直（なお）す (naosu)
～直す — do ～ over again
Pattern
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動詞ます形（語幹）＋直すverb stem + 直す: redo (書く → 書き直す)
Meaning and formation
直す on its own means “to correct.” Added to the stem of a verb, it forms compound verbs meaning to redo the action, such as 書き直す, 言い直す and 考え直す.
When to use it
Use it to fix a mistake, to make something better, or to reconsider. 考え直す means to rethink and reach a new decision. Compared with simply saying “do it once more,” 直す carries the feeling of wanting to improve on the first time.
Examples
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間違（まちが）えたので、書（か）き直（なお）しました。
Machigaeta node, kakinaoshimashita.
I made a mistake, so I rewrote it.
書く → 書き直す.
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発音（はつおん）が悪（わる）かったので、もう一度（いちど）言（い）い直（なお）した。
Hatsuon ga warukatta node, mō ichido iinaoshita.
My pronunciation was bad, so I said it over once more.
言う → 言い直す: to say it again correctly.
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計画（けいかく）を最初（さいしょ）から考（かんが）え直（なお）すことにした。
Keikaku o saisho kara kangaenaosu koto ni shita.
I decided to rethink the plan from the very start.
考える → 考え直す: to reconsider.
Common mistakes
- Attach it to the verb stem: 書き直す, not 書いて直す.
- Do not confuse it with 治す (cure an illness). The suffix 〜直す means redoing.
More grammar points
- 上（あ）げる ～上げる — to finish ～ completely
- 合（あ）う ～合う — do ～ to each other; to fit, to suit
- だらけ ～だらけ — covered in ～, full of ～ (something bad)
- がち ～がち — tends to ～ (usually undesirable)
- がたい ～がたい — hard to ～
- 気味（ぎみ） ～気味 — a touch of ～
- かける ～かける — half-done, in the middle of ～
- 切（き）れない ～切れない — cannot finish, cannot fully ～
- 切（き）る ～切る — do ～ completely, to the end
- 込（こ）む ～込む — into, crowded, deeply ～
- 向（む）け ～向け — intended for ～, aimed at ～
- 向（む）き ～向き — suited to ～, facing ～
- っぱなし ～っぱなし — leaving ～ as it is
- っぽい ～っぽい — ～-ish / tends to be ～
- たて ～たて — “freshly ～ed / just done”
- 的（てき） ～的 — “-like / -al” (makes an adjective)
- 通（とお）す ～通す — “do ～ all the way through”
- あまり あまりの～に — so ～ that ～
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