“Quiet” in Japanese is 静か (しずか), pronounced shizuka.
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
Quiet or calm. A な-adjective: 静かな町. In libraries you’ll hear 静かにしてください.
Example sentences
- この町は静かです。このまちはしずかです。This town is quiet.
- 静かにしてください。しずかにしてください。Please be quiet.
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 静か. The rules are explained in い- vs. な-adjectives.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Before a noun | 静かな〜 しずかな〜 | quiet (thing) |
| Polite present | 静かです しずかです | is quiet |
| Negative | 静かじゃないです しずかじゃないです | isn’t quiet |
| Past | 静かでした しずかでした | was quiet |
| Past negative | 静かじゃなかったです しずかじゃなかったです | wasn’t quiet |
| Adverb (に) | 静かに しずかに | adverb form (+ verb) |
Quick practice
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What does {{静か}} mean?
How do you read {{静か}}?
Which word means “free (time)”?
Related words: Adjectives
FAQ
How do you say quiet in Japanese?
Quiet in Japanese is 静か (しずか), pronounced “shizuka”.
How do you write quiet in Japanese?
It's written 静か with kanji, or しずか in hiragana. Both are read shizuka.
Is 静か on the JLPT?
Yes. 静か (shizuka) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.