連絡する vs 知らせる
Japanese word comparison
Listen to 連絡する
Listen to 知らせる
| 連絡する | 知らせる |
|---|---|
ren-RA-ku su-ru verb (suru-verb) | しらせる (shiraseru) verb (suru-verb) |
| to contact someone; to get in touch; to inform | to inform or notify someone of information (focus on conveying facts) |
How they differ
知らせる focuses on conveying information or announcing something and does not necessarily imply making contact or a response, while 連絡する emphasizes contacting someone (which may imply two-way communication). 知らせる is used when the main point is the content of the information rather than the contact act.
When to use each
When to use 連絡する: Prefer 連絡する when you mean to contact someone or arrange communication between people.
When to use 知らせる: Prefer 知らせる when the focus is on informing others of a fact, change, or announcement rather than on the mode of contact.
Side-by-side examples
- 医者の予約時間が変わったら連絡してください。
(If the doctor's appointment time changes, please contact me.) - 医者の予約時間が変わったら私に知らせてください。
(If the doctor's appointment time changes, please inform me.)
Register & nuance: Neutral; widely used in both spoken and written Japanese, and can be more appropriate for announcements or one-way notifications than conversational contact verbs.
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- See the Word of the Day entry for 知らせる
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