The Meaning of sugosu [過ごす] In Japanese

過ごす
すごす
Romaji: sugosu N5

What does 過ごす mean?

Translation and Meaning

spend time, pass time, live through, go through

Definition

What does 過ごす mean? It means to spend or pass time, often by engaging in activities or experiences; it can also mean to live through a period or endure a situation in everyday life.

Type

verb (五段動詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • to spend time on an activity or with people
  • to pass time in a place or during a period
  • to go through or endure a period or experience

Composition

  • 過: to pass, exceed; 辶: movement or a path component, signaling motion through time
  • す: verb ending that attaches to the kanji to form the verb 過ごす

Usage

Used to describe how someone spends a day, holiday, season, or span of time, in casual conversation and in narrative writing. Common constructions include [time]を過ごす and [place]で過ごす; also used to describe living through a period or experience.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: the left-side 辶 radical signals motion; imagine you are walking as hours slip by — 過ごす means to let time pass by while you move through it.

Variations

  • 使う時間 — tsukau jikan
  • 時間を費やす — jikan o tsuiyasu
  • 暮らす — kurasu

Example Phrases

  • 週末は友だちとカフェで過ごす予定だ。
    Shuumatsu wa tomodachi to kafe de sugosu yotei da.
    I plan to spend the weekend with friends at a cafe.
    Lista:
    • 週末 (shuumatsu) – weekend
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • 友だち (tomodachi) – friend
    • と (to) – and/with
    • カフェ (kafe) – cafe
    • で (de) – at
    • 過ごす (sugosu) – to spend (time)
    • 予定 (yotei) – plan
    • だ (da) – is
    The target verb 「過ごす」 means ‘to spend (time)’. Here it is used with で to indicate where the time is spent, and 予定だ expresses a plan.
  • 焚火の前で友達と話す夜を過ごす。
    Takibi no mae de tomodachi to hanasu yoru o sugosu.
    I spend a night talking with friends in front of a campfire.
    Lista:
    • 焚火 (takibi) – campfire
    • の前で (no mae de) – in front of
    • 友達と (tomodachi to) – with friends
    • 話す (hanasu) – to talk
    • 夜を (yoru o) – night (object marker)
    • 過ごす (sugosu) – to spend
    The word 「焚火」 means campfire; used here as a noun with の前で to indicate location, and 夜を過ごす means “to spend the night.”
過ごす