Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 妊娠している | ninshin shite iru | verb | |
| おめでた | omedeta | [o̞me̞de̞ta̠] (narrow) | colloquial, euphemistic |
The term refers to the state of carrying developing offspring within the body. You can describe this state factually using the standard term, or more indirectly by saying a baby is in one's stomach.
What does it mean word for word?
The noun 妊娠 (ninshin) consists of characters meaning 'pregnancy' or 'conception'.
Which one should you use?
妊娠している is a factual, clinical description of the state of being pregnant. In contrast, おめでた is a celebratory and indirect way to describe the situation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
妊娠している is the standard, formal word for being pregnant. For a softer, more euphemistic tone in casual conversation, you can use おめでた.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can add 中 (chū) to the noun 妊娠 (ninshin) to create the expression 妊娠中 (ninshin-chū), which means being 'currently pregnant' or 'in the middle of pregnancy'.
How do you pronounce it?
ninshin shite iru
When do people say it?
In Japanese culture, it is generally considered better to express congratulations on a pregnancy after the initial three-month period has passed.
Did you know?
- The character 妊 in 妊娠 contains the radical for 'woman', a common feature in kanji that specifically describe female biological processes.
- The word おめでた is derived from the adjective おめでたい, which means 'auspicious' or 'celebratory'. It is used as a euphemism to frame the pregnancy as a joyous, lucky event rather than a medical state.
- When using 妊娠中 (ninshin-chū), the suffix 中 functions similarly to 'under' in 'under construction'.
Examples in context
- 彼女は妊娠している。She's pregnant.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is pregnant using 妊娠している.Tatoeba #87600 by bunbuku, translation #1442058 by CK
- 彼女は妊娠しています。She is pregnant.
- 彼女は現在、妊娠している。Kanojo wa genzai, ninshin shite iru.She is currently pregnant.
- 妻は今、妊娠している。Tsuma wa ima, ninshin shite iru.My wife is pregnant now.
Example conversation
A couple is talking at home about their future.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮さん、実は私、妊娠しているの。Ren-san, jitsu wa watashi, ninshin shite iru no.Ren, actually, I am pregnant.
- 蓮 Ren本当かい？陽葵、おめでとう！Hontō kai? Himari, omedetō!Really? Himari, congratulations!
- 陽葵 Himariまだ少し不安だけど、嬉しいわ。Mada sukoshi fuan dakedo, ureshii wa.I'm a little anxious, but I'm happy.
- 蓮 Ren僕が全力でサポートするよ。Boku ga zenryoku de sapōto suru yo.I will support you with everything I have.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pregnant” translations and entries おめでた, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries おめでた, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
