ちゃら ／チャラ ( = chara) (Mini Lesson )

一年間の家賃、これでチャラにして下さい。

= Ichinenkan no yachin kore de chara ni shite kudasai.

= Let me give you this to cover this year’s rent and we’ll call it square.

I will teach you a fun conversational word today.

It’s ちゃら/ チャラ  ( = chara).  You can write it with hiragana or katakana.

It is a colloquial expression but older people use it as well.

The verb form is ちゃら / チャラにする ( = chara ni suru). It means to call it even, to make it even between

In other words we say

• 差し引きゼロにする

= sashihiki zero ni suru

= to make the balance zero

or

• 貸し借りなしにする

= kashikari nashi ni suru

= to call it square

•to borrow

借りる=　kariru

• to lend / to rent

貸す = kasu

• 損得なしにする

= sontoku nashi ni suru

= to make it breakeven

So when you owe someone money, you try to pay them back with something equivalent to what you owe saying

Ex. これでちゃらにして下さい。

= Korede chara ni shite kudasai.

= Please call it square with this.

You can just say,

Ex. これでチャラね！(even more casual)

= Kore de chara ne!

= Now we are even!

Ex. 「はい、この間、借りた１００円。これでちゃらね。」

= Hai, kono aida karita hyakuen. Korede chara ne.

= Here’s 100 yen that I borrowed from you the other day. Now let’s call it square! / I don’t owe you anything.

Ex.「今、お金ないからこの映画のチケットでちゃらにしてくれる？」

= Ima okane nai kara kono eiga no chikettto de chara ni shite kureru?

= I don’t have any money now so can I give you this movie ticket instead?

Ex. 「いいよ、じゃあちゃらにしておく。」

= IIyo, jaa chara ni shite oku.

= OK, then you don’t owe me anything now. (I will call it even with this.)

After doing something for someone,

Ex. この間助けてもらったからこれでちゃらにしてやるよ。（male talk)

= Kono aida tasukete moratta kara kore de chara ni shite kure.

= Since you helped me  the other day, it (=what I do for you now)makes even.  /Now we don’t owe each other anything.

Note : Of course, this is  a very casual word so you won’t be able to use it in business situations. I can guarantee you will be fired if you use it.

マギー先生より = Maggie sensei yori = From Maggie Sensei

これでチャラにできなければ私の大切なおもちゃも付けます。

= Kore de chara ni dekinakereba watashi no taisetsu na omocha mo tsukemasu.

= If that’s not enough for you to call even then I will add my favorite toy, too.

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