When you feel let down or disappointed, the Japanese adverb がっかり (gakkari) is the perfect word to express that emotion. It describes a state of feeling dejected or discouraged because something didn't turn out as you hoped.
You might use がっかり when a plan falls through, a result isn't what you expected, or even when someone disappoints you. It's a very common and useful word to convey a sense of sadness or dissatisfaction due to unfulfilled expectations. Remember, it's about a feeling of being let down.
がっかり in 30 Seconds
- Feeling sad when things don't go your way.
- Describes the feeling of being let down.
- Used for disappointment or dejection.
§ Understanding がっかり (gakkari)
If you're learning Japanese, you'll inevitably encounter situations where things don't go as planned. Maybe you failed a test, missed a train, or your favorite restaurant was closed. In these moments, you feel a certain way: disappointed. That's where the Japanese word がっかり (gakkari) comes in handy. It's an adverb that directly translates to 'disappointed' or 'dejected'. However, like many Japanese words, its usage has nuances that are important to grasp for natural communication.
- DEFINITION
- Disappointed; dejected; disheartened. It describes a feeling of letdown or sadness when expectations are not met or hopes are dashed.
The feeling of がっかり is often associated with a sense of loss or a strong contrast between what was expected and what actually happened. It's not typically used for major tragedies or deep, prolonged sorrow, but rather for everyday disappointments that are still impactful to the person experiencing them.
§ How to Use がっかり in Sentences
Since がっかり is an adverb, it typically modifies verbs or adjectives. It describes the *way* someone feels or the *state* of being disappointed. Here are the most common patterns you'll see:
- がっかりする (gakkari suru): This is the most common way to use がっかり as a verb, meaning 'to be disappointed' or 'to get disappointed'.
- がっかりさせる (gakkari saseru): This means 'to disappoint someone'.
- がっかりした (gakkari shita): The past tense, meaning 'was disappointed'.
- がっかりしている (gakkari shite iru): Means 'is disappointed' or 'feeling disappointed'.
Let's look at some practical examples to see these patterns in action.
テストの結果が悪くて、がっかりしました。
Translation hint: My test results were bad, so I was disappointed.
彼が来なくて、みんながっかりしています。
Translation hint: He didn't come, so everyone is disappointed.
期待していた映画が面白くなくて、ちょっとがっかりした。
Translation hint: The movie I was looking forward to wasn't interesting, so I was a little disappointed.
§ When to Use がっかり vs. Other Words for Sadness
Japanese has several words that express sadness or negative emotions, but がっかり has a specific nuance. It's crucial to distinguish it from words like 悲しい (kanashii - sad) or 残念 (zannen - regrettable).
- がっかり (gakkari)
- Focuses on the feeling of being let down or dejected when expectations aren't met. It's about a slump in spirit due to a specific outcome or event.
- 悲しい (kanashii)
- A more general term for sadness, grief, or sorrow. It can be used for deeper, more profound sadness, such as the loss of a loved one.
- 残念 (zannen)
- Expresses regret or pity. It often means 'too bad' or 'what a shame'. While it can overlap with disappointment, 残念 often carries a sense of 'it could have been better' rather than just a personal feeling of dejection.
For example, if your friend can't come to a party, you might say 「残念！」 (What a shame!) if you're expressing general regret. But if you were really hoping they would come and are personally feeling down about it, you'd use がっかりしました. The difference is subtle but important for sounding natural.
彼女に会えなくて、とてもがっかりした。
Translation hint: I couldn't meet her, and I was very disappointed.
友人が試験に落ちて、私もがっかりしました。
Translation hint: My friend failed the exam, and I was disappointed too.
How Formal Is It?
"その知らせを聞いて、彼は落胆した様子だった。 (Upon hearing the news, he seemed dejected.)"
"期待していた結果が出なくて、がっかりした。 (I was disappointed that I didn't get the results I expected.)"
"テストの点数が悪くて、がっくり来たよ。 (My test score was bad, so I was really down.)"
"おもちゃが壊れて、子どもはしょんぼりしていた。 (The toy broke, and the child looked sad.)"
"待ち合わせに遅刻されて、まじ萎えたわ。 (They were late for our meeting, I was totally deflated.)"
Difficulty Rating
short, common kanji/kana
short, common kanji/kana
short, common pronunciation
short, common pronunciation
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
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Examples by Level
試験に落ちて、がっかりしました。
I failed the exam and was disappointed.
プレゼントが期待外れで、がっかりした。
The gift was not what I expected, so I was disappointed.
約束がキャンセルされて、がっかりです。
My appointment was cancelled, I'm disappointed.
試合に負けて、選手たちはがっかりしていた。
The players were disappointed because they lost the game.
彼が来なくて、私はがっかりした。
He didn't come, and I was disappointed.
思ったより映画がおもしろくなくて、がっかりだった。
The movie wasn't as interesting as I thought, which was disappointing.
計画がうまくいかず、少しがっかりしている。
The plan didn't work out, so I'm a little disappointed.
彼女の態度にがっかりさせられた。
I was disappointed by her attitude.
試験に落ちて、がっかりした。
I failed the exam and was disappointed.
期待していた結果が出ず、がっかりしました。
The expected results didn't come out, and I was disappointed.
彼が約束を破ったので、がっかりした。
He broke his promise, so I was disappointed.
楽しみにしていた旅行が中止になり、がっかりです。
My eagerly anticipated trip was canceled, which is disappointing.
彼女の態度に少しがっかりした。
I was a little disappointed by her attitude.
プレゼントが期待外れで、がっかりした顔をしていた。
The gift was not what I expected, and I had a disappointed look on my face.
チームが負けて、ファンはがっかりしたに違いない。
The team lost, and the fans must have been disappointed.
こんなに一生懸命やったのに、結果が出なくてがっかりだ。
I worked so hard, but no results came out, which is disappointing.
試験に落ちて、がっかりした。
I was disappointed when I failed the exam.
期待していた映画がつまらなくて、がっかりした。
The movie I was looking forward to was boring, which was disappointing.
友達が約束を破って、がっかりした。
I was disappointed that my friend broke their promise.
プレゼントの中身が期待外れで、がっかりした。
I was disappointed that the gift was not what I expected.
彼の冷たい態度に、がっかりした。
I was disappointed by his cold attitude.
思ったより早く終わってしまって、がっかりした。
It ended sooner than I thought, which was disappointing.
優勝を逃して、チーム全員ががっかりした。
Missing out on the championship, the whole team was disappointed.
彼女の言葉にがっかりさせられた。
Her words disappointed me.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
試験に落ちてがっかりした。
I was disappointed because I failed the exam.
彼をがっかりさせたくない。
I don't want to disappoint him.
期待外れでがっかりした。
I was disappointed because it didn't meet my expectations.
結果を聞いてがっかりした。
I was disappointed to hear the results.
友達が来なくてがっかりした。
I was disappointed my friend didn't come.
がっかりさせないでください。
Please don't disappoint me.
がっかりした様子だった。
He looked disappointed.
こんなことになるなんてがっかりだ。
I'm disappointed that it turned out this way.
彼女はがっかりしてため息をついた。
She sighed with disappointment.
がっかりする必要はないよ。
There's no need to be disappointed.
Test Yourself 30 questions
Choose the best English meaning for がっかり。
がっかり means 'disappointed' or 'dejected'.
Which sentence uses がっかり correctly?
This sentence means 'I was disappointed looking at the test results.'
If you fail an exam, how might you feel? (Choose the best Japanese word)
がっかり expresses disappointment, which is a common feeling after failing an exam.
がっかり is used to express happiness.
がっかり expresses disappointment or dejection, not happiness.
You can use がっかり to describe feeling let down by something.
がっかり means to be disappointed or let down.
If your friend wins a prize, you would say 「がっかりした！」 (I'm disappointed!)
You would likely say 「おめでとう！」 (Congratulations!) or similar, not express disappointment.
This sentence means 'I was disappointed because I failed the exam.' The order should be 'Subject + reason + がっかりしました.'
This means 'He is disappointed because he lost the game.' The structure is similar: 'Subject + reason + がっかりしています.'
This translates to 'She was disappointed because there was no present.' The pattern is 'Subject + reason + がっかりしました.'
This sentence means 'I was disappointed because he didn't come.' The particle 'ので' indicates a reason.
This translates to 'It seems he failed the exam and is disappointed.' 'ようです' indicates conjecture.
This sentence means 'I was disappointed because the result was different from what I expected.'
The result she hoped for didn't happen.
His test scores were bad.
The trip was cancelled.
Read this aloud:
試験に落ちてがっかりしましたが、次こそは合格してみせます。
Focus: がっかり (gakkari)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
期待していた映画がつまらなくてがっかりした。
Focus: がっかりした (gakkari shita)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
せっかくの休日なのに雨が降ってがっかりだ。
Focus: がっかりだ (gakkari da)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'I was disappointed to hear that he failed the exam.' The natural order in Japanese places the subject and the cause of disappointment before the verb 'がっかりしました'.
This translates to 'It's no wonder you're disappointed, as you didn't get the results you expected.' The phrase '期待していた結果が' sets up the context, followed by the reason for disappointment and the concluding phrase '無理はない'.
This sentence means 'He was deeply disappointed by her betrayal.' The natural order is 'subject + cause + adverb + verb'.
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Summary
がっかり expresses disappointment or dejection when something doesn't meet expectations.
- Feeling sad when things don't go your way.
- Describes the feeling of being let down.
- Used for disappointment or dejection.
Example
試験の結果が悪くてがっかりしました。
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
More emotions words
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.
