Meaning and Usage
The verb 整う (ととのう) means "to be prepared," "to be in order," or "to be arranged." It is often used when something is fully ready or properly organized, whether it is physical items, plans, or abstract things like skills or conditions.
Common Contexts
You will frequently hear 整う in contexts like preparing for meetings, events, or moving, where everything needs to be arranged or completed. It can also describe a person's appearance or manner being neat and well put together.
Collocations and Patterns
- 資料が整う: materials are prepared
- 準備が整う: preparations are complete
- 条件が整う: conditions are met
- 話が整う: speech or explanation is well-organized
These collocations emphasize completeness and readiness.
Register and Nuance
整う is neutral and polite enough for formal and informal situations. It implies that everything necessary has been arranged properly, often with a sense of order and completeness.
Common Learner Mistake
Do not confuse 整う (to be prepared) with 整える (ととのえる), which is the transitive form meaning "to arrange" or "to prepare" something. 整う is intransitive, so the subject itself becomes ready or arranged.