知らせます（しらせます、shirasemasu）
- to inform

The Japanese word 知らせます (shirase-masu) means "to inform," "to notify," "to let someone know," or "to announce." It conveys the act of providing someone with information they did not previously have. It often implies a formal or official communication of information. The information communicated can range from simple facts to important news or decisions. The core meaning focuses on the action of conveying information.

⚫︎会議の開始時間を知らせます Translation: I will inform you of the start time of the meeting. ⚫︎新しいサービスについてお客様に知らせます Translation: We will inform the customers about the new service. ⚫︎イベントの中止を皆に知らせます Translation: I will announce the cancellation of the event to everyone.

⚫︎You would use 知らせます when you want to formally or officially communicate information to someone or a group of people. ⚫︎It is suitable for situations like giving updates, providing news, announcing decisions, or notifying people of changes. ⚫︎It implies a deliberate and intentional act of informing, rather than a casual sharing of information. It is suitable for business settings, official announcements, or situations where clear communication is important.

⚫︎The base form of the verb is 知らせる (shiraseru). ⚫︎知らせます is the polite (masu-form) conjugation of 知らせる. ⚫︎It is typically written in hiragana as しらせます, but the kanji 知らせます is also used, particularly in formal or written contexts. ⚫︎The okurigana (hiragana following the kanji) is generally fixed as らせます.

⚫︎通知します (tsuuchi-shimasu): To notify, to inform (more formal) ⚫︎報告します (houkoku-shimasu): To report ⚫︎伝えます (tsutaemasu): To convey, to tell ⚫︎発表します (happyou-shimasu): To announce (publicly)

⚫︎While there isn't a direct antonym, words that imply withholding or hiding information would be the opposite. For example: * 秘密にします (himitsu ni shimasu) - To keep it a secret. * 隠します (kakushimasu) - To hide.

新しい住所を友達に知らせます ・Translation: I will inform my friend of my new address. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates the use of 知らせます to convey a specific piece of information (the new address) to someone.

政府は国民に新しい政策を知らせます ・Translation: The government will inform the citizens of the new policy. ・Explanation: This example shows a formal setting where a government is formally informing its citizens about a change.

The verb 知らせる derives from the adjective 知る (shiru) meaning "to know" or "to understand." The suffix せる (seru) is a causative verb ending, meaning “to cause.” Thus, 知らせる can be understood as "to cause someone to know" or "to make someone aware".