“Young” in Japanese is 若い (わかい), pronounced wakai.
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
Young, for people and animals.
Example sentences
- 先生は若いです。せんせいはわかいです。The teacher is young.
- 若いときに日本に住んでいました。わかいときににほんにすんでいました。I lived in Japan when I was young.
Conjugation
The most useful forms of 若い. The rules are explained in い- vs. な-adjectives.
| Form | Japanese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Plain | 若い わかい | young |
| Polite present | 若いです わかいです | is young |
| Negative | 若くないです わかくないです | isn’t young |
| Past | 若かったです わかかったです | was young |
| Past negative | 若くなかったです わかくなかったです | wasn’t young |
| て-form | 若くて わかくて | young and… |
| Adverb (く) | 若く わかく | adverb form (+ verb) |
Quick practice
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Related words: Adjectives
FAQ
How do you say young in Japanese?
Young in Japanese is 若い (わかい), pronounced “wakai”.
How do you write young in Japanese?
It's written 若い with kanji, or わかい in hiragana. Both are read wakai.
Is 若い on the JLPT?
Yes. 若い (wakai) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.