勤める・務める|つとめるtsutomeru[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
勤める勤める is the most common written form and the recommended choice for beginners in ordinary writing.
務める務める is a less common written variant. Beginners should choose 勤める instead, although 務める may also appear.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto work (for); to be employed (at); to serve (in)usu. 勤める
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto serve (as); to act (as); to fill (the position of); to play the role (of)usu. 務める
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto conduct a religious serviceusu. 勤める
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 勤める（つとめる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 勤めます（つとめます） |
| Negative (nai) | 勤めない（つとめない） |
| polite (masen) | 勤めません（つとめません） |
| classical zu / nu | 勤めず・勤めぬ（つとめず・つとめぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 勤めた（つとめた） |
| polite (mashita) | 勤めました（つとめました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 勤めなかった（つとめなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 勤めませんでした（つとめませんでした） |
| Te form | 勤めて（つとめて） |
| Potential | 勤められる（つとめられる） |
| Passive | 勤められる（つとめられる） |
| Causative | 勤めさせる（つとめさせる） |
| Causative passive | 勤めさせられる（つとめさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 勤めれば（つとめれば） |
| tara | 勤めたら（つとめたら） |
| Volitional | 勤めよう（つとめよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 勤めましょう（つとめましょう） |
| Imperative | 勤めろ（つとめろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
役が務まる
役を務める
務まる focuses on whether a role or duty is adequately fulfilled (often implying suitability), while 勤める focuses on the act of serving in or performing that role.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym勤務きんむWrittenRefers to attending work at a company or government office, as in 「勤務時間」; more formal in tone than 「勤める」.
- Synonym就労しゅうろうWrittenRefers to engaging in work or being employed, as in 「就労ビザ」; mostly found in legal and official contexts.
- Synonym働くはたらくNeutralGeneral word for working or laboring, not limited to employment; 「勤める」 specifically means holding a post at an organization.
- Related勤労きんろうWrittenRefers to diligent labor, as in 「勤労感謝の日」; carries a nuance of industriousness.
- Related仕えるつかえるWrittenMeans serving a lord, master, or deity, as in 「主君に仕える」; not used for ordinary company jobs.
- Related労働ろうどうWrittenRefers to labor, mostly in economic or legal contexts, as in 「労働時間」.
- Related励むはげむNeutralMeans striving hard at something, as in 「練習に励む」; emphasizes effort rather than holding a job.
- Related仕え奉るつかえまつるFormalArchaic humble term for reverently serving one's lord; seen in classical texts or deliberately old-fashioned style.
- Related仕るつかまつるFormalHumble language for doing or serving; mostly seen in period dramas, as in 「〜つかまつる」.
- RelatedいそしむWrittenMeans diligently devoting oneself to something, as in 「勉学に勤しむ」; about applying oneself, not employment.
- Antonym辞めるやめるNeutralAntonym: to quit or leave one's job at a workplace, the opposite of 「勤める」.
- AntonymどくNeutralRead 「どく」 it means stepping aside, common in speech; for leaving a post, 「退く」 read 「しりぞく」 is usual.
For being employed at a workplace, 「勤める」 is the default. Use 「働く」 for work in general, 「勤務」 for formal on-duty work, 「就労」 for employment in legal contexts, 「励む」 for striving at a task, and 「辞める」 for quitting.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
