悲しいです
kanashii desu
To say "I feel sad" in Japanese, you use 悲しいです (kanashii desu).
The phrase is used to express that you are experiencing a feeling of sorrow or unhappiness. In Japanese, the subject "I" (watashi) is typically omitted when the context makes it clear that you are talking about your own feelings. The word kanashii specifically describes a deep and often long-lasting sorrow. This distinguishes it from setsunai, which describes a more bittersweet or chest-tightening emotional pain.
Which one should you use?
The form kanashii is used in more casual settings. Additionally, if you want to express the process of becoming sad or starting to feel sad, you would use the form 悲しくなります (kanashiku narimasu).
How does it change in a sentence?
Dropping the desu from the end of the phrase makes it informal. If you wish to describe a change in state, such as "to become sad", use 悲しくなります (kanashiku narimasu).
How do you pronounce it?
kanashii desu
Did you know?
- The term for 'sadness' is often used in Japanese to describe the beauty of things that are fleeting, such as falling cherry blossoms. This concept, known as 'mono no aware', suggests that a certain level of sadness is a natural and beautiful part of life.
- In Japanese culture, expressing sadness directly using 悲しいです is often avoided in social settings to maintain 'wa' or harmony. People may instead use vague phrases about feeling 'tired' or 'heavy' to signal sadness without burdening others.
- In Japanese literature and songs, the feeling of sadness is often described as being located in the chest or heart area, rather than just a mental state. This is why you might hear terms related to a 'tightening' or 'stabbing' sensation in the chest to describe sorrow.
Examples in context
- とても悲しいです。Totemo kanashii desu.I feel very sad.
- 今は少し悲しいです。Ima wa sukoshi kanashii desu.I feel a little sad right now.
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are talking about a movie they just watched.
- 蓮 Renこの映画の結末は、とても悲しいです。Kono eiga no ketsumatsu wa, totemo kanashii desu.The ending of this movie is very sad.
- 陽葵 Himariはい、私も悲しいです。Hai, watashi mo kanashii desu.Yes, I feel sad too.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵さんは、泣きましたか？Himari-san wa, nakimashita ka?Did you cry, Himari?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、少し泣きました。Hai, sukoshi nakimashita.Yes, I cried a little.
