暖かい
atatakai
In Japanese, the word for warm is 暖かい (atatakai).
Use 暖かい specifically when describing pleasant, mild weather or a comfortable room temperature.
Meaning: having a temperature slightly higher than usual (adj)
Which one should you use?
While 暖かい is used for ambient temperature like weather or air, the alternative form 温かい is used for the warmth of objects or food, such as a warm cup of tea.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that the weather was warm in the past, you can change the final い to かった to get 暖かかった. The negative form of this adjective is 暖かくない.
How do you pronounce it?
atatakai
When do people say it?
Japanese speakers use related concepts to express various types of warmth, such as 温かい笑顔 for a warm smile, 温かいお迎え for a warm welcome and 温かさを感じる to express feeling warmth.
Did you know?
- While 暖かい and 温かい are written differently and have different meanings, they are pronounced exactly the same way as 'atatakai'.
- The character 温 in 温かい also appears in the word for 'hot spring', 温泉 (onsen), linking the idea of warmth to geothermal water.
- If you describe a person as 温かい, you are praising their kindness, but using 暖かい would sound like you are describing their skin temperature.
Examples in context
- そこ暖かい？Is it warm there?This sentence uses 暖かい to ask if a place is warm.Tatoeba #12324619 by small_snow, translation #8983670 by sundown
- 暖かい日でした。It was a warm day.This sentence uses 暖かい to describe a warm day.Tatoeba #127305 by bunbuku, translation #276784 by CK
- 今日は暖かいな。It's warm today.This sentence uses 暖かい to remark that it is warm today.Tatoeba #9819175 by small_snow, translation #750677 by sctld
- 今日の天気は暖かいですね。The weather is warm today, isn't it?
- この地域は温暖な気候です。This region has a mild climate.
- 暖色の絵具を使っています。I am using warm-colored paints.
- この部屋はぽかぽかしていて気持ちいい。This room is warm and cozy, it feels great.
- 彼の言葉はいつも心地よく感じられる。His words always feel warm and comforting.
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two siblings are sitting in a sunny living room during spring.
- 陽葵 Himariここは暖かいね。Koko wa atatakai ne.It is warm here, isn't it?
- 陽太 Yotaそうだね。陽葵、気持ちいいね。Sou da ne. Himari, kimochi ii ne.That's true. It feels good, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太、少し窓を閉める？Hinata, sukoshi mado o shimeru?Hinata, should we close the window a little?
- 陽太 Yotaいや、このままがいいよ。Iya, kono mama ga ii yo.No, I like it just the way it is.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 暖かい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
