妊娠しています
ninshin shiteimasu
In Japanese, 'I am pregnant' is said as 妊娠しています (ninshin shiteimasu).
The phrase is used to inform others that a woman is expecting a baby. The core noun 妊娠 (ninshin) refers to pregnancy, though it is a medical or technical term and can sound somewhat clinical in casual conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The noun 妊娠 means 'pregnancy'.
Which one should you use?
While 妊娠しています is the standard way to state the fact, people often use the softer, more indirect phrase お腹に赤ちゃんがいます in social settings to say they are expecting.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For informal situations, you can use 妊娠中だよ, 妊娠してるんだ or 妊娠中なんだ. For a very formal announcement, such as ご報告させていただきますが、私は妊娠しております, you might use the more formal 妊娠しております.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai Dialect, you can say 妊娠してるねん.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plain form 妊娠している is the non-polite version of 妊娠しています.
How do you pronounce it?
ninshin shiteimasu
When do people say it?
When others congratulate you on your pregnancy, a common and appropriate way to respond is with ありがとうございます (Thank you very much).
Did you know?
- In Japan, pregnant women often wear a maternity mark, a small badge shaped like a stylized baby or flower, to signal their pregnancy to others in public spaces like trains.
- When announcing pregnancy, some Japanese speakers use 授かりました (sakarimashita), which translates to 'I have been granted/bestowed', implying the baby is a gift from a higher power.
- In traditional contexts, the concept of pregnancy is linked to 帯祝い (obi-iwai), a celebration held when the woman first puts on a maternity belt around the fifth month.
Examples in context
- 妊娠しています。I am pregnant.This sentence is useful for stating 'I am pregnant.'Tatoeba #122038 by bunbuku, translation #259872 by shekitten
- 今、妊娠しています。Ima, ninshin shite imasu.I am pregnant right now.
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are discussing their future plans.
- 蓮 Ren最近、体調はどうですか？Saikin, taichou wa dou desu ka?How have you been feeling lately?
- 陽葵 Himari実は、妊娠しています。Jitsu wa, ninshin shiteimasu.Actually, I am pregnant.
- 蓮 Ren本当ですか！おめでとうございます。Hontou desu ka! Omedetou gozaimasu.Really! Congratulations!
- 陽葵 Himariありがとうございます、蓮さん。Arigatou gozaimasu, Ren-san.Thank you, Ren.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
