“Cold (weather)” in Japanese is 寒い (さむい), pronounced samui.
Pronunciation
The word has 3 beats (morae), each about the same length. Tap a syllable to hear it, or play the whole word:
How to use it
Cold weather or feeling cold. Cold things are 冷たい.
Example sentences
- 今日は寒いです。きょうはさむいです。It’s cold today.
- 冬の北海道は寒いです。ふゆのほっかいどうはさむいです。Hokkaido is cold in winter.
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 寒い. The rules are explained in い- vs. な-adjectives.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Plain | 寒い さむい | cold (weather) |
| Polite present | 寒いです さむいです | is cold (weather) |
| Negative | 寒くないです さむくないです | isn’t cold (weather) |
| Past | 寒かったです さむかったです | was cold (weather) |
| Past negative | 寒くなかったです さむくなかったです | wasn’t cold (weather) |
| て-form | 寒くて さむくて | cold (weather) and… |
| Adverb (く) | 寒く さむく | adverb form (+ verb) |
Quick practice
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Related words: Adjectives
FAQ
How do you say cold (weather) in Japanese?
Cold (weather) in Japanese is 寒い (さむい), pronounced “samui”.
How do you write cold (weather) in Japanese?
It's written 寒い with kanji, or さむい in hiragana. Both are read samui.
Is 寒い on the JLPT?
Yes. 寒い (samui) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.