# Clothing related verbs
## Intro
Hi guys,
I was adding more words to the [JPPX](https://jppx.herokuapp.com/) (name subject to change) application (an web app to help memorize kanji) and I couldn’t help but wonder that Japanese has a lot of verbs that are related to clothing and wearing and putting on and so on and so forth. Maybe all the languages have, but in English I think we can get by with just “to wear”, “to put on” and “to carry”, while in Japanese we have at least 6 verbs we need to remember.
I do not have questions, but I would like to share this notes with you about which verb you can use for each type of clothing and accessory. Feel free to make your contributions in the comments.
## Verbs list
## 被る (かぶる)
Starting from the top, we have this verb (usually written with kana) which can be used to talk about putting things on one’s head, like caps, hats, etc. Example:
>帽子をかぶる。
帽子 -> ぼうし (hat)
## 掛ける (かける)
Usually written with Kana alone, this is that type of Japanese verb that is used in a wide range of situations. Unrelated example: 話しかけないでください (please, don’t talk to me).
When in the wearing context, it’s used mostly to talk about wearing glasses. Can be used referring to necklaces too I guess, but we have other verbs to use for necklaces. Examples:
>メガネをかける。
>
>ネックレスをかける。
## 付ける (つける)
The same as before. Usually it’s written with kana alone and can be used for many situations. Unrelated example: 気をつけてください (please, take care / be careful).
When in the wearing context, it’s used mostly for things that you put on your face and neck, like masks, necklaces, scarfs, etc. Examples:
>マスクをつける。
>
>マフラーをつける。
>
>ネックレスをつける。
## する
I think it’s worth noting that in the examples above, we can use, interchangeably, the silver bullet verb する:
>マスクをする。
>
>マフラーをする。
>
>ネックレスをする。
PS: My Japanese teacher, who happens to be a Japanese, told me this. However I do not know what is more common in this case, suru or tsukeru.
## 着る(きる)
This one is used when talking about the upper-body (but below the shoulders). Examples:
>ブラウスを着る。
>
>Tシャツを着る。
## 履く(はく)
We use this verb talking about lower-body clothing, like pants, skirts, shoes, etc. Examples:
>ズボンを履く。
>
>靴を履く。
靴 -> くつ (shoes)
## もつ(持つ)
And the last one is this verb which means to hold or to carry something. In this context we can use it to talk about accessories we’re carrying, like bags, umbrellas, etc. Examples:
>傘を持つ。
>
>鞄を持つ。
傘 -> かさ (umbrella)
鞄 -> かばん (bag)
## Conclusion
Japanese has a lot of verbs related to clothing and wearing. I sometimes have a hard time remembering too, but I think that mastering those seven verbs is a bridge we need to cross if we want to properly speak Japanese.
It’s a lot to remember right? If you want to practice the kanji reading of those verbs, go to the [JPPX web app](https://jppx.herokuapp.com/), I created a new category just with those verbs.
Thank you for reading.
