N4 · 40 words

Feelings

Being happy, sad, lonely, worried, relieved, angry and surprised.

Adjectives of feeling such as 嬉(うれ)しい and 悲(かな)しい state the speaker's own feelings. For someone else, Japanese adds a step back — 嬉(うれ)しそうです, "she looks happy" — because nobody can state from outside what another person feels. Several feelings are verbs where English uses an adjective: 驚(おどろ)くis "to be surprised"困(こま)る"to be at a loss" — and for something that has just happened they stand in the past: 驚(おどろ)きました, "I was surprised".

The words

Verb (14)

怒(おこ)るto get angry; to tell offVerbN4

弟(おとうと)が私(わたし)のケーキを食(た)べたので、怒(おこ)りました。My little brother ate my cake, so I got angry.

In the passive it means being told off: 先生(せんせい)に怒(おこ)られました.

驚(おどろ)くto be surprisedVerbN4

そのニュースを見(み)て驚(おどろ)きました。I was surprised when I saw the news.

喜(よろこ)ぶto be delighted; to be pleasedVerbN4

祖父(そふ)はプレゼントをとても喜(よろこ)びました。My grandfather was delighted with the present.

Describes how someone visibly reacts; about yourself, 嬉(うれ)しい is more natural.

泣(な)くto cryVerbN4

赤(あか)ちゃんが夜中(よなか)に泣(な)いています。The baby is crying in the middle of the night.

笑(わら)うto laugh; to smileVerbN4

友達(ともだち)の話(はなし)を聞(き)いて、みんな笑(わら)いました。Everyone laughed at my friend's story.

困(こま)るto be at a loss; to be in troubleVerbN4

財布(さいふ)をなくして困(こま)っています。I've lost my wallet and I don't know what to do.

嫌(いや)がるto be unwilling; to hate (doing)VerbN3

弟(おとうと)は歯医者(はいしゃ)に行(い)くのを嫌(いや)がっています。My little brother does not want to go to the dentist.

Describes someone else's reluctance; for your own, use 嫌(いや).

感(かん)じるto feelVerbN4

一人(ひとり)で暮(く)らしてみて、初(はじ)めて寂(さび)しさを感(かん)じました。Living on my own, I felt loneliness for the first time.

落(お)ち込(こ)むto feel downVerbN3

試験(しけん)に落(お)ちて、落(お)ち込(こ)んでいます。I failed the exam and I am feeling low.

叱(しか)るto scold; to tell offVerbN4

先生(せんせい)は遅(おく)れてきた学生(がくせい)を叱(しか)りました。The teacher told off the student who came late.

Scolding in order to correct; 怒(おこ)る is the anger itself.

悩(なや)むto agonise; to be troubledVerbN3

将来(しょうらい)の仕事(しごと)のことで悩(なや)んでいます。I am agonising over what job to do in future.

許(ゆる)すto forgive; to allowVerbN4

何度(なんど)も謝(あやま)ったので、彼(かれ)を許(ゆる)しました。He apologised again and again, so I forgave him.

信(しん)じるto believe; to trustVerbN3

私(わたし)はあなたを信(しん)じています。I believe in you.

照(て)れるto feel shy; to be bashfulVerbN3

みんなの前(まえ)で褒(ほ)められて、照(て)れてしまいました。I was praised in front of everyone and felt bashful.

Noun (10)

心配(しんぱい)worry; concernNounN4

母(はは)はいつも私(わたし)のことを心配(しんぱい)しています。My mother is always worrying about me.

Also a verb, 心配(しんぱい)する, and a na-adjective.

安心(あんしん)relief; peace of mindNounN4

子供(こども)たちが無事(ぶじ)に着(つ)いて、安心(あんしん)しました。I was relieved that the children arrived safely.

Also a verb, 安心(あんしん)する, and a na-adjective.

楽(たの)しみsomething to look forward to; pleasureNounN4

来月(らいげつ)の旅行(りょこう)が楽(たの)しみです。I'm looking forward to next month's trip.

楽(たの)しみにしています is the usual "I am looking forward to it".

気持(きも)ちfeeling; moodNounN4

手紙(てがみ)に感謝(かんしゃ)の気持(きも)ちを書(か)きました。I put my thanks into a letter.

心(こころ)heart; mindNounN4

その言葉(ことば)は今(いま)も心(こころ)に残(のこ)っています。Those words have stayed with me ever since.

涙(なみだ)tearsNounN3

その映画(えいが)を見(み)て、涙(なみだ)が出(で)ました。The film brought tears to my eyes.

緊張(きんちょう)nervousness; tensionNounN3

面接(めんせつ)の前(まえ)はとても緊張(きんちょう)します。I get very nervous before an interview.

Also a verb: 緊張(きんちょう)する.

興味(きょうみ)interestNounN4

日本(にほん)の歴史(れきし)に興味(きょうみ)があります。I am interested in Japanese history.

The pattern is 〜に興味(きょうみ)がある: literally, interest "exists" towards something.

感謝(かんしゃ)gratitude; thanksNounN3

手伝(てつだ)ってくれた皆(みな)さんに感謝(かんしゃ)しています。I am grateful to everyone who helped.

Also a verb: 感謝(かんしゃ)する.

夢(ゆめ)dreamNounN4

子供(こども)のころの夢(ゆめ)は医者(いしゃ)になることでした。My childhood dream was to become a doctor.

A dream in sleep is something you see: 夢(ゆめ)を見(み)る.

i-adjective (7)

嬉(うれ)しいhappy; gladi-adjectiveN4

友達(ともだち)から手紙(てがみ)が来(き)て、嬉(うれ)しかったです。I was glad to get a letter from a friend.

Often written in kana: うれしい.

悲(かな)しいsadi-adjectiveN4

この映画(えいが)は最後(さいご)がとても悲(かな)しいです。The ending of this film is very sad.

寂(さび)しいlonely; missing someonei-adjectiveN4

家族(かぞく)に会(あ)えなくて寂(さび)しいです。I feel lonely because I cannot see my family.

怖(こわ)いfrightening; afraidi-adjectiveN4

夜(よる)の山道(やまみち)は怖(こわ)いです。Mountain roads at night are frightening.

Means both "frightening" and "I am frightened"; the sentence decides which.

恋(こい)しいmissed; longed fori-adjectiveN3

冬(ふゆ)になると、国(くに)の料理(りょうり)が恋(こい)しくなります。When winter comes, I start to miss the food from home.

What is missed is the subject: 家族(かぞく)が恋(こい)しい, "I miss my family".

ひどいcruel; terriblei-adjectiveN4

そんなことを言(い)うなんて、ひどいです。It's cruel of you to say such a thing.

Also "severe": ひどい雨(あめ), a terrible downpour.

つらいpainful; hard to beari-adjectiveN3

家族(かぞく)と離(はな)れて暮(く)らすのはつらいです。It is hard living apart from my family.

Also written 辛(つら)い — the same kanji as 辛(から)い, "spicy".

Adverb (3)

びっくりsurprised; startledAdverbN4

急(きゅう)に大(おお)きな音(おと)がして、びっくりしました。There was a sudden loud noise, and it made me jump.

Usually as a verb: びっくりする; more everyday than 驚(おどろ)く.

がっかりdisappointedAdverbN3

お店(みせ)が閉(し)まっていて、がっかりしました。I was disappointed that the shop was shut.

Usually as a verb: がっかりする.

ほっとrelieved; with a sigh of reliefAdverbN3

試験(しけん)が終(お)わって、ほっとしました。I was relieved when the exam was over.

Usually as a verb: ほっとする.

na-adjective (6)

残念(ざんねん)a pity; disappointingna-adjectiveN4

雨(あめ)で試合(しあい)がなくなって、残念(ざんねん)です。It's a pity the match was called off because of the rain.

嫌(いや)unpleasant; not wanting tona-adjectiveN4

雨(あめ)の日(ひ)は嫌(いや)ですね。Rainy days are horrible, aren't they?

More immediate than 嫌(きら)い, "to dislike": it is the feeling of not wanting something now.

幸(しあわ)せhappy (in life); happinessna-adjectiveN4

家族(かぞく)と一緒(いっしょ)にいるときが一番(いちばん)幸(しあわ)せです。I am happiest when I am with my family.

A lasting happiness; 嬉(うれ)しい is the gladness of a moment.

平気(へいき)unbothered; all rightna-adjectiveN3

一人(ひとり)でも平気(へいき)です。I'm fine on my own.

退屈(たいくつ)bored; boringna-adjectiveN3

雨(あめ)で外(そと)に出(で)られなくて、退屈(たいくつ)です。I can't go out because of the rain, and I'm bored.

かわいそうpitiful; poor thingna-adjectiveN4

雨(あめ)の中(なか)で犬(いぬ)が待(ま)っていて、かわいそうでした。The dog was waiting in the rain, and I felt sorry for it.

Not to be mixed up with かわいい, "cute".

This list belongs to People, family and feelings — nine lists and 361 words that can also be practised as a whole.

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