- Happy うれしい, sad かなしい, fun たのしい, scary こわい, lonely さびしい.
- Angry is a verb: おこっています (is angry).
- Feeling adjectives describe your own feelings. For others, add そう (seems): うれしそう.
- Feeling is きもち: きもちいい = feels good.
Core feelings
- うれしいureshiihappy, glad
- たのしいtanoshiifun, enjoyable
- しあわせshiawasehappy (deep happiness), blessed
- かなしいkanashiisad
- さびしいsabishiilonely
- こわいkowaiscary, scared
- はずかしいhazukashiiembarrassed, shy
- くやしいkuyashiifrustrated (after losing)
- しんぱいshinpaiworried
- つかれたtsukaretatired
- びっくりしたbikkuri shitasurprised
- おこっていますokotte imasu(is) angry
Your feelings vs. other people’s
In Japanese, you can’t directly know what someone else feels. So feeling adjectives like うれしい describe your own feelings. For others, add そう (seems) to the stem:
| You | Others | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| うれしいです | うれしそうです | I’m happy / (she) seems happy |
| かなしいです | かなしそうです | I’m sad / (he) seems sad |
| さびしいです | さびしそうです | I’m lonely / (they) seem lonely |
Useful sentences
- あえてうれしいですaete ureshii desuI’m happy to see you.
- たのしかったですtanoshikatta desuIt was fun.
- ちょっとつかれましたchotto tsukaremashitaI’m a bit tired.
- しんぱいしないでshinpai shinaideDon’t worry.
- なつかしい！natsukashii!That brings back memories!
- きもちいいkimochi iiFeels good! (e.g. a hot bath)
Feelings as sounds
Japanese often expresses feelings with sound words: ドキドキ (heart pounding with nerves or love), ワクワク (excited), イライラ (irritated), ほっと (relieved). See Japanese onomatopoeia.
Asking how someone feels
- どうしたの？dō shita no?What’s wrong? (casual)
- だいじょうぶ？daijōbu?Are you okay?
- なにかあったんですかnanika atta n desu kaDid something happen?
- げんきないねgenki nai neYou seem down.
Japanese often expresses concern gently and indirectly. Instead of asking how do you feel?, people notice and comment: つかれてるみたいだね, you look tired. It shows care without putting the other person on the spot.
Feelings as verbs
Some emotions are verbs rather than adjectives. They usually appear in the て-form + いる to describe a current state:
| Verb | Current state | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| おこる | おこっています | is angry |
| つかれる | つかれています | is tired |
| こまる | こまっています | is in trouble, at a loss |
| おどろく | おどろきました | was surprised |
| きんちょうする | きんちょうしています | is nervous |
- ちょっとこまっていますchotto komatte imasuI’m in a bit of trouble.
- すごくきんちょうしていますsugoku kinchō shite imasuI’m really nervous.
Showing feelings in Japan
Japanese culture often values reading the atmosphere (くうきをよむ, reading the air) over stating feelings openly. Strong emotions are expressed more in private than in public, and many feelings are communicated through tone, gestures or small comments. As a learner, simple sentences like たのしかったです or うれしいです are always welcome: people appreciate hearing them.
“I’m happy.”
Your friend looks sad. You say:
さびしい means:
Frequently asked questions
How do you say happy in Japanese?
Happy or glad is うれしい (ureshii). Deep happiness is 幸せ (shiawase), and fun is 楽しい (tanoshii).
How do you say sad in Japanese?
Sad is 悲しい (kanashii). Lonely is 寂しい (sabishii).
How do you talk about other people's feelings in Japanese?
Add そう to the adjective stem to mean 'seems': うれしそう (seems happy), かなしそう (seems sad). Plain feeling adjectives usually describe your own feelings.
How do you say I'm tired in Japanese?
Say 疲れました (tsukaremashita) or 疲れています (tsukarete imasu). Casually: 疲れた (tsukareta).
How do you say I'm angry in Japanese?
Anger is usually expressed with the verb 怒る (okoru): 怒っています (okotte imasu) means 'I'm angry' or 'he/she is angry'.