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Grammar detail: verb + かける

verb + かける  start doing
141 words
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verb stem
+
かける
means
start doing ~
The かける form of a verb typically implies that something is left half done, not finished - in contrast to the 〜はじめる and 〜だす forms, which are focused on the act of getting started.
ふろ
風呂
はい
りかけた
とき
でんわ
電話
った

I had just got into the bath when the phone rang.
The かける form can also be used as an adjective - the stem かけ is followed by の:
べかけ
しょくじ
食事
テーブル
うえ
いてあった

The half-finished food was left out on the table.
The かける form is based on the verb 掛ける, but in modern Japanese it is more common to use kana.
かける can also be added to various verbs to imply the idea of 'setting out to do' or 'taking on the challenge of' etc, which can create a more forceful effect. For example, 話しかける means 'talk to', but implies that someone is 'setting out to talk' (to someone) or 'launching into a conversation' with etc.
えいこくじん
英国人
れっしゃ
列車
なか
みし
見知
らぬ
ひと
はな
しかける
ことめったにない
Englishmen rarely talk to strangers in the train.
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Kanji used in this grammar

hanging   かかる to be hanging, to cost, to take   かける to hang up, to spend, to multiply   -がかり person in charge   
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ワ   はな to talk   はなし talking   
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フ   フウ   かぜ wind   かざ-    
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リョ   ロ    spine   
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ニュウ   い to enter   はい to enter   いれる to put in   
デン    electricity   
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メイ   な to chirp, to twitter   な to sound, to ring   ならす to make ring   
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ショク   ジキ    food   たべる to eat   く to eat   
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ジ   ズ   こと thing; matter   
ジョウ   ショウ   うえ above   うわ- above   あげる to raise   あがる to rise   かみ first half, upper part   のぼ to climb   のぼせる to bring up, to raise   のぼ to bring up   
チ   お to put   
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エイ    England; hero; flower   
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コク   くに country   
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ジン   ニン   ひと person   
レツ    row   
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シャ   くるま car   
チュウ   ジュウ   なか middle   
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ケン   み to see   みえる to be seen; to appear   みせる to show   
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チ   し to know   
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