Japanese word

言い出す

Pronunciation

Romajiiidasu

Meaning

  • verbbring up

Example

彼は旅行の話を言い出しました。kare wa ryo kō no hanashi o i i da shi ma shi ta

He brought up the trip.

Illustration for 言い出す (bring up)

More examples

誰も言い出しませんので、私から質問しました。dare mo i i da shi ma se n no de watashi ka ra shitsu mon shi ma shi ta

Since no one brought it up, I asked the question myself.

Core concept

Conveys a speaker taking the initiative to bring an unspoken idea or subject into the conversation.

Common phrases

  • 急に言い出すkyū ni i i da su

    suddenly bring up

  • 帰ろうと言い出すkae rō to i i da su

    suggest leaving

Similar words

持ち出すmochidasu: To introduce a subject into a conversation, especially one that has not been discussed.
切り出すkiridasu: To begin a conversation or statement by introducing a particular subject.
言い始めるiihajimeru: To begin speaking or to start expressing something.

Definition in Japanese

会話の中で、新しい話題や考えを自分から述べ始める。kai wa no naka de atara shi i wa dai ya kanga e o ji bun ka ra no be haji me ru

Word origin

言い出す (iidasu) combines 言い (ii, "say"), the stem of 言う (iu, "say"), with 出す (dasu, "put out"), expressing the start of putting an idea into words.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, 言い出す (iidasu) often matches bring up when a speaker introduces a subject, while start to say focuses on beginning an utterance.

Other meanings

  • start to sayverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 言い出しiidashibringing upnoun

Word lists with this word