Don’t worry! This article will explain the simple difference with many examples and a practice quiz.
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Usage Explanation ①: 入る (hairu) – “To enter” or “To go in” (Intransitive)
First, let’s look at 入る (hairu). This is an **intransitive verb (自動詞 – jidoushi)**.
An intransitive verb describes an action that the subject does *by itself*. The subject “enters” a place.
The key particle is に (ni) to mark the place you enter. The pattern is: [Person/Thing] が [Place] に 入る。
- Example 1:
- 猫（ねこ）が、部屋（へや）に 入る。(Neko ga, heya ni hairu.)
The cat enters the room.
- Example 2:
- 喫茶店（きっさてん）に 入りました。(Kissa-ten ni hairimashita.)
I entered the coffee shop.
- Example 3:
- 毎日（まいにち）、お風呂（ふろ）に 入る。(Mainichi, o-furo ni hairu.)
I take a bath every day. (I “enter” the bath.)
Key Point: Use 入る (hairu) when the subject (I, you, the cat) is the one moving and entering a place. The place is marked with に (ni).
Usage Explanation ②: 入れる (ireru) – “To put in” or “To let in” (Transitive)
Now, let’s look at 入れる (ireru). This is a **transitive verb (他動詞 – tadoushi)**.
A transitive verb describes an action that a *person* (the subject) does *to* something (the object). You “make” the object enter a place.
The key particle is を (o) to mark the object. The pattern is: [Person] が [Thing] を [Place] に 入れる。
- Example 1:
- 私（わたし）は、砂糖（さとう）を コーヒーに 入れる。(Watashi wa, satō o kōhī ni ireru.)
I put sugar in the coffee.
- Example 2:
- 荷物（にもつ）を かばんに 入れた。(Nimotsu o kaban ni ireta.)
I put the luggage in the bag.
- Example 3:
- 猫（ねこ）を 部屋（へや）に 入れてください。(Neko o heya ni irete kudasai.)
Please let the cat in the room. (Please “put” the cat in the room.)
Key Point: Use 入れる (ireru) when you are taking an object (sugar, luggage, cat) and putting it *into* a place. The object is marked with を (o).
Comparison: 入る (hairu) vs 入れる (ireru)
Let’s see the difference in one simple table.
| Feature | 入る (hairu) | 入れる (ireru) |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | ha-i-ru | i-re-ru |
| Verb Type | Intransitive (自動詞) | Transitive (他動詞) |
| Meaning | “To enter,” “to go in,” “to join” | “To put in,” “to let in,” “to insert” |
| Who/What moves? | The Subject moves itself. | The Subject moves the Object. |
| Key Particles | [Place] に (ni) | [Thing] を (o), [Place] に (ni) |
| Example Sentence | 猫（ねこ）が部屋（へや）に 入る。 (The cat enters the room.) |
私（わたし）が猫（ねこ）を部屋（へや）に 入れる。 (I put the cat in the room.) |
Common Mistake Examples
Mistake 1: Trying to say “Please put sugar in.”
- Wrong:
- 砂糖（さとう）が、コーヒーに**入ってください**。(Satō ga, kōhī ni haitte kudasai.)
- Correct:
- 砂糖（さとう）を、コーヒーに**入れてください**。(Satō o, kōhī ni irete kudasai.)
- Why?
- The “wrong” sentence is asking the sugar “Sugar, please enter the coffee.” This is funny, but incorrect. You are asking a *person* to do the action *to* the sugar (the object). You must use the transitive verb 入れる (ireru).
Mistake 2: Trying to say “I entered the room.”
- Wrong:
- 私（わたし）は、部屋（へや）を 入れました。(Watashi wa, heya o iremashita.)
- Correct:
- 私（わたし）は、部屋（へや）に 入りました。(Watashi wa, heya ni hairimashita.)
- Why?
- The “wrong” sentence means “I put the room in (something)…” This is impossible! *You* are the subject who is entering. You need the intransitive verb 入る (hairu) and the particle に (ni) to mark the place.
Practice Quiz
Let’s check your understanding! Choose the correct word for ( ).
Q1.
（ドアの外（そと）にいる人（ひと）に）「寒（さむ）いですから、どうぞ ( ) ください。」
(To a person outside) “It’s cold, so please ( ) .”
- 入って (haitte)
- 入れて (irete)
Q2.
彼（かれ）は、かばんに 本 ( ) 。
He ( ) a book into his bag.
- が 入った (ga haitta)
- を 入れた (o ireta)
Q3.
財布（さいふ）に、お金（かね）が ( ) いません。
There is no money ( ) my wallet.
- 入って (haitte)
- 入れて (irete)
Quiz Answers
Q1. (a) 入って (haitte) – “Please come in.” You are asking the *person* (the subject) to do the action of entering. (Intransitive)
Q2. (b) を 入れた (o ireta) – “He put the book in…” He (subject) did the action *to the book* (object). (Transitive)
Q3. (a) 入って (haitte) – “Money is not in…” This describes the *state* of the wallet. We use the intransitive verb’s -te iru form. (Intransitive)
Summary: Key Differences
How did you do on the quiz? Let’s review one last time.
- 入る (hairu) (Intransitive – 自動詞):
Something enters. The subject moves itself.Particle: に (ni)Example: 私（わたし）が部屋（へや）に 入る。(I enter the room.)
- 入れる (ireru) (Transitive – 他動詞):
Someone puts something in. The subject moves an object.Particle: を (o)Example: 私（わたし）が砂糖（さとう）を 入れる。(I put in sugar.)
Remembering this simple difference will make your Japanese sound much more natural!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q1: What is the simple difference between 入る (hairu) and 入れる (ireru)?
- A1: The simple difference is in the action.
- 入る (hairu) is intransitive. “Something enters.” The subject goes in by itself. (私が部屋に入る – *I* enter the room.)
- 入れる (ireru) is transitive. “Someone puts something in.” The subject makes an object go in. (私が砂糖をコーヒーに入れる – *I* put sugar in the coffee.)
- Q2: What is the opposite pair for “go out”?
- A2: Yes! This pair is also very important.
- 出る (deru) is intransitive: 私が部屋を出る。 (I go out of the room.) (Note: Uses を! This is a special case.)
- 出す (dasu) is transitive: 私がゴミを出す。 (I take out the trash.)
- Q3: What does お金が入る (okane ga hairu) mean?
- A3: This uses the intransitive verb 入る (hairu). It means “Money comes in” or “I get paid.” It describes the event or state. If you say お金を入れる (okane o ireru), it uses the transitive verb and means “I put money in (e.g., a bank or wallet).”
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