よく眠れましたか？
yoku nemuremashita ka?
The English phrase "how was your sleep?" is translated into Japanese as よく眠れましたか？ (yoku nemuremashita ka?)
This phrase is used as a polite way to check on someone's well-being after they have rested.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form よく眠れましたか？ is polite and suitable for use with acquaintances, superiors or people you are not close to. In casual settings with friends or family, you can drop the polite endings to say よく眠れた？
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle か at the end of the sentence turns the statement into a question.
How do you pronounce it?
yoku nemuremashita ka?
When do people say it?
When someone asks if you slept well, a standard positive response is はい、よく眠れました。 (Yes, I slept well). If you had a poor night's sleep, you can respond with いいえ、あまり眠れませんでした。 (No, I couldn't sleep much).
Did you know?
- Japanese has a specific word 寝相 (ne-sou) to describe the 'sleeping posture' or the way a person moves in their sleep, a concept English lacks a single word for.
- In Japanese culture, a very common way to express that you slept well is to say ぐっすり眠れました (gussuri nemuremashita), where ぐっすり is an onomatopoeic word representing a deep, sound sleep.
- It is a cultural norm in Japan to attribute a poor night's sleep to the weather or temperature, such as saying it was 'too hot', rather than just saying you slept poorly.
Examples in context
- 昨日はよく眠れましたか？Kinou wa yoku nemuremashita ka?Did you sleep well yesterday?
Example conversation
At a hotel breakfast table, a woman asks a man about his rest.
- 陽葵 Himari健太さんはよく眠れましたか？Kenta-san wa yoku nemuremashita ka?Kenta, did you sleep well?
- 健太 Kentaはい、よく眠れました。Hai, yoku nemuremashita.Yes, I slept well.
- 陽葵 Himariそれはよかったです。Sore wa yokatta desu.That is good to hear.
- 健太 Kenta陽葵さんも、よく眠れましたか？Himari-san mo, yoku nemuremashita ka?Did you sleep well too, Himari?
