サボる
Significado: To skip, slack off, or play hooky. A verb formed from the French/English word 'sabotage' combined with the Japanese verb suffix る.
サボる is a well-established verb meaning to skip an obligation (class, work, chores) or to slack off. Despite its origins in 'sabotage,' the modern usage is much lighter — it implies laziness or avoidance rather than deliberate destruction. It is commonly used by students talking about skipping class and by workers talking about slacking off. The word has been in Japanese for decades and is widely understood across all generations.
Ejemplos
- 今日の授業サボって映画見に行こうぜ。 今天翘课去看电影吧。Vamos a hacer pellas hoy y vamos al cine.오늘 수업 사보리하고 영화 보러 가자.
- バイトサボりたい気分だけど、さすがにまずいか。 好想翘兼职啊，不过实在是不太好吧。Me apetece escaquearme del curro, pero igual me paso.바이토 빠지고 싶은 기분인데, 그래도 좀 그렇지.
- 掃除当番サボるやつ、毎回同じ人なんだよね。 逃打扫值日的人每次都是同一个人。El que se escaquea de la limpieza es siempre el mismo.청소 당번 빠지는 사람, 매번 같은 사람이야.
Pronunciación
/sa.bo.ɾu/
Guía de uso
Contexto: student life, work, daily conversation
Tono: casual, slightly guilty
✓ Correcto
- 今日の会議サボりたい。 (I want to skip today's meeting.)好想翘今天的会议。（真想翘掉今天的会。）Quiero escaquearme de la reunión de hoy.오늘 회의 사보리하고 싶어. (오늘 회의 빠지고 싶어.)
- またサボってるの？ (Are you slacking off again?)你又在偷懒？（你又在摸鱼？）¿Otra vez escaqueándote?또 사보리해? (또 땡땡이치는 거야?)
✗ Incorrecto
- 上司に「サボってました」とは言えない (Don't tell your boss you were 'sabotting' — too blunt and self-incriminating)不能对上司说'サボってました'（别跟上司说'我翘班了'——太直白而且等于自己认错）No le digas a tu jefe que estabas 'saboteando': es demasiado directo y te delata상사에게 'サボってました'라고 말할 수 없다 (상사에게 '땡땡이치고 있었습니다'라고 하면 안 된다 — 너무 직접적이고 자충수이다)
Errores comunes
- Not knowing サボる comes from French 'sabotage' — it is one of the few French-origin words in everyday Japanese
- Thinking サボる implies malicious intent — it simply means skipping or being lazy, not sabotage
Origen e historia
From French 'sabotage' (via English) → サボタージュ (sabotāju) → サボ + Japanese verb suffix る. Adopted in the early 20th century during the labour movement era, originally referring to work slowdowns, but evolved to mean simply skipping or slacking off.
Contexto cultural
Era: Early 20th century origin, universally used since postwar era
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. One of the oldest foreign-origin verb formations in modern Japanese.
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