煮る (transitive).
Q4. Is the meat cooked through yet?
肉はもう＿＿＿ましたか？
Niku wa mou ___ mashita ka?
Answer: 煮え (niemashita → 煮えましたか)
Reason: Asking if the food (subject) has reached done state = 煮える.
Q5. The soup is currently simmering on the stove.
コンロでスープが＿＿＿いる。
Konro de suupu ga ___ iru.
Answer: 煮えて (niete iru → 煮えている)
Reason: The soup (subject) is in the state of simmering = 煮える (intransitive).
＼ Learn Japanese with a personal native teacher!／
📖 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.
あわせて読みたい
Want to explore more transitive/intransitive verb pairs in Japanese? Read our guide on つくる (tsukuru) vs. こわす (kowasu):
Also, learn the difference between あける (akeru) vs. しまる (shimaru/shitaru) — opening and closing in Japanese:
Comments