あか
akanoun, color
In hiragana, "red" is あか (aka) when you name the color and あかい (akai) when it describes something, as in a red apple.
Meaning: the color red (adjective)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| あか | aka | noun, color |
| あかい | akai | adjective |
あか is a noun, so it fits sentences like "I like red". あかい is an i-adjective and goes right before a noun: あかいくるま (akai kuruma) is a red car.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say something was red, change the ending: あかかった (akakatta). To say it is not red, use あかくない (akakunai).
Did you know?
- あか (aka) is one of the oldest color words in Japanese, along with くろ (kuro), しろ (shiro) and あお (ao). The kanji for it is 赤 (aka).
Examples in context
- りんごはあかいです。Ringo wa akai desu.The apple is red.
- わたしはあかがすきです。Watashi wa aka ga suki desu.I like red.
- あかいくるまがとまっています。Akai kuruma ga tomatte imasu.A red car is parked.
Example conversation
Mika and her friend Ken are choosing a scarf in a shop in Osaka.
- Mikaこのマフラーはあかいね。Kono mafurā wa akai ne.This scarf is red, isn't it?
- Kenうん、あかがにあうよ。Un, aka ga niau yo.Yes, red suits you.
- Mikaじゃあ、これにする。Jā, kore ni suru.Then I will take this one.
