よく眠れましたか？
yoku nemuremashita ka?
The Japanese phrase for "how did you sleep?" is よく眠れましたか？ (yoku nemuremashita ka?)
This phrase is used to ask someone if they had a good night's rest.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "Could you sleep well?", utilizing the potential form of the verb "to sleep".
Which one should you use?
While the English translation asks "how" someone slept, the Japanese phrase focuses on whether the person was able to sleep well through the use of a potential verb form.
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal version of the phrase uses the short past potential form よく眠れた？ instead of the polite よく眠れましたか？
How do you pronounce it?
yoku nemuremashita ka?
When do people say it?
A standard polite way to respond to this question is はい、よく眠れました。 (Yes, I slept well.).
Did you know?
- In many Japanese households, the first communication of the morning isn't よく眠れましたか？ but おはよう (Good morning), which literally means 'you are early'.
- Because Japanese culture often prioritizes harmony and avoiding burdening others, a person might answer はい、よく眠れました even if they had a poor night, to avoid worrying the speaker.
- In Japanese, asking someone if they slept well can function as a subtle way to check on their overall well-being or health. If someone has been ill, this question acts as a gentle, caring inquiry into their physical state.
Examples in context
- 昨夜はよく眠れましたか？Sakunya wa yoku nemuremashita ka?Did you sleep well last night?
- 赤ちゃんはよく眠れましたか？Akachan wa yoku nemuremashita ka?Did the baby sleep well?
Example conversation
Misaki is checking on Hiroto at a hotel in the morning.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔さん、よく眠れましたか？Hiroto-san, yoku nemuremashita ka?Hiroto, did you sleep well?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、よく眠れました。Hai, yoku nemuremashita.Yes, I slept well.
- 美咲 Misakiそれはよかったです。Sore wa yokatta desu.That is good to hear.
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲さんもよく眠れましたか？Misaki-san mo yoku nemuremashita ka?Did you sleep well too, Misaki?
