ナイスゲーム
naisu gēmu
In Japanese, "good game" is said as ナイスゲーム (naisu gēmu).
The phrase is used to show sportsmanship and praise the quality of a match after it has ended. As a loanword from English, ナイスゲーム is primarily used in casual settings, such as amateur sports or video gaming, rather than in formal professional commentary.
Which one should you use?
While ナイスゲーム is a direct loanword for "good game", Japanese speakers in many sports contexts are more likely to use ナイスプレー (nice play) to praise an overall performance or a specific good move. For more formal situations, you may use 素晴らしい試合でした to express appreciation for a great game or ご立派な試合でした to convey admiration for a respectable and well-played game.
How do you pronounce it?
naisu gēmu
Did you know?
- Japanese fans often use the word 熱い (atsui), meaning 'hot', to describe a 'good game' that was emotionally intense or passionate.
- While 'good game' is a common sentiment in English, a Japanese player might use the phrase お疲れ様でした (otsukaresama deshita) to acknowledge the match, focusing on the shared effort rather than the quality of the game itself.
- In highly competitive Japanese sports, the concept of a 'good game' is often implicitly expressed through a deep bow rather than a spoken phrase, making the gesture as important as the words.
Examples in context
- 今日はナイスゲームでした。Kyō wa naisu gēmu deshita.It was a good game today.
- 本当にナイスゲームだったね。Hontō ni naisu gēmu datta ne.That was truly a good game, wasn't it?
- お互いにナイスゲーム！Otagai ni naisu gēmu!Good game to both of us!
Example conversation
Hana and Kenta have just finished a competitive tennis match.
- 陽葵 Himari健太くん、ナイスゲーム！Kenta-kun, naisu gēmu!Good game, Kenta!
- 健太 Kenta陽葵ちゃんこそ、ナイスゲームだったよ。Hana-chan koso, naisu gēmu datta yo.You too, Hana, it was a great game.
- 陽葵 Himari最後の一打は本当にすごかったね。Saigo no hitto wa hontō ni sugokatta ne.That last shot was really amazing.
- 健太 Kentaありがとう。また次もお願いね。Arigatō. Mata tsugi mo onegai ne.Thanks. Let's play again next time.
