嫉妬してる
shitto shiteru
The English phrase "I am jealous" can be translated into Japanese as 嫉妬してる (shitto shiteru).
This phrase is used to express that you feel resentment or envy toward someone who has something you want. While 嫉妬してる describes the state of being jealous, the adjective 妬ましい is often used to describe a person or situation that provokes feelings of envy.
Which one should you use?
Use 羨ましい instead of 嫉妬してる if you want to express "I am envious" in a positive or lighthearted way, as 嫉妬してる implies a much heavier, more resentful feeling of jealousy.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a polite or formal setting, use 嫉妬しています. In casual speech, you might see variations such as Urayamashii na, Urayamashii tte, or Urayamashii yo!, which are used among friends to express jealousy casually or with added emphasis.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 嫉妬してる is a contraction of 嫉妬している, where the 'i' in the continuous form is dropped in casual speech.
How do you pronounce it?
shitto shiteru
Did you know?
- Japanese has a specific word 焼きもち meaning 'burning mochi' to describe a cute or childish kind of jealousy, often used between romantic partners.
- In very formal Japanese, expressing jealousy directly can be seen as a lack of self-control or maturity, so people often use indirect phrases to hint at their envy.
- Unlike English, where 'jealousy' can describe protecting something you already have, 嫉妬 almost always refers to wanting something someone else possesses.
Examples in context
- 彼女の才能に嫉妬してる。Kanojo no sainou ni shitto shiteru.I am jealous of her talent.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are talking about Yui's recent promotion at work.
- 健太 Kenta昇進おめでとう、結衣。Shoushin omedetou, Yui.Congratulations on your promotion, Yui.
- 結衣 Yuiありがとう、健太。でも、すごく大変なの。Arigatou, Kenta. Demo, sugoku taihen nano.Thank you, Kenta. But, it is very difficult.
- 健太 Kentaそんなに仕事が充実してて、正直嫉妬してるよ。Sonna ni shigoto ga juujitsu shitete, shoujiki shitto shiteru yo.Your work is so fulfilling, honestly I am jealous.
- 結衣 Yuiそんなこと言わないでよ！Sonna koto iwanaide yo!Don't say that!
