込む
🃏 Flashcard
込む
komu
Tap to reveal usage
Move inside; do a long time
N3
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N3
Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast
Reading
komu
Post ID
50858
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
Move inside; do a long time
📖 How to use it
込む attaches to a verb stem to indicate moving inward or doing something thoroughly for a long time.
Attaches to
Attach 込む to the ます-stem (the form used before ます) of a verb, e.g., 入れる→入れ込む, 話す→話し込む.
込む is a helper verb that follows another verb's ます-stem. It has two main uses: one is to show that something physically moves into a space, like 押し込む (push into) or 飛び込む (jump into). The other is to show that an action is done completely or goes on for a long time, like 話し込む (talk for a long time) or 考え込む (be deep in thought). The nuance is often that the action reaches a certain intensity or extent. This pattern is common in everyday conversation, but the resulting compound word is treated as a single verb, so you conjugate it normally (e.g., 話し込んだ, 話し込んで).
電車に飛び込んで、やっと間に合った。
Densha ni tobikonde, yatto ma ni atta.
I jumped into the train and just made it in time.
友達と遅くまで話し込んでいた。
Tomodachi to osoku made hanashikonde ita.
I was talking with my friend until late.
彼は難しい問題を考え込んでいた。
Kare wa muzukashii mondai o kangaekonde ita.
He was deep in thought about a difficult problem.
Not 込む as a standalone verb meaning 'to be crowded'.
When 込む is used alone, it means crowded, as in 電車が込んでいる (the train is crowded). As a suffix, it doesn't have that meaning; it gives the nuance of 'into' or 'thoroughly'.
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This pattern is used in both spoken and written Japanese, but the resulting verbs are everyday words; some combinations may sound more colloquial, so check the specific verb you form.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
込む
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat 込む 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 込む. 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 N3 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern 込む mean?
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Move inside; do a long time
What JLPT level is 込む?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use 込む in a sentence?
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Attach 込む (komu) 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 込む formal or casual Japanese?
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込む is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember 込む 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.