暇です
hima desu
The Japanese phrase for "I am free" is 暇です (hima desu).
暇です is used to express that you have no plans and have spare time. While it translates to "I am free," be aware that it focuses on your lack of occupation.
What does it mean word for word?
The core of the phrase is 暇, which literally means spare time, leisure or free time.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To make the phrase informal, you can replace です with だ to say 暇だ.
How do you pronounce it?
hima desu
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use "free" to mean "available" (such as "Are you free to talk?"). However, in Japanese, 暇 can carry a nuance of being bored or having nothing better to do, so use it carefully when discussing availability.
Did you know?
- In Japanese, if you want to say you are 'free' as in 'not imprisoned' or 'unconstrained', you would use 自由, not 暇.
- While 暇 means free time, the word is also used in a different context to mean 'slow' for a business, such as a restaurant with no customers.
- In some contexts, calling someone 暇人 (himajin) is a way to call them a 'slacker' or someone who has too much time on their hands. It turns the concept of being 'free' into a derogatory label for someone without a job or purpose.
Examples in context
- 今晩６時まで暇です。I am free till 6 o'clock this evening.This sentence is useful for expressing your availability until a specific time of day using 暇です.Tatoeba #171276 by bunbuku, translation #243200 by CK
- 明日の午後は暇です。Ashita no gogo wa hima desu.I am free tomorrow afternoon.
- 今日は一日中暇です。Kyou wa ichinichijuu hima desu.I am free all day today.
Example conversation
Ren asks Himari if she wants to go to a cafe.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さん、今暇ですか？Ren-san, ima hima desu ka?Ren, are you free now?
- 蓮 Renはい、今は暇です。Hai, ima wa hima desu.Yes, I am free now.
- 陽葵 Himariカフェに行きませんか？Kafe ni ikimasen ka?Would you like to go to a cafe?
- 蓮 Renいいですね、行きましょう！Ii desu ne, ikimashou!That sounds good, let's go!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
