揃う vs 揃える
JLPT N2 vocabulary · what is the difference?
揃う is what things do by themselves — a set becomes complete, everyone shows up — and takes が. 揃える is what you do to things: you gather the full set, or line them up evenly, and it takes を. If a person is doing it on purpose, use 揃える.
When to use each
揃う
そろう
The thing that becomes complete is the subject with が. Use it when the full set is now there, or when all the people have turned up. Very often in the ～ている form, describing the resulting state.
メンバーが全員揃いました。
めんばーがぜんいんそろいました。
All the members are here now.
サイズが揃っていないので、売れません。
さいずがそろっていないので、うれません。
We can't sell them because the sizes don't match up.
揃える
そろえる
Someone acts on the things, marked with を. Two jobs: gathering a complete set (道具を揃える), and making things even or aligned (靴を揃える, 髪の長さを揃える).
面接に必要な書類を揃えました。
めんせつにひつようなしょるいをそろえました。
I got together all the documents I need for the interview.
玄関で靴を揃えてください。
げんかんでくつをそろえてください。
Please line your shoes up neatly at the entrance.
Sentences where only one works
道具が揃いました。
どうぐがそろいました。
The tools are all here.
The speaker reports the state of the set. Nobody is credited with the work, so 揃う with が.
道具を揃えました。
どうぐをそろえました。
I got all the tools together.
Same set, but now the speaker went out and assembled it. An actor plus を forces 揃える.
みんなで声を揃えて歌いましょう。
みんなでこえをそろえてうたいましょう。
Let's all sing in unison.
声を揃える is fixed with を: the singers deliberately match their voices. 声が揃う exists, but it describes the result rather than the instruction.
全員揃ってから出発します。
ぜんいんそろってからしゅっぱつします。
We'll leave once everyone is here.
People arriving of their own accord is 揃う. 全員を揃える would sound like lining bodies up.
Common mistakes
書類を揃いました。
書類を揃えました。／書類が揃いました。
揃う cannot take を. Pick the form that matches the particle: を with 揃えました if you did it, が with 揃いました if you are just reporting that the set is complete.
靴を揃った。
靴を揃えた。
Straightening shoes is a deliberate act on the shoes, so it is always 揃える.
Frequently asked questions
Does 揃う only mean 'to be complete'?
It also covers matching or being even — サイズが揃う means the sizes all match. The common thread is that a group has become uniform or full without anyone being named as the doer.
Is 揃える the same as 集める?
Close but not identical. 集める is just gathering things; 揃える implies gathering everything that was needed, or making the items even. 切手を集める is a hobby, while 切手を揃える sounds like completing a set.
Why is 揃っている so common?
Because the useful information is usually the current state — whether the set is complete right now. 揃った alone can sound like a one-off event, so ～ている is the everyday choice.