励ます
hagemasu[ha̠ɡe̞ma̠sɨ]
The English phrase "cheer up" can be translated into Japanese using several forms, most commonly 励ます (hagemasu). Wiktionary also lists 元気づける (genki-dzukeru).
Meaning: to make someone happy (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 励ます | hagemasu | [ha̠ɡe̞ma̠sɨ] (narrow) |
| 元気づける | genki-dzukeru |
Use 元気出して！ as a colloquial way to tell a friend to pull themselves together when they are feeling down.
Which one should you use?
励ます focuses more on providing verbal encouragement or moral support to someone facing a challenge. In contrast, 元気づける focuses on restoring someone's spirits or energy.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both 励ます and 元気づける are transitive verbs, meaning they are used when you are the one performing the action of cheering someone else up. For 励ます, you use the particle を (wo) to indicate the person you are encouraging, such as in the phrase 友達を励ます (to cheer up a friend).
How do you pronounce it?
hagemasu
Did you know?
- To suggest someone be more positive, Japanese uses 前向きに, which literally means 'facing forward' and treats positivity as a physical direction.
- The kanji for 元気 (genki) combines 'origin' and 'spirit', implying that cheering someone up is about helping them return to their original self.
- In Japanese culture, 'cheering someone up' often involves acknowledging their struggle first, whereas the English 'cheer up' can sometimes feel dismissive of the sadness itself.
Examples in context
- 落ち込んでいる友達を励ます。Ochikonde iru tomodachi o hagemasu.To cheer up a depressed friend.
- 彼女を励ます言葉を探しています。Kanojo o hagemasu kotoba o sagashite imasu.I am looking for words to cheer her up.
Example conversation
Misaki sees Hiroto looking sad at school.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔くん、どうしたの？Hiroto-kun, dō shita no?Hiroto, what's wrong?
- 大翔 Hirotoテストの結果が悪かったんだ。Tesuto no kekka ga warukatta nda.I got a bad result on the test.
- 美咲 Misaki私が大翔くんを励ますよ！Watashi ga Hiroto-kun o hagemasu yo!I'll cheer you up!
- 大翔 Hirotoありがとう、美咲ちゃん。Arigatō, Misaki-chan.Thanks, Misaki.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheer up” translations and entries 励ます, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
