“Scary” in Japanese is 怖い (こわい), pronounced kowai.
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
Scary, and also scared: 怖い describes both the thing and how you feel.
Example sentences
- この映画は怖いです。このえいがはこわいです。This film is scary.
- 犬が怖いです。いぬがこわいです。I’m scared of dogs.
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 怖い. The rules are explained in い- vs. な-adjectives.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Plain | 怖い こわい | scary |
| Polite present | 怖いです こわいです | is scary |
| Negative | 怖くないです こわくないです | isn’t scary |
| Past | 怖かったです こわかったです | was scary |
| Past negative | 怖くなかったです こわくなかったです | wasn’t scary |
| て-form | 怖くて こわくて | scary and… |
| Adverb (く) | 怖く こわく | adverb form (+ verb) |
Quick practice
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What does {{怖い}} mean?
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Which word means “white”?
Related words: Adjectives
FAQ
How do you say scary in Japanese?
Scary in Japanese is 怖い (こわい), pronounced “kowai”.
How do you write scary in Japanese?
It's written 怖い with kanji, or こわい in hiragana. Both are read kowai.