When you feel like sleeping, you use the adjective 眠い (nemui) to describe that sensation. It's often used when you are tired and your eyes feel heavy, or when you are fighting to stay awake.
For example, you might say 「今、とても眠いです。」 (I'm very sleepy right now.) if you didn't get enough sleep. You can also use it to describe a situation that makes you feel sleepy, like 「この授業は眠い。」 (This class is boring and makes me sleepy.)
When you want to say you're sleepy in Japanese, you use the adjective 眠い (nemui). It directly translates to "sleepy" or "drowsy."
You can use it in a simple sentence like 眠いです (nemui desu), which means "I am sleepy."
If you want to express that you became sleepy, you can say 眠くなりました (nemuku narimashita).
It's a straightforward word to remember and very useful in daily conversation.
When you're tired and want to sleep, that's 眠い (nemui). You can use it to describe how you feel, like 「眠い。」 (Nemui. - I'm sleepy.) or 「眠いですか？」 (Nemui desu ka? - Are you sleepy?).
It's a common adjective you'll hear in everyday conversations. You might also hear 「眠くなってきた」 (Nemuku natte kita - I'm getting sleepy) when you feel sleepiness coming on.
§ Understanding 'Nemui' in Everyday Japanese
Alright, let's talk about 眠い (nemui). It means 'sleepy'. Simple enough, right? But knowing *when* and *where* you'll actually hear this word is key to sounding natural. It's not just a dictionary definition; it's about context.
§ 'Nemui' at Work
In Japan, long work hours are common, and so is feeling sleepy. You'll hear 'nemui' a lot in office settings, especially during afternoon slumps or after late nights. It's often used casually among colleagues, but be mindful of your company culture. You wouldn't typically say it directly to your boss unless you have a very close relationship.
「今日の会議は長かったから、すごく眠いね。」
- Translation Hint
- "Today's meeting was long, so I'm really sleepy."
「あー、もうこんな時間か。さすがに眠い。」
- Translation Hint
- "Ah, is it already this late? As expected, I'm sleepy."
§ 'Nemui' at School
School is another prime location for 'nemui'. Students, especially in high school and college, often pull all-nighters studying or socializing. You'll hear them complaining about being sleepy during classes, often in hushed tones to their friends.
「昨日の夜、ゲームしすぎて眠い。」
- Translation Hint
- "I played too many games last night, so I'm sleepy."
「朝早くから部活だったから、授業中も眠い。」
- Translation Hint
- "Club activities were early in the morning, so I'm sleepy even during class."
§ 'Nemui' in Daily Life & News
Beyond work and school, 'nemui' pops up in general conversation. Think about people talking about their weekend plans, a long train ride, or just feeling tired after a busy day.
In news, you might not hear 'nemui' directly from a news anchor, but you could read or hear about people *being* sleepy in a report. For example, a news story about traffic accidents might mention drivers who were feeling sleepy.
- **Friends & Family:** Casual conversations about how they slept, or if they're tired from something.
- Translation Hint
- "I want to sleep early today. Because I'm very sleepy."
- **Social Media:** People often post about feeling sleepy after a long day or a fun night out.
- Translation Hint
- "I woke up earlier than usual on the weekend, so I'm already sleepy."
- **Public Announcements (Rarely):** You might hear it in a slightly more formal context if, for example, there's a campaign about preventing drowsy driving.
「今日は早く寝たい。すごく眠いから。」
「週末はいつもより早く起きちゃったから、もう眠い。」
The key takeaway is that 眠い is a versatile and commonly used word. Pay attention to how native speakers use it in different situations, and you'll quickly pick up on the nuances.
§ Understanding 眠い (nemui)
The Japanese adjective 眠い (nemui) directly translates to "sleepy." It describes the state of feeling tired and wanting to sleep. It's a common and straightforward word you'll use often in daily conversation when you want to express that you're feeling drowsy or ready for bed.
§ Basic Usage
You can use 眠い (nemui) directly to state that you are sleepy. Like all i-adjectives, it can directly modify a noun or stand alone as a predicate.
今、とても眠いです。
I am very sleepy right now.
眠い顔をしていますね。
You have a sleepy face, don't you?
§ Similar Words and When to Use Them
While 眠い (nemui) is the most common way to express being sleepy, there are other related words and phrases. Understanding the nuances will help you choose the most appropriate expression.
眠たい (nemutai): This is another i-adjective that also means "sleepy." In most contexts, 眠い (nemui) and 眠たい (nemutai) are interchangeable. However, some speakers perceive 眠たい (nemutai) as slightly softer or more emphatic than 眠い (nemui). It can sometimes carry a nuance of *wanting* to sleep, whereas 眠い (nemui) simply states the condition of being sleepy. For daily use, 眠い (nemui) is perfectly fine and often preferred for its directness.
ああ、もう眠たいなぁ。
Ah, I'm already feeling sleepy (and want to sleep).眠気 (nemuke): This is a noun meaning "sleepiness" or "drowsiness." You use this when talking about the *feeling* of sleepiness itself, rather than directly stating you are sleepy. It's often used with verbs like 眠気がする (nemuke ga suru - to feel sleepy) or 眠気を覚ます (nemuke o samasu - to wake oneself up from sleepiness).
授業中、よく眠気がする。
I often feel sleepy during class.コーヒーを飲んで眠気を覚ました。
I drank coffee to shake off my sleepiness.眠い (nemui) vs. 疲れた (tsukareta - tired): These two are often confused but describe different states. 眠い (nemui) specifically refers to the need for sleep. 疲れた (tsukareta) means "tired" or "exhausted," which can be physical or mental fatigue, and doesn't necessarily mean you want to sleep immediately. You can be tired without being sleepy, and vice-versa (though they often occur together).
今日は一日中歩いたので、足が疲れた。
My legs are tired because I walked all day today.
§ Practical Takeaways
For most everyday situations where you want to say "I'm sleepy," 眠い (nemui) is your go-to word. It's direct, clear, and understood by everyone. If you want to talk about the *feeling* of sleepiness, especially in a more descriptive way, then 眠気 (nemuke) combined with verbs like する (suru) is useful. Remember the distinction between being sleepy (wanting to sleep) and being tired (feeling fatigued) to use these words correctly.
Practice using 眠い (nemui) in different sentences. Try to describe when and why you feel sleepy. This will help solidify its usage in your Japanese vocabulary.
نحوه استفاده
Use 眠い (nemui) to describe the state of being sleepy. It's a common adjective you'll hear when someone is tired and wants to go to bed, or just feeling drowsy during the day.
A common mistake is confusing 眠い (nemui) with 疲れた (tsukareta), which means 'tired' in a more general sense, often from physical exertion or stress. While being sleepy can make you tired, they aren't always interchangeable. You might be tired but not sleepy, or sleepy but not physically exhausted. Think of 眠い specifically as 'having the urge to sleep'.
خودت رو بسنج 36 سوال
Write a short sentence saying "I am sleepy" in Japanese.
خوب نوشتید! تلاش خوبی بود! پاسخ نمونه را ببینید.
پاسخ نمونه
私は眠いです。
You want to say that your cat is sleepy. How would you write this in Japanese?
خوب نوشتید! تلاش خوبی بود! پاسخ نمونه را ببینید.
پاسخ نمونه
私の猫は眠いです。
Imagine you are very sleepy. Write a simple Japanese sentence expressing this feeling strongly.
خوب نوشتید! تلاش خوبی بود! پاسخ نمونه را ببینید.
پاسخ نمونه
とても眠いです。
What does person B mean by "あまり眠くありませんでした"?
این متن را بخوانید:
A: おはようございます。 B: おはようございます。 A: 昨日はよく眠れましたか？ B: いいえ、あまり眠くありませんでした。
What does person B mean by "あまり眠くありませんでした"?
あまり + negative form means 'not very'. So, 'あまり眠くありませんでした' means 'was not very sleepy'.
あまり + negative form means 'not very'. So, 'あまり眠くありませんでした' means 'was not very sleepy'.
What does the speaker want to do because they are sleepy?
این متن را بخوانید:
私は今、とても眠いです。コーヒーを飲みたいです。
What does the speaker want to do because they are sleepy?
The sentence 'コーヒーを飲みたいです' directly states 'I want to drink coffee'.
The sentence 'コーヒーを飲みたいです' directly states 'I want to drink coffee'.
Why is Tanaka-san always sleepy at night?
این متن را بخوانید:
田中さんは、毎日仕事で忙しいです。だから、夜はいつも眠いです。
Why is Tanaka-san always sleepy at night?
The passage states '毎日仕事で忙しいです。だから、夜はいつも眠いです。' which means 'Every day they are busy with work. Therefore, they are always sleepy at night.'
The passage states '毎日仕事で忙しいです。だから、夜はいつも眠いです。' which means 'Every day they are busy with work. Therefore, they are always sleepy at night.'
昨夜あまり寝なかったので、今日はとても___。
The sentence states 'I didn't sleep much last night,' which logically leads to feeling 'sleepy' today.
授業中、先生の話が面白くなくて、ちょっと___。
If the teacher's talk wasn't interesting, it's natural to feel 'sleepy' during the class.
長いフライトの後、彼はとても___そうだった。
After a long flight, it's common to be 'sleepy'. The 'そう' ending suggests appearance, so 'looks sleepy' fits well.
夜遅くまで勉強すると、朝___なります。
Studying late at night makes you 'sleepy' in the morning. '眠く' is the adverbial form of '眠い' used with 'なる' (to become).
猫は一日中寝ていて、いつも___に見える。
If a cat sleeps all day, it would 'look sleepy'. '眠そう' means 'looks sleepy'.
早起きは苦手なので、いつも午前中は___。
Someone who is not good at waking up early will typically feel 'sleepy' in the morning.
Choose the correct way to say 'I'm sleepy' in Japanese.
眠い (nemui) means 'sleepy'. Adding です (desu) makes it a polite statement.
Which of these is most likely to be said when someone looks tired?
眠そう (nemusou) means 'looks sleepy'. The ね (ne) particle adds a sense of agreement or seeking confirmation.
What is the most natural response if your friend says 'もう眠いですか？' (Are you already sleepy?)
This directly answers the question about being sleepy. とても (totemo) means 'very'.
If you want to say 'I'm not sleepy', you should say '眠くないです'.
The negative form of 眠い (nemui) is 眠くない (nemukunai). Adding です (desu) makes it polite.
You would use 眠い when you are hungry.
眠い (nemui) means 'sleepy', not 'hungry'. The word for hungry is お腹が空いた (onaka ga suita).
It's common to say '眠いですね' when you notice someone looking sleepy.
This phrase literally means 'It's sleepy, isn't it?' but is commonly used to acknowledge someone else's sleepiness in a polite way.
You stayed up late studying and now it's morning. Write a short sentence about how you feel using 眠い.
خوب نوشتید! تلاش خوبی بود! پاسخ نمونه را ببینید.
پاسخ نمونه
昨夜は遅くまで勉強したので、今朝はとても眠いです。
Imagine you're trying to stay awake in a boring meeting. Describe your feeling using 眠い.
خوب نوشتید! تلاش خوبی بود! پاسخ نمونه را ببینید.
پاسخ نمونه
この会議は退屈で、とても眠くなってきました。
You just finished a big meal. Write a sentence about how you feel, hinting at sleepiness, using 眠い.
خوب نوشتید! تلاش خوبی بود! پاسخ نمونه را ببینید.
پاسخ نمونه
ご飯をたくさん食べたので、少し眠いです。
今日の午後、話者はどう感じていましたか？
این متن را بخوانید:
昨日の夜は仕事で忙しくて、あまり寝られませんでした。そのため、今日の午後はずっと眠かったです。カフェでコーヒーを飲んだら、少し元気になりました。
今日の午後、話者はどう感じていましたか？
「今日の午後はずっと眠かったです」と書かれているからです。
「今日の午後はずっと眠かったです」と書かれているからです。
話者が朝早く起きるのが苦手なのはなぜですか？
این متن را بخوانید:
私は朝早く起きるのが苦手です。特に冬は布団から出るのが辛く、いつも眠いと感じます。ですが、会社に遅刻しないように頑張って起きています。
話者が朝早く起きるのが苦手なのはなぜですか？
「いつも眠いと感じます」と書かれているからです。
「いつも眠いと感じます」と書かれているからです。
話者はテスト中にどうなりましたか？
این متن را بخوانید:
テストの前日は徹夜で勉強しました。そのせいで、テスト中はとても眠くて、集中できませんでした。結果はあまり良くなかったです。
話者はテスト中にどうなりましたか？
「テスト中はとても眠くて、集中できませんでした」と書かれています。
「テスト中はとても眠くて、集中できませんでした」と書かれています。
昨夜あまり寝られなかったので、今日はとても___です。
The sentence implies a feeling of sleepiness due to lack of sleep. '眠い' (nemui) means sleepy.
午後の授業中、彼はよく___そうな顔をしています。
The context of '午後の授業中' (during afternoon class) often leads to feeling sleepy. '眠い' (nemui) means sleepy, and 'そうな顔' (sou na kao) means 'a face that looks like...'.
この薬を飲むと、少し___なるかもしれません。
When an i-adjective like '眠い' (nemui) is followed by 'なる' (naru - to become), it changes to its adverbial form '眠く' (nemuku).
運転中に___なったら、すぐに休憩を取りましょう。
In the context of driving, if you become sleepy ('眠く'), you should take a break. '眠く' is the adverbial form of '眠い'.
朝早く起きるのは苦手で、いつも___です。
If someone is not good at waking up early, they are usually sleepy. '眠い' (nemui) means sleepy.
会議中なのに、彼は___あくびをしていました。
'眠そうに' (nemusou ni) means 'looking sleepy' or 'sleepily'. This fits the context of yawning during a meeting.
You've been studying Japanese all night and are incredibly sleepy. Write a short journal entry (3-4 sentences) describing how you feel and what you plan to do. Use '眠い' (nemui) at least once.
خوب نوشتید! تلاش خوبی بود! پاسخ نمونه را ببینید.
پاسخ نمونه
昨夜は日本語の勉強で徹夜しました。本当に眠いです。集中できません。早く家に帰って寝たいです。
Imagine you are explaining to a friend why you can't go out tonight. You are very sleepy. Write a text message (2-3 sentences) to your friend. Include '眠い' (nemui).
خوب نوشتید! تلاش خوبی بود! پاسخ نمونه را ببینید.
پاسخ نمونه
ごめん、今日は行けない。昨日の夜は全然眠れなくて、今すごく眠いんだ。また今度誘ってね。
Describe a time when you were so sleepy that it affected something important you were doing. Write 3-4 sentences describing the situation and its outcome. Use '眠い' (nemui) and appropriate conjunctions.
خوب نوشتید! تلاش خوبی بود! پاسخ نمونه را ببینید.
پاسخ نمونه
プレゼンテーションの準備で徹夜したので、朝はとても眠かったです。会議中、何度もあくびが出て、集中できませんでした。結局、発表はあまりうまくいきませんでした。
佐藤さんがすぐにベッドに横になった主な理由は何ですか？
این متن را بخوانید:
佐藤さんは長い海外出張から戻ったばかりで、時差ぼけに苦しんでいた。空港に到着した時、彼の顔はひどく眠そうだった。家に帰ると、すぐにベッドに横になり、深い眠りについた。彼は少なくとも12時間は眠り続けるだろう。
佐藤さんがすぐにベッドに横になった主な理由は何ですか？
文章には「時差ぼけに苦しんでいた」「ひどく眠そうだった」と明記されており、これが主な理由であることが示されています。
文章には「時差ぼけに苦しんでいた」「ひどく眠そうだった」と明記されており、これが主な理由であることが示されています。
田中さんが休憩中にコーヒーを飲んだ目的は何ですか？
این متن را بخوانید:
夜勤のシフトが終わり、田中さんはカフェで一休みしていた。しかし、コーヒーを飲んでも眠気は全く覚めなかった。むしろ、目の奥がズキズキと痛み、彼は自分の体が休息を求めていることを強く感じた。結局、彼は仕事を終えて直接家に帰り、すぐに休むことにした。
田中さんが休憩中にコーヒーを飲んだ目的は何ですか？
文章に「コーヒーを飲んでも眠気は全く覚めなかった」とあることから、眠気を覚ます目的で飲んだことが分かります。
文章に「コーヒーを飲んでも眠気は全く覚めなかった」とあることから、眠気を覚ます目的で飲んだことが分かります。
山本さんが前回の試験で失敗した主な原因は何ですか？
این متن را بخوانید:
試験期間中、多くの学生は睡眠時間を削って勉強に励む。しかし、睡眠不足は集中力や記憶力に悪影響を及ぼし、かえって学習効率を低下させる可能性がある。山本さんは、このことを経験から学んだ。前回の試験では、徹夜で勉強した結果、試験中にとても眠くなり、簡単な問題でさえ間違えてしまったのだ。
山本さんが前回の試験で失敗した主な原因は何ですか？
文章に「徹夜で勉強した結果、試験中にとても眠くなり、簡単な問題でさえ間違えてしまった」と明記されています。
文章に「徹夜で勉強した結果、試験中にとても眠くなり、簡単な問題でさえ間違えてしまった」と明記されています。
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نمره کامل!
مثال
とても眠いので、もう寝ます。
محتوای مرتبط
واژههای بیشتر emotions
ぼんやり
B1Vaguely; absentmindedly; dimly.
夢中
B1Absorption; engrossment; infatuation.
受け止める
B1To accept; to take; to grasp.
達成感
B1Sense of accomplishment.
ひしひしと
B1Acutely; keenly; strongly (feeling something).
適応する
B1To adapt; to adjust.
健気な
B2Brave, admirable, or plucky (especially of a weaker person).
感心な
B1Admirable; deserving admiration.
感心
B1Admiration, impression, or being impressed.
感心する
B1To be impressed; to admire.
