並べる

• Reading: ならべる
• Romaji: naraberu
• Kanji breakdown: 並 (hei/nara) — line up, parallel; two people standing side by side
• Pronunciation: /na.ɾa.be.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To line up; to set up; to arrange things in a row or orderly fashion.

A Group 2 (ichidan) transitive verb. The agent actively arranges objects in a line or order. Forms a pair with the intransitive 並ぶ (narabu). Common uses: お皿を並べる (set out plates), 商品を並べる (display products), 言葉を並べる (string words together).

Examples

1. テーブルにお皿を並べてください。 Please set the plates on the table.
2. 靴をきれいに並べました。 I lined up the shoes neatly.
3. 商品を棚に並べる仕事です。 My job is to arrange products on the shelves.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, cooking, retail

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Uses the same kanji 並 as 並ぶ. The べる ending marks it as the transitive ichidan form, giving the speaker the role of actively arranging things into order.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal