“Painful” in Japanese is 痛い (いたい), pronounced itai.
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
Painful or sore. Also the Japanese “ouch!”: いたい！
Example sentences
- 頭が痛いです。あたまがいたいです。I have a headache.
- どこが痛いですか。どこがいたいですか。Where does it hurt?
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 痛い. The rules are explained in い- vs. な-adjectives.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Plain | 痛い いたい | painful |
| Polite present | 痛いです いたいです | is painful |
| Negative | 痛くないです いたくないです | isn’t painful |
| Past | 痛かったです いたかったです | was painful |
| Past negative | 痛くなかったです いたくなかったです | wasn’t painful |
| て-form | 痛くて いたくて | painful and… |
| Adverb (く) | 痛く いたく | adverb form (+ verb) |
Quick practice
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Related words: Adjectives
FAQ
How do you say painful in Japanese?
Painful in Japanese is 痛い (いたい), pronounced “itai”.
How do you write painful in Japanese?
It's written 痛い with kanji, or いたい in hiragana. Both are read itai.
Is 痛い on the JLPT?
Yes. 痛い (itai) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.