眠い？
nemui?
The phrase "are you sleepy?" in Japanese is 眠い？ (nemui?)
The phrase is used to ask someone if they feel the need to sleep.
Which one should you use?
The short form 眠い？ is used for casual questions, while the more formal version is 眠いですか？
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
眠い？ is an informal expression used in casual settings with friends or family. For a polite version, use 眠いですか？
How does it change in a sentence?
The core word 眠い is an i-adjective, which means it can be used directly to describe a state.
How do you pronounce it?
nemui?
Did you know?
- If you are asking a superior if they are sleepy, asking 眠いですか？ can actually sound slightly rude or too direct. In those cases, it is better to ask if they are 'tired' using お疲れですか？
- If you want to ask if someone is sleepy in a very polite or business-like way, you might use the honorific verb お休みになりたいですか？ This shifts the focus from the sensation of sleepiness to the desire for rest.
- While English speakers might ask 'Are you sleepy?' when someone yawns, a Japanese person might respond to a yawn by saying 眠いんですか？ with the particle んです to show they are seeking an explanation for the behavior.
Examples in context
- 眠い？nemui?Are you sleepy?
- すごく眠い？sugoku nemui?Are you very sleepy?
- まだ眠い？mada nemui?Are you still sleepy?
Example conversation
Late at night in a living room while watching a movie.
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲、眠い？Misaki, nemui?Misaki, are you sleepy?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、ちょっと眠い。Un, chotto nemui.Yeah, I'm a little sleepy.
- 大翔 Hirotoじゃあ、もう寝る？Jaa, mou neru?Then, are you going to bed now?
- 美咲 Misakiそうする。Sou suru.I will.
