大丈夫？
daijōbu?
To say "are you okay?" in Japanese, use 大丈夫？ (daijōbu?)
This phrase is versatile and can be used to ask if a person is alright or to check if a situation or a piece of permission is okay. If you want to express genuine care, you can add 本当に before the phrase to intensify the meaning.
Which one should you use?
The version 大丈夫？ is used for casual interactions, while the version 大丈夫ですか？ is used for polite or formal inquiries.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
大丈夫？ is the informal version used in casual settings with friends or family. For a polite way to ask "Are you alright?", use 大丈夫ですか？ To respond to someone politely by saying "I am okay", use 大丈夫です.
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite form is created by adding ですか to the end of the word. For an informal response meaning "I'm okay", you can simply use 大丈夫.
How do you pronounce it?
daijōbu?
Did you know?
- The word 大丈夫 originally referred to a 'great man' or a husband in ancient Japanese, implying strength and stability.
- If someone is clearly struggling but says 大丈夫, they may be prioritizing 'wa' or social harmony over their own needs to avoid bothering others.
- Japanese speakers often accompany the phrase 大丈夫 with a small hand wave in front of the face to signal 'no thank you'.
Examples in context
- 田中さん、大丈夫ですか？Tanaka-san, are you okay?
- はい、大丈夫です。ありがとうございます。Yes, I'm fine. Thank you.
- おい、大丈夫？Hey, are you okay?
- 最近、調子どう？大丈夫？元気？How have you been recently? Are you okay? Are you feeling good?
- 本当に大丈夫ですか？Are you really okay?
- 大丈夫？Daijoubu?Are you okay?
- 体は大丈夫？Karada wa daijoubu?Is your health okay?
- 明日、大丈夫？Ashita, daijoubu?Are you okay for tomorrow?
Example conversation
Kenta sees Yui trip on the sidewalk.
- 結衣 Yuiあいたっ！Aitat!Ouch!
- 健太 Kenta結衣、大丈夫？Yui, daijōbu?Yui, are you okay?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、大丈夫。ありがとう。Un, daijōbu. Arigatō.Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks.
- 健太 Kentaよかった。Yokatta.That's a relief.
