伝える
tsutaeru
Definition
To tell or pass on information, feelings, or a message to someone else.
Example
大切なことを家族に伝えてください。
Show translation
Please tell your family the important thing.
Etymology
From 伝 (tsuta-, "to pass along, to transmit") + える (eru, the ichidan verb suffix). The kanji 伝 combines 人 (person) and 専 (dedicated/exclusive), evoking the image of a person fully devoted to passing something on. The word has been in use since classical Japanese, where it described the relay of imperial edicts and oral traditions down the generations.
Cultural note
In Japanese communication culture, *tsutaeru* carries a nuance of deliberate, careful transmission — not just blurting something out, but making sure the message truly reaches the other person. When leaving a message via a third party (e.g., on the phone), the phrase 「よろしくお伝えください」(yoroshiku otsutae kudasai — "please pass on my regards") is an essential polite formula. Don't confuse 伝える (tsutaeru, "to convey/tell") with 伝わる (tsutawaru, "to be conveyed/understood"), which is its intransitive pair.