暇ですか？
hima desu ka?
In Japanese, "are you free?" is expressed as 暇ですか？ (hima desu ka?)
This phrase is used to ask if someone has spare time or is not busy. Note that calling someone 暇 directly can sometimes imply they are lazy or have nothing better to do, so use it carefully.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 暇 (hima) literally means spare time, leisure or freedom from work.
Which one should you use?
While 暇ですか？ asks if someone has leisure time, 空いていますか？ is a more professional way to ask if someone is available or has an opening in their schedule.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standard form is 暇ですか？ For a very casual way to ask friends if they are free, you can drop the desu ka and use just 暇？ In formal situations, you should use すみません、お時間はありますか？ to mean "Excuse me, do you have any free time?"
How do you pronounce it?
hima desu ka?
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use 暇ですか？ to mean "Are you busy?" It specifically asks if the person is idle.
Did you know?
- The Japanese word for 'killing time' is 暇つぶし, which literally means 'crushing' or 'smashing' the spare time denoted by 暇.
- A business owner can describe their entire shop as 暇 if there are no customers, meaning the business itself is 'idle'.
- To ask if a seat is 'free' in a cafe, you would not use the word for leisure, 暇, but instead use the verb 空く (aku). This describes the seat as being 'empty' rather than 'idle'.
Examples in context
- 今、暇ですか？ima, hima desu ka?Are you free now?
- 日曜日は暇ですか？nichiyoubi wa hima desu ka?Are you free on Sunday?
- 午後は暇ですか？gogo wa hima desu ka?Are you free in the afternoon?
Example conversation
Yui asks Ren if he is free to go for a coffee.
- 結衣 Yui蓮くん、今、暇ですか？Ren-kun, ima, hima desu ka?Ren, are you free now?
- 蓮 Renはい、暇ですよ。Hai, hima desu yo.Yes, I am free.
- 結衣 Yuiコーヒーでも飲みに行きませんか？Koohii demo nomi ni ikimasen ka?Would you like to go grab a coffee?
- 蓮 Renいいですね、行きましょう！Ii desu ne, ikimashou!That sounds good, let's go!
