How to say "busy" in Japanese
"Busy" in Japanese is 忙しい (isogashii). It describes people and schedules. For a busy, crowded place, Japanese uses a different word.
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Ways to say "busy" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| 忙しいいそがしい · isogashii | Busy (a person or a schedule). The standard word. |
| お忙しいところおいそがしいところ · o-isogashii tokoro | Polite phrase: "while you are busy." Used when asking a favor at work. |
| 多忙たぼう · tabō | Very busy. Formal and written, common in business emails. |
| にぎやかにぎやか · nigiyaka | Busy and lively (a place full of people). |
| 混んでいるこんでいる · konde iru | Crowded (a train, a store, a road). |
How to use it
忙しい is an i-adjective. The past tense is 忙しかった (isogashikatta, was busy), and the negative is 忙しくない (isogashikunai, not busy).
Japanese uses different words for a busy person and a busy place. A busy street is にぎやかな通り (nigiyaka na tōri), and a crowded train is 混んでいる電車 (konde iru densha).
At work, お忙しいところすみません (o-isogashii tokoro sumimasen), "Sorry to bother you while you're busy," is a common way to start a request.
Example sentences
- 今週はとても忙しいです。Konshū wa totemo isogashii desu.I'm very busy this week.
- お忙しいところすみません。少しよろしいですか。O-isogashii tokoro sumimasen. Sukoshi yoroshii desu ka.Sorry to bother you while you're busy. Do you have a moment?
- 昨日は忙しくて、メールを読めませんでした。Kinō wa isogashikute, mēru o yomemasen deshita.I was busy yesterday, so I couldn't read my email.
- 年末は仕事が忙しくなります。Nenmatsu wa shigoto ga isogashiku narimasu.Work gets busy at the end of the year.
- 朝の電車はとても混んでいます。Asa no densha wa totemo konde imasu.The morning trains are very crowded.
- この通りは夜もにぎやかです。Kono tōri wa yoru mo nigiyaka desu.This street is busy even at night.
Questions
How do you say "Are you busy?" in Japanese?
Say 今、忙しいですか (ima, isogashii desu ka). To a manager or client, a softer question is 今、少しよろしいですか (ima, sukoshi yoroshii desu ka), "Do you have a moment?"
Can 忙しい describe a busy place?
Usually not. For a lively place, use にぎやか (nigiyaka). For a crowded train or store, use 混んでいる (konde iru).
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