Usage of かかる
The verb かかる is a very common intransitive verb used to express that something "takes" or "costs" time, money, or effort. It often answers the question "how long does it take?" or "how much does it cost?". For example, you can say 仕事に三時間かかる (It takes three hours to do the work).
Different meanings and contexts
Besides indicating time or money required, かかる can also mean "to hang" or "to be caught" in some contexts, such as 電話がかかる (a phone call comes in) or 罠にかかる (to be caught in a trap). This shows its flexibility.
Common collocations and patterns
- 〜にかかる: indicates the target or object involved (e.g., 学校まで30分かかる)
- お金がかかる: to cost money
- 時間がかかる: to take time
- 電話がかかる: a phone call comes in
Register and usage notes
かかる is neutral and used in everyday conversation. It is polite enough for most situations but can be combined with polite forms like かかります.
Common learner mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse かかる with the transitive verb かける. Remember かかる is intransitive and does not take a direct object. For example, you say 時間がかかる (time takes) not 時間をかかる.