元気です
genki desu
元気です (genki desu) is the Japanese way to say "I am well".
This phrase is a response used to say that you are in good health and spirits when asked how you are.
What does it mean word for word?
The core of the phrase is 元気, which literally means energy, spirit or health.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase informal, you can replace です with だ.
How do you pronounce it?
genki desu
When do people say it?
When someone asks お元気ですか？ (How are you?), you can respond with this phrase to indicate you are doing well.
Did you know?
- While 元気です means 'I am well', Japanese people rarely use this as a daily greeting. They typically only ask お元気ですか？ when they have not seen someone for a long time.
- When responding to お元気ですか？, it is common to start the answer with おかげさまで, which means 'thanks to you' or 'thanks to everyone'. This attributes one's well-being to the support of others.
- In Japanese pop culture, such as anime, a character described as 'genki' is a specific archetype: someone who is high-energy, bubbly, and constantly active.
Examples in context
- 元気です。I am well.This is a simple way to state that you are well using 元気です.Tatoeba #3495032 by arnab, translation #574624 by Zac2333
- おかげさまで、元気です。Okagesama de, genki desu.Thanks to you, I am well.
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a cafe.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔くん、元気ですか？Hiroto-kun, genki desu ka?Hiroto, are you doing well?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、元気です！Hai, genki desu!Yes, I am well!
- 陽葵 Himariそれはよかったですね。Sore wa yokatta desu ne.That's good to hear.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵さんはどうですか？Himari-san wa dou desu ka?How about you, Himari?
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
