Phrase in 30 Seconds
{困|こま}ります is your go-to polite way to say a situation is causing you trouble or is socially awkward.
- Means: 'I am troubled' or 'This is a problem for me.'
- Used in: Declining requests, reacting to bad news, or expressing social discomfort.
- Don't confuse: It's not for physical pain, only for situational or emotional difficulty.
आपके स्तर पर व्याख्या:
मतलब
Expressing that a situation is inconvenient or causing difficulty.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
The concept of 'Meiwaku' (trouble) is central. Saying '{困|こま}ります' is a way to signal that someone is causing 'meiwaku' without using the harsh word itself. In negotiations, '{困|こま}ります' often means 'No.' If a Japanese partner says 'That would be a bit of a problem,' they are likely rejecting the proposal. In Kyoto, politeness is even more indirect. '{困|こま}ります' might be used very subtly to indicate you are overstaying your welcome. On Twitter/X, people use '#困った' to share daily frustrations or ask for advice on minor life problems.
The 'Soft No'
If you want to say no to a request without being rude, just say '{困|こま}ります...' and trail off. The other person will get the hint.
Don't over-masu
Avoid saying '{困|こま}るです'. It's a common beginner mistake. Verbs don't take 'desu'.
The 'Soft No'
If you want to say no to a request without being rude, just say '{困|こま}ります...' and trail off. The other person will get the hint.
Don't over-masu
Avoid saying '{困|こま}るです'. It's a common beginner mistake. Verbs don't take 'desu'.
Body Language
When saying '{困|こま}ります', tilt your head slightly. It shows you are genuinely feeling the 'bind'.
खुद को परखो
Fill in the blank with the correct form of {困|こま}る.
{財布|さいふ}を{忘|わす}れて＿＿＿＿＿。
Since the wallet was forgotten (past action), the past tense '{困|こま}りました' is the most natural.
Which is the most polite way to tell someone they shouldn't take photos here?
ここで{写真|しゃしん}を{撮|と}られると...
'{困|こま}ります' is the softest and most polite way to express that an action is not allowed.
Complete the dialogue.
A: {明日|あした}のパーティー、{来|こ}られますか？ B: すみません、{仕事|しごと}が{忙|いそ}しくて...
B is explaining their current state of being busy/troubled, so '{困|こま}っています' fits best.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You are at a loss for words because of a difficult question.
'{返事|へんじ}に{困|こま}る' means to be at a loss for an answer.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
अभ्यास बैंक
5 अभ्यास{財布|さいふ}を{忘|わす}れて＿＿＿＿＿。
Since the wallet was forgotten (past action), the past tense '{困|こま}りました' is the most natural.
ここで{写真|しゃしん}を{撮|と}られると...
'{困|こま}ります' is the softest and most polite way to express that an action is not allowed.
A: {明日|あした}のパーティー、{来|こ}られますか？ B: すみません、{仕事|しごと}が{忙|いそ}しくて...
B is explaining their current state of being busy/troubled, so '{困|こま}っています' fits best.
Situation: You are at a loss for words because of a difficult question.
'{返事|へんじ}に{困|こま}る' means to be at a loss for an answer.
🎉 स्कोर: /5
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
10 सवालYes, but it might sound a bit dramatic. For small things, '{困|こま}ったな' (Oh, that's a bother) is better.
Yes, but if you are the one who caused the trouble, you should apologize (Moushiwake arimasen) rather than just saying you are troubled.
'Taihen' is an adjective for the situation ('This is tough!'), while 'komaru' is a verb for your reaction ('I'm in a bind!').
Yes, '{彼|かれ}は{困|こま}っています' (He is in trouble).
Use the negative: '{困|こま}っていません' or '{困|こま}らない'.
It's more common for women and children, but men use it too in very casual, slightly playful contexts.
No, use 'onaka ga suita'. 'Komaru' is for when you have no food and no money to buy it.
It refers to a person or thing that is a constant source of trouble.
Yes, it's very common in emails and texts to express that a situation is difficult.
Sometimes, if the embarrassment puts you in a socially difficult spot, but 'hazukashii' is the direct word for embarrassment.
संबंधित मुहावरे
{迷惑|めいわく}
similarTrouble, annoyance, inconvenience.
{大変|たいへん}
similarDifficult, tough, awful.
{悩|なや}む
similarTo worry, to be troubled mentally.
{助|たす}かる
contrastTo be saved, to be helpful.
{弱|よわ}った
similarI'm in a fix / I'm weakened by this.
कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें
Lost in the city
Learner: すみません、{道|みち}に{迷|まよ}って{困|こま}っています。
Local: どこへ{行|い}きたいんですか？
Late for a meeting
Employee: {電車|でんしゃ}が{遅|おく}れて{困|こま}りました。
Boss: {大丈夫|だいじょうぶ}ですよ。{座|すわ}ってください。
Noisy neighbors
Resident: {夜|よる}、うるさくて{困|こま}っているんです。
Manager: {注意|ちゅうい}しておきますね。
Declining an expensive gift
Friend: これ、プレゼントです。
You: えっ、こんなに{高|たか}いものは{困|こま}ります！
Someone cutting in line
You: すみません、{並|なら}んでいるので{困|こま}ります。
Stranger: あ、すみません。
Technical issues during a call
User: {音|おと}が{聞|き}こえなくて{困|こま}っています。
Support: {設定|せってい}を{確認|かくにん}してください。
याद करें
स्मृति सहायक
Think of 'Co-mar-u' as 'Come on, are you serious? This is a problem!'
दृश्य संबंध
Visualize a tree (木) trapped inside a small square box (口). The tree wants to grow, but it's stuck. That's the feeling of 'komaru'.
Rhyme
When you're in a bind and don't know what to do, just say 'komaru' and they'll help you through.
Story
You are a gardener who finds a beautiful sapling. You put it in a tiny pot. Years later, the tree is cramped and the pot is cracking. The tree is 'komaru-ing'. Now imagine that tree is your schedule when someone asks for a favor you can't do.
In Other Languages
Similar to the English 'to be in a pickle' or 'to be in a bind,' though the Japanese version is much more common in daily polite speech.
Word Web
चैलेंज
Try to say '{困|こま}ります' with a slight head tilt and a worried expression next time someone asks you for something impossible.
Review this phrase whenever you feel slightly inconvenienced today. Say it to yourself: '{困|こま}ったな...'
उच्चारण
Short 'o' as in 'coat' (but shorter).
Open 'a' as in 'father'.
Japanese 'r' is a tap, like the 'tt' in 'better'.
औपचारिकता का स्तर
{財布|さいふ}を{失|な}くしてしまい、{困|こま}り{果|は}てております。 (Losing a wallet)
{財布|さいふ}を{忘|わす}れて{困|こま}りました。 (Losing a wallet)
{財布|さいふ}なくて{困|こま}っちゃった。 (Losing a wallet)
{財布|さいふ}ねーわ、マジ{困|こま}る。 (Losing a wallet)
The kanji 困 (komaru) dates back to ancient Chinese oracle bone script, depicting a tree inside an enclosure.
रोचक तथ्य
The kanji for 'tree' (木) inside 'box' (口) is one of the most logical pictographs in Japanese!
सांस्कृतिक नोट्स
The concept of 'Meiwaku' (trouble) is central. Saying '{困|こま}ります' is a way to signal that someone is causing 'meiwaku' without using the harsh word itself.
“電車内で通話されると困ります。 (It's a problem if you talk on the phone in the train.)”
In negotiations, '{困|こま}ります' often means 'No.' If a Japanese partner says 'That would be a bit of a problem,' they are likely rejecting the proposal.
“その条件では困ります。 (Under those conditions, it's a problem [No].)”
In Kyoto, politeness is even more indirect. '{困|こま}ります' might be used very subtly to indicate you are overstaying your welcome.
“そんなに長居されては困ります。 (It's a problem if you stay so long.)”
On Twitter/X, people use '#困った' to share daily frustrations or ask for advice on minor life problems.
“晩ご飯の献立が決まらなくて困った。 (I'm troubled because I can't decide on the dinner menu.)”
बातचीत की शुरुआत
{最近|さいきん}、{何|なに}か{困|こま}っていることはありますか？
{道|みち}で{困|こま}っている{外国人|がいこくじん}を{見|み}たら、どうしますか？
{仕事|しごと}で{一番|いちばん}{困|こま}ったことは{何|なん}ですか？
सामान्य गलतियाँ
{足|あし}が{困|こま}ります。
{足|あし}が{痛|いた}いです。
L1 Interference
{火事|かじ}だ！{困|こま}ります！
{火事|かじ}だ！{助|たす}けて！
L1 Interference
{先生|せんせい}、その{説明|せつめい}は{困|こま}ります。
{先生|せんせい}、その{説明|せつめい}はよくわかりません。
L1 Interference
{困|こま}るです。
{困|こま}ります。
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Me mete en un lío / Me pone en un aprieto
Japanese uses it as a social buffer; Spanish uses it more for actual logistical problems.
Ça m'embête / Je suis dans l'embarras
French is slightly more direct about the 'annoyance' factor.
Das bringt mich in Verlegenheit
German has separate words for 'inconvenience' (Unbequemlichkeit) and 'social bind'.
أنا في ورطة (Ana fi warta)
Arabic 'warta' is usually for more serious trouble.
我很为难 (Wǒ hěn wéinán)
The kanji are different, but the social function is nearly identical.
곤란해요 (Gollanhaeyo)
Almost no difference; they are linguistic twins.
Isso me complica
Portuguese is more focused on the 'complexity' than the 'trapped' feeling.
I'm in a bind / That's a problem
English speakers often state the problem directly; Japanese speakers state their *feeling* of being troubled.
Spotted in the Real World
“そんなに{食|た}べちゃ{困|こま}るよ！”
Chihiro says this to her parents as they are greedily eating the spirit food.
“そういうのは、ちょっと{困|こま}ります。”
Often used during house meetings when one member's behavior (like not doing dishes) affects others.
“{答|こた}えは{知|し}っている、でも{困|こま}っている。”
Lyrics about being in a difficult emotional state regarding love.
आसानी से भ्रमित होने वाले
Both can mean 'difficult.'
Use 'muzukashii' for a hard task (like math); use 'komaru' for a situation that puts you in a bind.
English 'trouble' can sometimes overlap with physical pain.
Never use 'komaru' for physical pain. Use 'itai'.
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (10)
Yes, but it might sound a bit dramatic. For small things, '{困|こま}ったな' (Oh, that's a bother) is better.
usage contextsYes, but if you are the one who caused the trouble, you should apologize (Moushiwake arimasen) rather than just saying you are troubled.
cultural usage'Taihen' is an adjective for the situation ('This is tough!'), while 'komaru' is a verb for your reaction ('I'm in a bind!').
comparisonsYes, '{彼|かれ}は{困|こま}っています' (He is in trouble).
grammar mechanicsUse the negative: '{困|こま}っていません' or '{困|こま}らない'.
grammar mechanicsIt's more common for women and children, but men use it too in very casual, slightly playful contexts.
practical tipsNo, use 'onaka ga suita'. 'Komaru' is for when you have no food and no money to buy it.
common mistakesIt refers to a person or thing that is a constant source of trouble.
basic understandingYes, it's very common in emails and texts to express that a situation is difficult.
practical tipsSometimes, if the embarrassment puts you in a socially difficult spot, but 'hazukashii' is the direct word for embarrassment.
comparisons
