叫ぶ
sakebu[sa̠ke̞bɯ̟]
To shout in Japanese is to say 叫ぶ (sakebu).
叫ぶ is a common and neutral way to express the action of shouting. If you want to emphasize that someone is shouting loudly, you can use the phrase 大声で叫ぶ, which literally means to shout with a big voice. If your intent is specifically to yell at someone, the word 怒鳴る is used.
Meaning: to utter a sudden and loud outcry (verb)
Which one should you use?
While 叫ぶ is the neutral term for shouting, 怒鳴る specifically carries the meaning of yelling. For a casual or emphatic way to describe continuous or intense shouting, you can use the informal phrase 叫びまくる. Additionally, the expression 大声を出す can be used to mean raising one's voice.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun form of the verb is 叫び. To express the desire to shout, you use the stem 叫び followed by the auxiliary -たい to form 叫びたい. In polite speech, the past tense is 叫びました.
How do you pronounce it?
sakebu
Did you know?
- In traditional Japanese theater like Noh or Kabuki, specific stylized shouts are used to signal transitions or emotional peaks. These are not considered 叫ぶ in the everyday sense, but are highly codified vocal techniques called kakegoe.
- While 叫ぶ is the general term for shouting, Japanese has a specific word 絶叫 (zekkyō) for a 'blood-curdling scream' or 'shouting at the top of one's lungs'. This term is frequently used in the names of high-thrill amusement park rides.
- In Japanese pop culture and anime, a character's shout is often represented by the kanji 叫 used as a sound effect. This transforms the verb 叫ぶ into a visual element that emphasizes the volume and emotion of the scene.
Examples in context
- そんなふうに叫ぶなよ。ばっちり聞こえるよ。Don't shout like that. I can hear you perfectly.This sentence uses 叫ぶ to demonstrate how to tell someone not to shout.Tatoeba #8662203 by bunbuku, translation #41521 by CM
- もし私が朝の４時にエレベーターの中に一人閉じ込められたら、近所の人たちの注意を引くために大声で叫ぶでしょう。If I was left alone on the elevator at four in the morning, I'd shout to attract the neighbors' attention.This sentence uses 叫ぶ to describe shouting to attract attention.Tatoeba #1036797 by bunbuku, translation #876021 by papabear
- 彼は大声で「やめてください！」と叫びました。He shouted, "Please stop!" in a loud voice.
- 彼女は怒りで大声を出しました。She shouted in anger.
- 大きな声で「おめでとう！」と叫んだよ！I shouted, "Congratulations!" in a loud voice!
- 彼らはライブの中で叫びまくった！They shouted like crazy during the live performance!
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are watching a scary movie together.
- 結衣 Yuiあ！今のシーン、怖すぎて叫ぶ！A! Ima no shi-n, kowasugite sakebu!Ah! This scene is so scary I'm going to shout!
- 蓮 Ren叫ばないでよ。びっくりするから。Sakebanaide yo. Bikkuri suru kara.Don't shout. You'll startle me.
- 結衣 Yuiごめん、でも本当に怖いんだもん。Gomen, demo hontou ni kowai ndamon.Sorry, but it's just really scary.
- 蓮 Renわかったから、静かに見てね。Wakatta kara, shizuka ni mite ne.I get it, so please watch quietly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shout” translations and entries 叫ぶ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
