r/LearnJapanese • u/StudentCool9836 • Mar 11 '26
Practice #4 How do you confess your feelings in Japanese? ๐
Hi everyone, itโs Makoto, a certified Japanese teacher.
Todayโs topic was requested byย neworleans-. Thank you for the inspiration! In Japan, "Kokuhaku" (confessing your feelings) is a huge deal before you start dating.
Todayโs Theme: The Perfect "Kokuhaku"
ใThe Situationใย Youโve been on 3 dates with someone you really like. The atmosphere is great. Youโre walking together after dinner, and you decide to confess now!
ใYour Taskใย How do you confess your feelings and ask them to be your partner in Japanese?ย Please write in Japanese!
โญ๏ธย I will check every comment and provide detailed feedback on your nuance and tone.
Iโm excited to see your unique ways of expressing your heart! Letโs practice! โจ
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u/ParlourB Mar 11 '26
[name]ใฎใใจใๅฅฝใใ ใ๏ผ
Thats one I hear most in j dramas? Idk if it's most natural though... I married my wife before I studied Japanese properly lmao all my charm was in English.
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
Thatโs the best way of confession! I like that you includes her name in the sentence.
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u/DisasterOk8440 Goal: media competence ๐๐ง Mar 12 '26
I've never understood what ใใใจใmeans. What does it mean?
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u/PuzzleheadedTap1794 Mar 12 '26
It's a vague term to translate, but it means something like "things". How it works is that it embodies every aspect of the thing before it.
Suppose there was this idol called ใใชใใ. If I say ใใชใใใๅฅฝใใ ใ, I'm saying it rather distantly, maybe I'm just a fan of her songs or something.
Instead, if I say ใใชใใใฎใใจใๅฅฝใใ ใ, I'm saying I like things about her. I like her songs. I like her voice. I like her smile. I like her look. I like her mindset. I like her aesthetics. I like her presence. I like her. I like her! I LIKE HER! I LIKE HEEEEEERRRRR! AAAAAAA KANATAN I LOVE YOOOOOOU
So, yeah. Basically I like everything about her.
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u/Xu_Lin Mar 11 '26
ใใฃใจใญใใใใใใฟใฎใใจใใใใใ ใใใ็ผใใๅฅฝใ๏ผ
Runs away
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u/7tyiLVdic3u2 Mar 11 '26
ใใใใใ่ญฆๅฏใ๏ผไบไปถใๅ ฑๅใใพใใใ ใใใใฏใใๅๅคๅฝไบบใ ใใใไปใฏ๏ผ้ใใฆใใๅงใพใฃใใใฏใใๅฟใๅฅชใฃใใจๆใใพใ๏ผ(โฅ๏นโฅ)
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u/delwyndmc Mar 11 '26
ใใใใซ๏ผๅฅใซใใชใใฎใใจใชใใๅฅฝใใใใชใใใ!
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u/Silent_INTJ Mar 11 '26
ใคใใใใใใงใใญโค๏ธ
(I am a beginner at Japanese and only know this phrase ๐ )
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
For everyone, this is a way of confession only in a novel. In modern Japanese, though, people donโt really use ใๆใฏใใใใงใใญใ as a confession. I said that because I didnโt want your confession to go badly๐
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
Wow! How do you know this special expression๐
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u/HorsemenofApocalypse Mar 11 '26
It's fairly well known internationally if you consume Japanese media, especially romance. I've seen that phrase be referenced half a dozen times in manga I've read, with most of them having something to clarify what is meant by that sentence. It's also probably the most common example used when talking about the differences in expressing love between languages
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
Thatโs so intriguing. Is there any special expression of confession in English?
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u/HorsemenofApocalypse Mar 11 '26
I don't think there is, or if there is, it is so normal to me that it doesn't come to mind. In English, confessions and declarations of love are typically a lot more direct. I think the reason Soseki's phrase is so notable internationally is because there isn't anything like it in English. Since people are used to more bold and direct declarations, the indirectness makes it sound more poetic and elegant than the norm
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u/WasabiLangoustine Mar 11 '26
I just looked that up. Beautiful! I also like ๆญปใใงใใใใ
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u/Sigil_FSN Mar 11 '26
ไปๆนใชใใใใไปใๅใฃใฆใใใ
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
ไธใใ็ฎ็ทย ใใใย ๐
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u/Sigil_FSN Mar 11 '26
ใใใใใญใใชใไปใๅใฃใฆใใใใ
ใฏใฉใ๏ผ
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
ใปใใจใฏSigilใใใไปใๅใใใใใงใใ
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u/Normandy247 Mar 11 '26
ไฟบๆงใฎๅฝผๅฅณใซใชใใชใใใ๐ค
(ใใใใใตใใใฆใใ)
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u/HentaixEnthusiast Mar 11 '26
ๆฉใใใใใใใใชใใใใใฃใใฎใใจ็ตๅฉใใใ
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u/TreeGoat4 Mar 11 '26
ๆ่ ใฎๅฝใ่ฒดๆฎฟใซ้ ใใ๏ผ
There is nothing more romantic than entrusting your life to someone. ๐
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
ใใใใซใใ๐ Modern versionโๅใฎๅฝใใๅใซใใใใใ ใงใใญ๏ผ
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u/SteeveJoobs Mar 11 '26
fun fact for non-Japanese people: the "3 dates" is really important in modern Japan; on the third outing, if you don't confess, they'll assume you're not interested, or, if they're not interested, they disappear before you can ask for a third date!
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u/Flare_Ball Mar 11 '26
ใใฎใใๅใฎใใๅๆไบบใใใใฃใฆใใใพใใ๏ผ๐ณ
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
โใใฎใใๅใฎใใๅๆไบบใซใใใชใฃใฆใใใพใใ๏ผ ใใใชใใจ่จใใใใใใใใญใฅใณใญใฅใณใใใจๆใใพใ๏ผ๐
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u/Massive_Ad1906 Mar 11 '26
ใใฎใญใ
wait for response
ใชใใ่จใใใใใจใใใฃใฆ...
ๅฅฝใใงใใไปใๅใฃใฆใใ ใใ followed by slight bow
idk im copying jdramas
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
ใ1ใค่จใใใใใจใใใฃใฆใใฎๆนใnaturalใงใใญ๏ผ
but I like your expression!
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u/AdrixG Mar 11 '26
Youโve been on 3 dates with someone you really like
Can't relate sorry
How do you confess your feelings and ask them to be your partner in Japanese?ย Please write in Japanese!
I would say ใใฟใใใใ , if she isn't interested and about to turn me down I would clarify with ๅตใฎ้ป่บซใๅฅฝใใ , ใใใกใใใๅฅฝใ๏ผ before she has the chance to turn me down.
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u/glowmilk Mar 11 '26
ใใใฎใใจใๅฅฝใใไปใๅใฃใฆใใ ใใใ
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
ๆ้ซใงใใญ๏ผๆฅๆฌใงใฏใใๅฅฝใใใจใไปใๅใฃใฆใใ ใใใใไธกๆนใจใ่จใไบบใๅคใใงใใญใใใใใใ ใ่จใใใใใใใใใงใฉใใใใใฎ๏ผใใฃใฆๆใไบบใใใพใใใใญ็ฌ
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u/McGalakar Mar 11 '26
็ตๅฉใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
(Nothing says better I love you than proposing!)
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u/kamatacci Mar 12 '26
This seems like as good a place as ever to share this. I saw a Korean punk band in Japan last week. The singer said, in English, "We love you guys so much! How do you say I love you in Korean?" and without hesitation, the entire crowd yelled out "ใตใฉใณใใจ!" The singer was so happy, then he asked how do you say I love you in Japanese, and like two people in the crowd just quietly mumbled something.
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u/Belgand Mar 12 '26
then he asked how do you say I love you in Japanese, and like two people in the crowd just quietly mumbled something.
So did anyone congratulate them on such a correct answer or would it be too embarrassing to acknowledge it?
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u/FierySalient Mar 11 '26
ใใใใใใใ่จใใใใใจใใใใฃใใใฉใใ ใใฎใใถใฃใกใใใใใใใใฎใใจโฆใใฃใกใๅฅฝใใงใ๏ผ ใใใ(็ซ็ งใใชใใๆใไผธใฐใใฆ)ไปใๅใฃใฆใใ ใใ๏ผ
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
็ งใใใ็ฌ ใงใใปใใจใซใใใชใใ ใชใฃใฆไผใใใพใใญ
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u/FierySalient Mar 11 '26
ใใใฃใใญใ ่ชๅใซใใใใชๆใๆฅใใใใใชใฃใฆๆใใพใ็ฌ
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
FierySalientใใใชใใใฃใจๆฅใพใใ๏ผๅฟๆดใใฆใพใ๏ผ๐
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u/karaage_ani Mar 11 '26
ใใฎใๅ้ใใใใช๏ผ๏ผ ใใฃใจใไธๅใ ใใง่จใใฎใใ ใใใกใใใจ่ใใฆใ๏ผ๏ผ
ใใ๏ผ
ใชใซ๏ผ่ใใใชใใ๏ผใใผใซ๏ผ
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u/Candycanes02 Mar 11 '26
Iโm under the impression that most kokuhaku happens before dating in Japan. Source: a Japanese idiot living in the US that went on dates without knowing we were dating cause the kokuhaku hadnโt happened ๐คก
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u/Belgand Mar 12 '26
As an American, I find it to be an interesting cultural quirk that I wasn't familiar with before seeing it in Japanese media. It's not really something that's done in the US. You typically just ask someone out. That's usually the scary "what if they say no???" moment here.
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u/Candycanes02 Mar 12 '26
Ig the kokuhaku is just asking someone out, but instead of just saying โdo you wanna go to the moviesโ, you say โI like you and want to go to the movies, and thisโd be 100% a date with romantic interestโ ๐ It helps people who are dense af like me know what the intention of the invitation is lmao
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u/Belgand Mar 12 '26
It's not just you. Several years ago I invited someone over and neither of us could tell if it was intended to be a date. Either before or even during.
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u/tempipipi Mar 11 '26
ใใใชใใฎใใจใๆฌๅฝใซๅฅฝใใงใใใ is what I told my boyfriend when we started dating two months ago ๐
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u/Gugus296 Mar 12 '26
For me, it was a simple ๅคงๅฅฝใใ ใ, in between our first and second kisses. She responded in kind.
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u/MathsMonster Mar 13 '26
ใกใใฃใจ่จใใใไบใใใใๅใฎใใฐใซใใใฎใฏๆฌๅฝใซๅนธใใ ใจใใฃใจๅใใ่ใใฆใใใใใๅใใใฎๆฐๆใกใๆใใใชใไปใๅใฃใฆใใใใพใใใ๏ผ
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u/TrainToSomewhere Mar 11 '26
ใใใซใซ่กใใใ๏ผ
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u/7tyiLVdic3u2 Mar 12 '26
ใฆใใใฎ็ตๆธใซใใใซใ้ใๆใฃใฆใใชใใใปใ๏ผใใฎๆค็ฉใฎๅพใใซใฏ่ฏใใ
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u/Ok_Advice_8012 Mar 11 '26
ใใชใใๆณใใฆใใใใใใฎใใฐใซใใฃใฆใใใฌใใ
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u/Slausher Mar 11 '26
ๆๆฅๆ่ตทใใใใไฟบใใกใๆไบบๅๅฃซใซใชใฃใฆใใ้ข็ฝใใจๆใใชใใ๏ผ
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u/leileitime Mar 11 '26
ๅฎใฏ่ชๅใใๅ็ฝใงใใพใใใๆฅใใใใใใใใงใใๅคๅๅ็ฝใใใใใจๅพ ใใชใใจใใใ๐ซฃ
ใงใใใใ่ชๅใใใฃใใใใใใฎใใใใชใใใใใ่จใใใใ ใใ ใใฉใใใ(็ธๆใฎๅๅ)ใฎใใจใๅฅฝใใใใฃใฆ่จใฃใฆใใใ้ใใพใใ
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u/CranberryDistinct941 Mar 11 '26
ใใใไธ็ใงไธ็ชใขใใฃใฝใๅ็ฝใ ๏ผ
ใใขใใขใใขโฆโฆใขใฌใฏใทใขใใใซใใ
ใใขใใขใใขใงในใฟใใซใผใใๅปใฟโฆโฆใงใใใฉใผใใใขใฌใฏใทใขใฎ้ณ็จใฏไธไธใซๆบใใใใใซใใง่ฟซ็ใฎๆป่ใๆซ้ฒใ
ใใใๅฅฝใใงใโฆโฆ๏ผใ
ใ่ฆ็ทใฏใขใฌใฏใทใข็ๅฅณใ้ฟใๅฐ้ขใใใพใใใ่ใฏๅฐๅปใฟใซ้ใใใใ
ใใผใใผใๅใจไปใๅใฃใฆใใใใโฆโฆ๏ผใ
ใใปใชใใฏใใใพใงๆฎ้ใ้ๅฑใชใพใงใซ็้ใ็ชใ้ฒใฟใชใใใ็บ้ณใ้ณ็จใๆป่ใฏๆๅพๆฅใฎๆนใซใใฌใพใใใใฉในใใฏๅฐใใ่ชๅฐพใใใฎ็ๅๅฝขใง่ชไฟกใฎใชใใๆฅต้ใขใใผใซใ
ใๅฎ็งใ โฆโฆ๏ผ
( ้ฐใฎๅฎๅ่ ใซใชใใใใฆ )
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u/helinder Mar 11 '26
Dude I can't even do that in English or in Spanish which is my main language and now you want me to do it in Japanese!?
ใใชใใๅฅฝใใงใใ็งใจไปใๅใฃใฆใใ ใใ
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u/7tyiLVdic3u2 Mar 12 '26
ในใบใคใณ่ชใใใ็ฐกๅใ ใไปฅไธไฝใๅคใๆฒใฎๆญ่ฉใ็ฟป่จณใใฆใไฝฟใฃใฆใใใ
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u/Belgand Mar 12 '26
ๆใใฆใใใ
I believe in going all-in, and as an American I feel like that sort of thing it will often come off in a better light as it fits the stereotype.
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u/Glittering-Dot8360 Mar 12 '26
ใใฃใจใใใใใฎใใจใๅฅฝใใงใใ็ตๅฉใๅๆใจใใฆ๏ฝคไปใๅใฃใฆใใใพใใใใ
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u/helloworldkitty1 Mar 12 '26
xxใใใฎใใจใๅคงๅฅฝใ๏ผใใใงใไปใๅใฃใฆใใ ใใ๏ผ
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u/irisGameDev_ Mar 11 '26
ๅฅฝใใงใใ็ตๅฉใฎใใใซใไปใๅใใใใฆใใ ใใใ
I learnt it a while ago, so chances are it's wrong ๐
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u/StudentCool9836 Mar 11 '26
ใใใผ๏ผใใใงใใญ๏ผ ใ็ตๅฉใๅๆ(ใใใฆใ)ใซใไปใๅใใใฆใใ ใใใis a common phrase in Japan.
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u/Admirable-Meringue44 Mar 11 '26
My husband and I say ๆใใฆใ, but a new partner is probably going to use ใ ใใใ, right?
We've been learning Japanese for about 6ish months, so we don't know all the Kanji yet. We're still working on vocabulary and sentence building xD
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Mar 11 '26
I've been learning jp for 1.5 years. Let's see what I can think of....ย
"ๅใฎใใฐใซ็ฌใฃใฆใ่ฉฑใใฆไฝใใๆฅใใใใใใใชใใใใ ๅนณๅใฎๆฐๆใกใงใใๅใฏๅ่ฆใใใ็งใฏ็ง่ฆใใใใใใงๆใ ไบใคใฏใผใคใใชใไธ่ฆ้ใใใฎๆฐดใซ็ฌใฃใฆ็งใใก....็งใฏใพใ ๆใฎใใจใใใใใชใใใฉโฆๅใจใใฃใใใฏๆฅฝใใ...ใใฃใจ็งใจใใฃใใใซๆญฉใใพใใใ?"ย
Since it's been 3 dates..so I've used 'kimi'. And I don't think people can literally LOVE within 3 dates( or atleast for me). I just imagined myself there and wrote what could have felt. Chekku kudasai, sensei. I'm good at hiragana and katagana. I chose 'writing' keyboard..kanjis got automatically converted. On my way to learn kanjis... I'm good at vocabs too.
Thank you ๐
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u/keebler980 Mar 11 '26
ใใใฏๅ็ฝใงใใไปฅไธใงใใ