預けます（あずけます、azukemasu）
- to deposit

The Japanese verb 預けます （あずけます） means "to leave," "to deposit," "to entrust," "to check (in)," or "to put (something) in someone's care." It implies a temporary transfer of possession or responsibility to another person or place. The thing being 預けます預け must be something of value or importance, or something that needs temporary storage. The implication is often that the item will be returned at a later date. The meaning of the verb depends on the context of the sentence.

⚫︎ 荷物をホテルに預けます。 Translation: I will leave my luggage at the hotel. ⚫︎ 子供を祖父母に預けます。 Translation: I will leave the child with the grandparents. ⚫︎ お金を銀行に預けます。 Translation: I will deposit money in the bank. ⚫︎ 犬をペットホテルに預けます。 Translation: I will leave my dog at a pet hotel.

⚫︎ Use 預けます when you are temporarily giving something to someone for safekeeping, care, or storage. ⚫︎ This can apply to objects, people, or money. ⚫︎ Common situations include leaving luggage at a hotel, leaving a child with a babysitter, depositing money in a bank, or leaving a pet at a kennel. ⚫︎ The person or place receiving the item or responsibility is usually indicated by the particle に (ni). ⚫︎ The object being 預けます預け is marked by the particle を (wo).

⚫︎ 預けます is typically written in hiragana as あずけます. ⚫︎ The kanji is 預. ⚫︎ The okurigana (the hiragana following the kanji) is usually けます. ⚫︎ Various conjugations exist, such as: ⚫︎ 預ける (あずける) - dictionary form, "to leave", "to entrust" ⚫︎ 預けました (あずけました) - past tense, "left", "entrusted" ⚫︎ 預けない (あずけない) - negative form, "will not leave/entrust" ⚫︎ 預けたい (あずけたい) - "want to leave/entrust" ⚫︎ 預けて (あずけて) - "leave/entrust" (te-form, used for linking clauses) ⚫︎ 預ける (あずける) - Present tense. ⚫︎ 預けられます (あずけられます) - "can leave/entrust" (potential)

⚫︎ 託す (たくす) - to entrust, to consign (more formal) ⚫︎ 任せる (まかせる) - to entrust, to leave to (someone's care) ⚫︎ 預かる (あずかる) - to keep, to look after (used from the perspective of the person receiving the item)

⚫︎ There isn't a direct single antonym. The opposite action could be taking back the item. ⚫︎ 受け取る (うけとる) - to receive, to accept (from the person who left it.) ⚫︎ 引き取る (ひきとる) - to take back, to claim.

旅行の間、ペットを友達に預けます。 ・Translation: I will leave my pet with a friend during the trip. ・Explanation: The speaker is temporarily giving the responsibility of caring for their pet to their friend while they travel.

貴重品をホテルの金庫に預けます。 ・Translation: I will leave my valuables in the hotel safe. ・Explanation: The speaker is entrusting their valuables to the hotel for safekeeping.

The etymology of 預ける is composed of the kanji 預 (あず) and the verb ending ける (keru). The kanji 預 itself means "to entrust," "to deposit," or "to keep." Its composition suggests the meaning of the word.