“Lively” in Japanese is 賑やか (にぎやか), pronounced nigiyaka.
Pronunciation
The word has 4 beats (morae), each about the same length. Tap a syllable to hear it, or play the whole word:
How to use it
Lively, busy or bustling, usually in a positive sense.
Example sentences
- 渋谷は賑やかです。しぶやはにぎやかです。Shibuya is lively.
- 賑やかなお祭りでした。にぎやかなおまつりでした。It was a lively festival.
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 賑やか. The rules are explained in い- vs. な-adjectives.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Before a noun | 賑やかな〜 にぎやかな〜 | lively (thing) |
| Polite present | 賑やかです にぎやかです | is lively |
| Negative | 賑やかじゃないです にぎやかじゃないです | isn’t lively |
| Past | 賑やかでした にぎやかでした | was lively |
| Past negative | 賑やかじゃなかったです にぎやかじゃなかったです | wasn’t lively |
| Adverb (に) | 賑やかに にぎやかに | adverb form (+ verb) |
Quick practice
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Related words: Adjectives
FAQ
How do you say lively in Japanese?
Lively in Japanese is 賑やか (にぎやか), pronounced “nigiyaka”.
How do you write lively in Japanese?
It's written 賑やか with kanji, or にぎやか in hiragana. Both are read nigiyaka.
Is 賑やか on the JLPT?
Yes. 賑やか (nigiyaka) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.