一人で
hitori de
The English phrase 'alone' is translated into Japanese as 一人で (hitori de).
一人で is used to describe doing something by oneself or being in a state of being alone. In informal settings, the word ひとり (hitori) is a common and versatile way to express the concept of being alone.
Meaning: by oneself (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 一人で is composed of 一人 (hitori), which means 'one person' and the particle で (de), which indicates the manner or state in which an action is performed.
Which one should you use?
While 一人で is the standard way to express being alone, you may sometimes see the kanji written as 独りで. This specific spelling is used to emphasize a sense of isolation or the feeling of being lonely.
How do you pronounce it?
hitori de
Did you know?
- If you are eating alone in a restaurant, you might be described as ソロ活 (soro-katsu), a modern slang term combining the English 'solo' with the Japanese word for 'activities'.
- In Japan, the concept of eating 一人で is so popular that it has spawned a whole industry of 'solo dining' booths and counters designed to hide the customer from other patrons.
- In Japanese poetry and literature, being 一人で in nature is often framed as 寂しさ (sabishisa), a state of solitude that is considered aesthetically beautiful rather than just sad.
Examples in context
- 一人でいるよ。He is alone.This sentence shows how to use 一人で to describe someone being alone.Tatoeba #190500 by KK_kaku_, translation #293708 by CK
- 一人でいたい。I'd like to be alone.This sentence uses 一人で to express a desire to be alone.Tatoeba #6832822 by tsukimori, translation #1936532 by CK
- 一人で行けよ。Go alone.This sentence uses 一人で as an instruction to go somewhere alone.Tatoeba #10157821 by small_snow, translation #9851049 by AlanF_US
- 一人で行きますI will go alone.
- 一人きりで日本を旅しますI will travel to Japan alone.
- ひとりで行こうLet's go alone.
- ひとりぼっちにしないでDon't leave me alone.
- 私は一人でレストランに行きます。I will go to the restaurant alone.
- 今日はひとりで映画を見に行くよ。I'm going to watch a movie alone today.
- ひとりぼっちにしないで！Don't leave me alone!
- 152 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A woman asks a man if he needs help with his luggage at a train station.
- 陽葵 Himari荷物を持ちましょうか？Nimotsu o mochimashou ka?Shall I carry your luggage?
- 陽太 Yotaいえ、一人で大丈夫です。Ie, hitori de daijoubu desu.No, I am fine by myself.
- 陽葵 Himari本当に一人で行けますか？Hontou ni hitori de ikemasu ka?Can you really go alone?
- 陽太 Yotaはい、一人で行けます。Hai, hitori de ikemasu.Yes, I can go alone.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
