眠いです
nemui desu
In Japanese, "I am sleepy" is expressed as 眠いです (nemui desu).
The phrase is used to express that a person feels a need to sleep. In Japanese, the subject "I" is often omitted when saying 眠いです if the context makes it clear you are talking about yourself.
Which one should you use?
The word 眠い (also written in hiragana as ねむい) describes the physiological sensation of being sleepy, whereas nemureru describes the ability to sleep.
How does it change in a sentence?
In informal speech, the dictionary form 眠い is used by dropping the desu.
How do you pronounce it?
nemui desu
Did you know?
- Japanese culture has the concept of 居眠り (inemuri), which refers to 'sleeping while present'. This is a socially accepted way of nodding off during meetings or classes to show that one has worked to the point of exhaustion.
- The word 眠い (nemui) is also used to describe a 'dull' blade or a knife that does not cut sharply. In this context, it describes a lack of 'edge' or 'wakefulness' in the tool.
- If you want to say you are 'sleepy' in a way that sounds cute or childish, you can change the sound to ねむねむ (nemunemu).
Examples in context
- 今日はとても眠いです。Kyō wa totemo nemui desu.I am very sleepy today.
- 少し眠いです。Sukoshi nemui desu.I am a little sleepy.
Example conversation
Yota and Misaki are studying together in the library.
- 陽太 Yotaもう眠いです。Mō nemui desu.I am sleepy already.
- 美咲 Misaki少し休みましょうか。Sukoshi yasumimashō ka.Shall we take a short break?
- 陽太 Yotaそうしてください。Sō shite kudasai.Please do that.
- 美咲 Misakiいいですよ。Ii desu yo.That's fine.
