What does ～上げる（Vます形＋あげる） mean? Japanese grammar N3

Forming it

How to use it

A suffix attached to the ます stem, emphasizing doing something ALL THE WAY THROUGH and producing a finished result.

• 「～上げる」 = to completely finish making something, with a resulting product: 「レポートを書き上げた」「作品を作り上げた」.
• The number of verbs it can attach to is limited: 書く・作る・築く・仕上げる・鍛え上げる. It cannot be attached freely — 「食べ上げる」 is incorrect.
• Different from 「～終わる」 (simply finishing): 「上げる」 carries the sense of effort and a significant accomplishment.

Examples

• 徹夜(てつや)でレポートを書(か)き上(あ)げた。

  I stayed up all night and finished writing the report.

• 十(じゅう)年(ねん)かけて会社(かいしゃ)を築(きず)き上(あ)げた。

  He built up the company over ten years.

Keep in mind

• Attaches to the ます stem.
• The list of compound verbs it can form is limited — learn them word by word.

Common mistakes

• Wrongご飯(はん)を食(た)べ上(あ)げた。

  I finished eating.

  Correctご飯(はん)を食(た)べ終(お)わった。

  「上げる」 only attaches to the group of verbs that produce a finished product; for finishing eating, use 「終わる」.

• Wrongレポートを書(か)くあげた。

  I completely finished writing the report.

  Correctレポートを書(か)き上(あ)げた。

  It attaches to the ます STEM 「書き」.

Exam tips

• 「ます stem ＋上げる」 = completely finish, with a resulting product; attaches to the ます stem.

Related patterns

• ～終わる
• ～切る
• ～抜く