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A2 noun 3 min de leitura

さかな

sakana

When you're just starting out in Japanese, learning essential nouns like "さかな" (fish) is really useful. "さかな" is a common word you'll hear in many everyday situations, especially when talking about food. It refers to fish in general, whether you're thinking about a living fish in the sea or fish prepared for eating. This word is important for building your basic vocabulary.

Pratique

§ What さかな means and when to use it

The Japanese word さかな (sakana) directly translates to 'fish' in English. It's a fundamental noun in Japanese, and you'll encounter it frequently, especially in conversations about food, animals, or even in metaphorical expressions. Think of it as the general term for any type of fish, much like how 'fish' is used in English. It covers everything from a tiny goldfish to a large tuna.

You use さかな when you're talking about fish as an animal, whether it's living in the ocean, a river, or even in an aquarium. It's also the go-to word when you're referring to fish as a food item. Given Japan's strong culinary tradition involving seafood, さかな is a very common word to hear and use. It's an A2 level vocabulary word, meaning it's something you should learn relatively early in your Japanese studies.

DEFINITION: さかな (sakana) means 'fish.' It refers to both the living animal and fish as a food source.

Let's look at some examples to see how さかな is used in different contexts. Notice how it can be singular or plural, just like 'fish' in English.

これはさかなです。(Kore wa sakana desu.)

Translation hint: This is a fish.

さかなを食べます。(Sakana o tabemasu.)

Translation hint: I eat fish.

You'll often hear さかな in conjunction with verbs like 食べる (taberu - to eat), 釣る (tsuru - to fish/catch fish), or 飼う (kau - to keep/raise an animal). It's a versatile word that forms the basis for many other phrases related to marine life and cuisine.

When you go to a restaurant in Japan, especially a sushi restaurant (寿司屋 - sushi-ya) or an izakaya (居酒屋 - Japanese style pub), you will definitely hear and see さかな. Many dishes are centered around fish. For example, if you ask for 'today's special fish,' you might say 今日のさかな (kyō no sakana). It's a simple, direct word that gets the point across.

It's also important to note that while さかな is the general term, there are many specific words for different types of fish, like マグロ (maguro - tuna) or サケ (sake - salmon). However, if you don't know the specific name, さかな is always a safe and understandable option. Think of it like saying 'fruit' versus 'apple' or 'banana' in English. 'Fruit' is general, 'apple' is specific. さかな is the 'fruit' equivalent for fish.

USAGE NOTE: さかな is often used with the honorific prefix お (o-), becoming おさかな (osakana), especially when speaking politely or to children. This doesn't change the meaning, just adds a touch of politeness or endearment.

おさかなは好きですか？ (Osakana wa suki desu ka?)

Translation hint: Do you like fish? (Polite/softer tone)

In summary, さかな is your basic, essential word for 'fish' in Japanese. Use it to talk about fish as an animal, fish as food, or in general contexts. It's a simple word that carries a lot of weight in everyday Japanese conversation, especially if you're interested in Japanese cuisine or nature.

Pratique na vida real

Contextos reais

At a restaurant

さかなをたべますか？ (Do you eat fish?)
このさかなはおいしいです。(This fish is delicious.)
さかなりょうりはどれですか？ (Which dishes are fish dishes?)

At the market/supermarket

どんなさかながありますか？ (What kind of fish do you have?)
このさかなはしんせんですか？ (Is this fish fresh?)
さかなをかいたいです。(I want to buy fish.)

Talking about food preferences

さかながすきですか？ (Do you like fish?)
さかなはあまりたべません。(I don't eat much fish.)
よくさかなをたべます。(I often eat fish.)

Talking about animals/sea life

さかながたくさんいます。(There are many fish.)
あのさかなはきれいです。(That fish is beautiful.)
さかなはみずのなかにいます。(Fish are in the water.)

Cooking

さかなをやく。(To grill/bake fish.)
さかなをきる。(To cut fish.)
さかなりょうりをつくる。(To make a fish dish.)

Iniciadores de conversa

"さかなはよくたべますか？ (Do you often eat fish?)"

"いちばんすきなさかなはなんですか？ (What's your favorite fish?)"

"さかなりょうりはすきですか？ (Do you like fish dishes?)"

"きらいなさかなはありますか？ (Is there any fish you don't like?)"

"さかなをつったことがありますか？ (Have you ever caught a fish?)"

Temas para diário

あなたがすきなさかなのりょうりについてかいてください。(Write about your favorite fish dish.)

さいきんたべたさかなについてかいてください。(Write about fish you've eaten recently.)

さかなをたべることについてどうおもいますか？ (What do you think about eating fish?)

もしさかなになったら、どこにいきたいですか？ (If you became a fish, where would you want to go?)

こどものとき、さかなについての思い出はありますか？ (Do you have any memories about fish from when you were a child?)