“Sad” in Japanese is 悲しい (かなしい), pronounced kanashii.
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
Sad. For someone else’s sadness, Japanese prefers 悲しそう, “seems sad”.
Example sentences
- 悲しい映画を見ました。かなしいえいがをみました。I watched a sad film.
- 友達が帰って、悲しいです。ともだちがかえって、かなしいです。I’m sad my friend went home.
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 悲しい. The rules are explained in い- vs. な-adjectives.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Plain | 悲しい かなしい | sad |
| Polite present | 悲しいです かなしいです | is sad |
| Negative | 悲しくないです かなしくないです | isn’t sad |
| Past | 悲しかったです かなしかったです | was sad |
| Past negative | 悲しくなかったです かなしくなかったです | wasn’t sad |
| て-form | 悲しくて かなしくて | sad and… |
| Adverb (く) | 悲しく かなしく | adverb form (+ verb) |
Quick practice
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Which word means “beautiful”?
Related words: Adjectives
FAQ
How do you say sad in Japanese?
Sad in Japanese is 悲しい (かなしい), pronounced “kanashii”.
How do you write sad in Japanese?
It's written 悲しい with kanji, or かなしい in hiragana. Both are read kanashii.
Is 悲しい on the JLPT?
Yes. 悲しい (kanashii) is a common word at JLPT N4 level, so it's worth learning early.