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Expressions

Common Japanese expressions grouped by pattern.

気 Expressions

to be curious about / to be on one's mind
That movie has been on my mind.
His words just keep bothering me.
I was curious about the new restaurant so I looked it up.
to worry about / to mind
Please don't worry about that.
You're worrying too much about what others think.
I'm the type to dwell on even small mistakes.
気になる is passive - something naturally catches your attention. 気にする is active - you choose to dwell on or worry about something.
to be careful / to watch out
Please watch your step.
There's a cold going around, so take care.
Watch how you speak.
to notice / to realize
I realized I had forgotten my wallet.
Before I knew it, it was the middle of the night.
She's someone who notices even the small details.
気がつく is about suddenly noticing something. 気をつける is about actively maintaining attention beforehand.
to have a feeling that / to feel like
I have a feeling it's going to rain.
I have a feeling we've met somewhere before.
I have a feeling it will work out.
to like / to take a liking to
I really took a liking to this café.
I'm glad they liked the gift.
This colour is my favourite.
to get along well / to click with someone
I clicked with her right away.
The two have different personalities but they get along well.
Travelling with friends you click with is the most fun.
to be considerate / to go out of one's way for others
Please don't go out of your way for me.
He is always considerate of those around him.
I get tired from being on edge in unfamiliar places.
to be motivated / to have drive
We are looking for motivated people.
I've been struggling lately because I have no motivation.
I finished it all at once when I was in the mood.
to feel like doing something / to be in the mood
Contact me whenever you feel like it.
I only cook when I feel like it.
You don't have to push yourself when you're not in the mood.
to be hasty / to jump ahead
Nothing has been decided yet - you're getting ahead of yourself.
It's too soon to celebrate when the results aren't even out yet.
He's always jumping ahead and thinking about the next thing.

〜がする (Perception)

to taste like / to have a flavor
This soup has a strange taste.
This cake tastes like vanilla.
After taking the medicine, there's a bitter taste in my mouth.
to smell like / to have a scent
I smell a nice coffee aroma.
I smell something burning - is everything okay?
There was a pleasant floral scent and it felt nice.
to make a sound / to hear a noise
There was a strange noise outside.
The floor is making a creaking sound.
My stomach growled and it was embarrassing.
to hear a voice
I can hear a voice from the next room.
I heard a voice calling my name so I turned around.
I woke up from a voice outside late at night.
音がする refers to any sound or noise. 声がする is specifically a human voice.
to have a premonition / to have a feeling something will happen
I have a bad feeling about this.
I have a feeling things will go well.
I feel like something is going to happen and I can't settle down.

Body & Physical State

to get hungry
I'm already hungry.
I'm really hungry because I didn't eat lunch.
I always get hungry after exercising.
to get thirsty
I get thirsty after exercising.
I got thirsty after eating spicy food.
I was thirsty so I drank a glass of water.
to wake up / to come to one's senses
I woke up from a loud noise.
Even after waking up in the morning I can't get up easily.
That one comment felt like a wake-up call.
Can also be used figuratively to mean a sudden realization or eye-opening moment.
to have a headache / to be troubled by something
This problem is a real headache.
My head has been hurting since yesterday so I took medicine.
Thinking about the budget gives me a headache.
Used both literally for a headache and figuratively for a troublesome situation.

Ability & Preference

to be good at / to be skilled in
He is good at cooking.
I'm not good at math.
It would be ideal to make a job out of what you're good at.
to be bad at / to be uncomfortable with
I'm not good at speaking in front of people.
I'm bad with bugs - just seeing them gives me goosebumps.
Getting up early doesn't suit me so every morning is a struggle.
苦手 is softer than 下手. 下手 means objectively unskilled; 苦手 implies discomfort or that something doesn't suit you.
to get used to / to become accustomed to
I've finally started getting used to the new job.
It took time to get used to life in Japan.
I just can't seem to get used to the cold.

Time & Effort

to take time
This task takes time.
It takes 30 minutes to walk to the station.
Getting good at it takes time, so don't rush.
to be time-consuming / to take effort
This dish takes a lot of effort, but it's delicious.
I tend to put off tasks that take a lot of effort.
Even if it takes effort, doing things carefully is important.
時間がかかる is about time. 手間がかかる is about effort and trouble involved, not just the time spent.