がする
🃏 Flashcard
がする
ga suru
Tap to reveal usage
to smell; hear; taste
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
ga suru
Post ID
50695
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
to smell; hear; taste
📖 How to use it
Expresses perceiving a smell, sound, or taste through the senses.
Attaches to
Attach to a noun (e.g., におい, 音, 味) followed by がする. The noun is the thing perceived, and がする means 'to sense' or 'to have that sensation.'
This pattern is used when you notice something with your senses: a smell, a sound, or a taste. It is not about actively doing something, but about experiencing an automatic sensation. For example, you might say いいにおいがする (I smell something nice) when you enter a bakery, or 変な音がする (I hear a strange noise) when you hear a weird sound. The noun is the sensory input, and がする literally means 'to do' but here means 'to occur' or 'to be felt.'
台所からいいにおいがする。
Daidokoro kara ii nioi ga suru.
There's a nice smell coming from the kitchen.
外で大きな音がした。
Soto de ooki na oto ga shita.
There was a loud noise outside.
この料理は少し辛い味がする。
Kono ryouri wa sukoshi karai aji ga suru.
This dish tastes a little spicy.
Not ～がする vs. ～を感じる
がする is used specifically for sensory perceptions like smell, sound, and taste that come to you involuntarily. 感じる (to feel) is broader and can be used for emotions or physical sensations (e.g., 寒さを感じる). Use がする only for the five senses, especially smell, sound, and taste.
Register
Neutral and used in both speech and writing, but very common in casual conversation.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
がする
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat がする three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using がする. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern がする mean?
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To smell; hear; taste
What JLPT level is がする?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use がする in a sentence?
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Attach がする (ga suru) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is がする formal or casual Japanese?
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がする is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember がする long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.