“New” in Japanese is 新しい (あたらしい), pronounced atarashii.
Pronunciation
The word has 5 beats (morae), each about the same length. Tap a syllable to hear it, or play the whole word:
How to use it
New. For people, “young” is 若い, not 新しい.
Example sentences
- 新しい車を買いました。あたらしいくるまをかいました。I bought a new car.
- このスマホは新しいです。このスマホはあたらしいです。This smartphone is new.
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 新しい. The rules are explained in い- vs. な-adjectives.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Plain | 新しい あたらしい | new |
| Polite present | 新しいです あたらしいです | is new |
| Negative | 新しくないです あたらしくないです | isn’t new |
| Past | 新しかったです あたらしかったです | was new |
| Past negative | 新しくなかったです あたらしくなかったです | wasn’t new |
| て-form | 新しくて あたらしくて | new and… |
| Adverb (く) | 新しく あたらしく | adverb form (+ verb) |
Quick practice
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Related words: Adjectives
古いoldいいgood悪いbad暑いhot (weather)熱いhot (to the touch)寒いcold (weather)冷たいcold (to the touch)高いexpensive
FAQ
How do you say new in Japanese?
New in Japanese is 新しい (あたらしい), pronounced “atarashii”.
How do you write new in Japanese?
It's written 新しい with kanji, or あたらしい in hiragana. Both are read atarashii.
Is 新しい on the JLPT?
Yes. 新しい (atarashii) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.