What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of これ (kore), which means "this" and refers to something near the speaker and 楽しい (tanoshii), an i-adjective meaning "fun" or "enjoyable".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form これは楽しいです is the standard polite way to express this to strangers or superiors. For casual conversation with friends or family, you can use the informal これは楽しい. You may also use the very short 楽しい！ to simply say "Fun!"
How does it change in a sentence?
In informal speech, you can drop the です (desu) at the end of the phrase. For example, これは楽しい is the informal version of the phrase. If you want to express that something is "too fun" or "incredibly enjoyable", you can use 楽しすぎる！
How do you pronounce it?
kore wa tanoshii desu
When do people say it?
If you want to politely ask whether someone else had fun, you can use the formal phrase 楽しんでいただけましたか。
Did you know?
- If you want to express that a situation is 'fun' in a way that is slightly overwhelming or 'crazy' fun, you might hear the word ヤバい (yabai) used instead of 楽しい.
- While English speakers say 'I am having fun', a Japanese speaker might use the intransitive form 楽しい to describe the state of the experience itself rather than their own internal feeling.
- The word 楽しい (tanoshii) is often used in Japanese to describe a 'pleasant' atmosphere or a 'happy' time, which can be broader than the English word 'fun'.
Examples in context
- 楽しい！もっとやろう！This is fun! Let's play more!
- これは楽しいです。Kore wa tanoshii desu.This is fun.
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are playing a board game together.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さん、このゲームはどうですか？Kenta-san, kono gēmu wa dō desu ka?Kenta, how is this game?
- 健太 Kentaルールは簡単だし、これは楽しいです。Rūru wa kantan dashi, kore wa tanoshii desu.The rules are simple, and this is fun.
- 美咲 Misakiよかったです。私もそう思います。Yokatta desu. Watashi mo sō omoimasu.I'm glad. I think so too.
- 健太 Kenta次もまた一緒にやりましょう。Tsugi mo mata issho ni yarimashō.Let's do it together again next time.
