けがはないですか？
kega wa nai desu ka?
In Japanese, "are you hurt?" is expressed as けがはないですか？ (kega wa nai desu ka?)
This phrase is the standard way to check on someone's physical well-being after an accident or a fall. It is used to ask if a person has suffered a physical injury.
What does it mean word for word?
The word けが (kega) means an injury or wound.
Which one should you use?
While けがはないですか？ asks if an injury exists (is there any injury?), the phrase けがをしましたか？ focuses on the action of sustaining an injury (did you get injured?).
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual settings, you can drop the desu ka and use a rising intonation to say けがはない？
How do you pronounce it?
kega wa nai desu ka?
Did you know?
- In Japan, it is common to respond to けがはないですか？ with だいじょうぶです ('I am okay') even if you are actually hurt, to avoid causing the other person to feel guilty or distressed.
- While けが refers to physical injuries, Japanese uses the word いたい ('it hurts') as a reflexive exclamation that can be shouted by both the person injured and a witness who feels sympathetic pain.
- The word けが is written with the kanji 怪我, where the first character 怪 can also mean 'strange' or 'mysterious' and the second 我 means 'self'.
Examples in context
- 大丈夫ですか？Are you okay?
- けがをされていますか？Have you been injured?
- 大丈夫ですか。痛みはありますか？Are you okay? Do you feel any pain?
- けがしてる？Are you injured?
- 大丈夫？ 痛くない？Are you okay? Does it hurt?
- けがはないですか？kega wa nai desu ka?Are you hurt?
- 転びましたが、けがはないですか？korobimashita ga, kega wa nai desu ka?You fell down, are you hurt?
- 大きな事故でしたが、けがはないですか？ookina jiko deshita ga, kega wa nai desu ka?It was a big accident, are you hurt?
Example conversation
A man tripped on the stairs and a woman helps him.
- 陽葵 Himari大丈夫ですか？けがはないですか？daijoubu desu ka? kega wa nai desu ka?Are you okay? Are you hurt?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、けがはないです。ありがとうございます。hai, kega wa nai desu. arigatou gozaimasu.Yes, I am not hurt. Thank you.
- 陽葵 Himariよかったです。無理をしないでくださいね。yokatta desu. muri o shinai de kudasai ne.I'm glad. Please don't overdo it.
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、気をつけます。hai, ki o tsukemasu.Yes, I will be careful.
