会いたい
aitai
In Japanese, "I miss you" is expressed as 会いたい (aitai).
Japanese does not have a direct equivalent for the emotional state of "missing" someone. Instead, speakers express the desire to see the person.
Meaning: I miss you (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 会いたい literally means "want to meet".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase can be adjusted for politeness. 会いたいです is the polite form, created by adding です to the end. The form 会いたいよ is an informal way to say "I miss you".
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that you missed someone in the past, use the past tense form 会いたかった.
How do you pronounce it?
aitai
Did you know?
- In romantic contexts, Japanese speakers often avoid saying 会いたい directly and instead use phrases like 寂しい which means 'I am lonely'.
- While 会いたい is used for people, Japanese uses the word 恋しい to express 'missing' a place, a time in the past or a specific food.
- If you use the phrase 会いたい too frequently with a new acquaintance, it can feel much more intense than 'I miss you' feels in English.
Examples in context
- 会いたいよ！I miss you!This sentence is useful for expressing "I miss you!" using the form 会いたい.Tatoeba #13182085 by atitarev, translation #6055899 by sergiomelo
- 先生、本当に会いたいです。Teacher, I really miss you.
- 兄ちゃん、会いたいよ！Bro, I miss you!
- 本当に会いたくて堪らないんだよ。I really can't bear not seeing you.
- 早く会いたいな。Hayaku aitai na.I want to see you soon.
- すごく会いたいです。Sugoku aitai desu.I miss you so much.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are talking on the phone at night.
- 健太 Kenta結衣、最近どう？Yui, saikin dou?Yui, how have you been lately?
- 結衣 Yui元気だよ。健太は？Genki dayo. Kenta wa?I'm good. How about you, Kenta?
- 健太 Kenta僕も元気だけど、会いたいよ。Boku mo genki dakedo, aitai yo.I'm fine too, but I miss you.
- 結衣 Yui私も会いたい！Watashi mo aitai!I miss you too!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
