Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| モダンな | modan na | |
| 近代的 | kindaiteki | [kʲĩnda̠ite̞kʲi] (narrow) |
The various forms of "modern" in Japanese are used to describe things pertaining to the current time and style.
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on what aspect of "modern" you are emphasizing: * モダンな describes something that is stylish, fashionable or follows a specific Western-influenced aesthetic style. * 近代的 describes things that are modern in terms of technology, systems or industrial advancement, often implying a contrast with traditional or old-fashioned methods. * 現代的 refers specifically to things that are characteristic of the current era or contemporary times. * 現代っぽい describes something that has a modern feel or resembles the present era.
How does it change in a sentence?
モダンな is a na-adjective, meaning it must be followed by な when modifying a noun.
How do you pronounce it?
modan na
Did you know?
- The word モダン was adopted from English during the Meiji era and became a symbol of the 'Modern Girl' モダンガール and 'Modern Boy' モダンボーイ, youth who embraced Western fashion and jazz in the 1920s.
- Japanese has a distinct difference between 近代 (kindai) and 現代 (gendai), where the former often refers to the era of industrialization and the latter to the post-war contemporary world.
- If you describe a person's lifestyle as 近代的, you might actually sound like you are describing a heavy industrial machine or a scientific system. This term focuses on the functional progress of a society rather than human style.
Examples in context
- 私はモダンな家具が好きだ。I prefer modern furniture.This sentence shows a preference for furniture described with モダンな.Tatoeba #158724 by small_snow, translation #255804 by CK
- この付近はモダンな建物が多い。There are many modern buildings around here.This sentence describes an area with many buildings described with モダンな.Tatoeba #220087 by tommy__san, translation #57405 by CK
- この事務所の家具はなかなか近代的だ。The furniture in this office is really modern.This sentence describes office furniture as being 近代的.Tatoeba #460377 by mookeee, translation #460363 by jeanne
- 私たちは現代的なアートに魅了されています。We are fascinated by modern art.
- 近代的な技術の進歩は目覚ましいです。The progress of modern technology is remarkable.
- このカフェの雰囲気はとてもモダンですね。The atmosphere of this café is very modern, isn't it?
- このアート作品は現代っぽさがありますね。This artwork has a modern vibe, doesn't it?
Example conversation
Hiromi and Hiroto are looking at an interior design magazine in a cafe.
- 陽葵 Himariこのマンション、モダンな感じがするね。Kono manshon, modan na kanji ga suru ne.This apartment building feels modern, doesn't it?
- 大翔 Hirotoそうだね。陽葵の好みには合っていそうだ。Sou da ne. Himari no konomi ni wa atte isou da.That's true. It seems to suit your taste, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔さんは、古い家の方が好き？Hiroto-san wa, furui ie no hou ga suki?Hiroto, do you prefer old houses?
- 大翔 Hiroto僕はどちらかと言えば、新しい方が好きだよ。Boku wa dochira ka to ieba, atarashii hou ga suki da yo.If I had to say, I prefer the newer ones.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “modern” translations and entries 近代的, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
