頭が痛いです
atama ga itai desu
The English phrase 'my head hurts' is expressed in Japanese as 頭が痛いです (atama ga itai desu).
This phrase is used to express that you are experiencing pain in the head.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'head (subject marker) is painful'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form 頭が痛いです is polite and appropriate for use with doctors, teachers or strangers. For friends or family, you can use the informal form 頭が痛いよ or simply drop the 'desu' to say 頭が痛い.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that your head hurt in the past, you change itai desu to itakatta desu. Dropping the 'desu' at the end of the phrase makes it informal.
How do you pronounce it?
atama ga itai desu
What mistakes should you avoid?
However, in Japanese, it is more natural to omit the possessive pronoun when the context is clear.
Did you know?
- The adjective itai (painful) can be used to express much more than physical pain. It is frequently used metaphorically in Japanese to describe a person's behavior that is 'painful' to watch, such as someone being cringey or socially awkward.
- Japanese has a specific word 偏頭痛 'henzutsuu' for a migraine, which literally translates to 'slanted headache' because the pain is often one-sided.
- If your head hurts due to a sudden, sharp sensation, you might add the onomatopoeia zuki zuki before the phrase. This describes a throbbing or pulsing sensation, which is a very common way for Japanese speakers to qualify the type of pain.
Examples in context
- 頭が痛いです。My head hurts.This sentence is useful for saying 'My head hurts.' using the form 頭が痛いです.Tatoeba #842643 by riccioberto, translation #456425 by lukaszpp
- 頭がとても痛いです。My head really hurts.
- すみません、頭が痛いです。Excuse me, my head hurts.
- 朝から頭が痛いです。Asa kara atama ga itai desu.My head has been hurting since this morning.
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are talking at home.
- 結衣 Yui蓮さん、実は今、頭が痛いです。Ren-san, jitsu wa ima, atama ga itai desu.Ren, actually, my head hurts right now.
- 蓮 Ren大丈夫ですか？薬はありますか？Daijōbu desu ka? Kusuri wa arimasu ka?Are you okay? Do you have any medicine?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、あります。少し休みますね。Hai, arimasu. Sukoshi yasumimasu ne.Yes, I do. I'll rest for a bit.
- 蓮 Renわかりました。ゆっくり休んでください。Wakarimashita. Yukkuri yasunde kudasai.I understand. Please get some good rest.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
