“I miss you” is such a versatile expression in English. You can use it with friends, family, or a significant other. I wish we had this expression in Japanese! Unfortunately, there is no exact translation in Japanese. However, there are ways to say it with a similar nuance in Japanese. This guide will teach you the top 3 ways to say I miss you in Japanese.
How Do You Say “I Miss You” in Japanese?
In Japanese, saying “I miss you” is a little more difficult because you need to be more precise about your feelings.
When you miss someone, how do you feel? Do strong feelings of wanting to see them arise, or do you feel more lonely because of their absence? Or you might wish for that person to be somewhere close to you. The expression “I miss you” in Japanese will change depending on your feeling. Each of these words can be translated to “I miss you” in English, but the nuance and feeling of each are different.
1. ไผใใใ (Aitai): I Want to See You (Because I Miss You)
ไผใใใ(aitai) means “I want to see you.” While “I want to see you” is not exactly the same as “I miss you,” it invokes the same feeling when said in Japanese. You are expressing your desire to see someone that you miss. So this expression is often translated into “I miss you” in English.
ไผใใใ (aitai) is the tai-form of the verb ไผใ (au), which means “to see” or “to meet.”
This expression can be used with your friends, family, or significant other. When this is used with your friends or family, you are usually far away from the person you want to see for a period of time, so you miss seeing them.
However, when used among boyfriends/girlfriends, it doesn’t matter how long you haven’t seen each other or how far apart you are. Lovey-dovey couples may use this expression even if they saw each other a few minutes ago and will see each other again tomorrow.
Saying ไผใใใ (aitai) to someone lets them know that they have a special place in your heart. So you may need to be careful when using this phrase with the opposite sex. Saying this to someone can imply you have romantic or “special” feelings for them.
The past form of ไผใใใ (aitai) is ไผใใใใฃใ (aitakatta). When you use the present form, ไผใใใ (aitai), you express your desire to see someone, but you haven’t met them yet. In comparison, the past form ไผใใใใฃใ (aitakatta) is used at the moment when you meet that special someone. Imagine meeting that special someone at the airport, running to embrace them, and saying “I missed you” while hugging them.
Example 1:
Here is a telephone conversation between friends:
้ฝๅญ: ๆ่ฟใฉใใใฆใ๏ผ
Yลko: (Saikin dลshiteru?)
Yoko: Whatโs new?
่ฉฉ็น: ไฝใๅคใใใชใ็ๆดปใ ใใไปไบใไปไบใฎๆฏๆฅใใใฃใกใฏ๏ผ
Shiori: (Nani mo kawari nai seikatsu dayo. Shigoto, shigoto no mainichi. Socchi wa?)
Shiori: Nothing new at all. Every day is work, work. What about you?
้ฝๅญ: ใใผใใใใฃใกใๅคใใใชใใใชใๅผใฃ่ถใใงใฉใฎใใใ็ตใค๏ผใชใใไผใใใใช๏ฝใ
Yลko: (ลชn, kocchi mo kawaranai kana. Hikkoshite dono kurai tatsu? Nanka aitai nฤ.)
Yoko: Wellโฆthereโs nothing new going on with me either. How long has it been since you moved out? I want to see you (because I miss you).
่ฉฉ็น: ใกใใใฉ1ๅนดใใปใใจใไผใใใใไผใฃใฆ่ฒใ
่ฉฑใใใใ
Shiori: (Chลdo ichinen. Honto, aitai. Atte iroiro hanashitai.)
Shiori: It’s been exactly one year. I really miss you. I want to see you and talk about a lot of things with you.
Example 2:
A telephone conversation between a lovey-dovey couple who just started dating.
่ฏๅคช: ใฉใใใใฎใใใใชๅคไธญใซใ
Ryota: (Dลshita no? Konna yonaka ni.)
Ryota: What’s wrong? It’s the middle of the night.
็พ็ฉ: ใใใใกใใฃใจๅฃฐใ่ใใใใชใฃใฆใ
Miho: (Un, chotto koe ga kikitaku natte.)
Miho: Nothing, I just wanted to hear your voice.
่ฏๅคช: ใใฃใใๅฎใฏไฟบใใใๆใฃใฆใใ
Ryลta: (Sokka. Jitsu wa ore mo sล omotteta.)
Ryota: I see. Actually, I was thinking the same.
็พ็ฉ: ไผใใใใชใๆจๆฅไผใฃใใฐใใใชใฎใซใใใไผใใใใ
Miho: (Aitai na. Kinล atta bakari nanoni, mล aitai.)
Miho: I miss you. I just saw you yesterday, but I already miss you.
่ฏๅคช: ใใใไฟบใๆฉใไผใใใใ
Ryลta: (Un, ore mo hayaku aitai.)
Ryota: Me too. I miss you (and want to see you soon).
Example 3: Past Tense – ไผใใใใฃใ (Aitakatta)
Here is a conversation at an airport. Midori came to pick up her friend, Sanae.
็ท: ๅบใฆใใใๅบใฆใใ! ๆฉ่ใใใฃใกใใฃใกใ
Midori: (Dete kita, dete kita. Sanae, kocchi!)
Midori: She just came out. Sanae, over here!
ๆฉ่: ใใผใใใใใ่ฟใใซๆฅใฆใใใใใ ๏ฝใ
Sanae: (ฤ, waza waza mukaeni kite kuretan da.)
Sanae: Wow, you came all this way to pick me up!
็ท: ใใฃใจไผใใใญ! ไผใใใใฃใใ๏ฝใ
Midori: (Yatto aeta ne! Aitakatta yล.)
Midori: We meet at last! I missed you.
ๆฉ่: ็งใไผใใใใฃใใ๏ฝใไผใใฆใใใใใๆฅใฆใใใฆใใใใจใใ
Sanae: (Watashi mo aitakatta yล. Aete ureshii. Kite kurete arigatล.)
Sanae: I missed you too. I am happy to see you. Thank you for coming.
Using Adverbs With ไผใใใ (Aitai): When you REALLY Miss Somone
You can add ใใใ (sugoku) or ใใฃใกใ (meccha)* to make your feelings stronger. Both ใใใ and ใใฃใกใ mean “a lot,” “so much,” or “really” (as in “I really want to see you”).
In the Present Tense:
ใใใไผใใใใ
(Sugoku aitai.)
I want to see you so bad. (I miss you so much)
ใใฃใกใ*ไผใใใใ
(Meccha aitai.)
I really want to see you. (I really miss you)
In the Past Tense:
1. ใใใไผใใใใฃใใ
(Sugoku aitakatta.)
I really wanted to see you. (I really missed you)
2. ใใฃใกใไผใใใใฃใใ
(Meccha aitakatta.)
I really wanted to see you. (I missed you so much)
*Note: ใใฃใกใ (meccha) is a casual word, so you shouldn’t use it in formal or business settings or when you talk to someone older than you.
ไผใใฆ (Aete): The Potential Te-Form
ไผใใ (aeru) is the potential form of the verb ไผใ (au). ไผใใ (aeru) translates to “I can meet/see you” (I am physically able/available to meet you). However, it is almost always used in the past tense form – ไผใใ (aeta) or the te-form – ไผใใฆ (aete) when talking about someone you miss.
The past tense form, ไผใใ (aeta), is usually used with the adverb ใใฃใจ (yatto), which means “finally” or “at last.” The phrase ใใฃใจไผใใ (yatto aeta) has a meaning of “At last we were able to meet” or “I finally got to see you.”
The te-form is combined with adjectives to say how you feel about finally being able to meet someone.
Examples:
1. ไผใใฆใใใใใ
(Aete ureshii.)
I’m happy we could see each other (because I’ve missed you).
2. ไผใใชใใฆๅฏใใ**ใ
(Aenakute sabishii/samishii.)
I feel lonely because I can’t see you (so I am missing you).
**Note: ไผใใชใใฆ (aenakute) is a negative form of this verb, meaning “because I couldn’t see you.” The meaning of ๅฏใใ (sabishii/samishii) means “lonely” but can also be used to mean “I miss you” in Japanese. We’ll talk about this word in the next section of this article.
ไผใใใ (Aetara): Potential Tara-Form
The tara-form in Japanese is a conditional form that can mean either “if” (If I can meet you) or “when” (When I meet you). ไผใใใ (aetara) is the potential tara-form which means “if I am able to meet you.” Let’s take a look at how it is used.
Examples:
1. ไผใใใใใใใใ
(Aetara ureshii.)
I would be happy if I could see you.
2. ไผใใชใใฃใใๆฒใใใ
(Aenakattara kanashii.)
I would be sad if I couldn’t see you.
ไผใใชใใฃใใ (aenakattara) is the negative form that means “if I am unable to see you.”
Ways to Express Stronger Feelings: I REALLY Miss You!
ใใพใใชใ (tamaranai) is a useful word to know. It means “unbearable,” or โI can’t take it.” When combined with the tai-form of verbs in the te-form, it means “I’m dying to do~” or “I just can’t wait to ~.”
Present Tense:
ไผใใใใฆใใพใใชใใ
(Aitakute tamaranai.)
I’m dying to see you.
Past Tense:
ไผใใใใฆใใพใใชใใฃใใ
(Aitakute tamaranakatta.)
I was dying to see you.
To sound more casual, you can change the ใใพใใชใ (tamaranai) to ใใพใใชใ (taman-nai).
ใใพใใชใ (tamaranai) and ใใพใใชใ (taman-nai) have the same meaning, but the latter sounds more natural in casual conversations (with friends, family, or people you have a close relationship with).
Present Tense:
ไผใใใใฆใใพใใชใใ
(Aitakute taman-nai.)
Iโm dying to see you.
Past Tense:
ไผใใใใฆใใพใใชใใฃใใ
(Aitakute taman-nakatta.)
I was dying to see you.
2. ๅฏใใ (Samishii / Sabishii): I’m LonelyโฆI Miss You
This word can either be pronounced as “ใใณใใ (sabishii)” or “ใใฟใใ (samishii).” They both mean “to feel lonely.” However, this also gives off the nuance of “I miss you.” “I feel lonely without you.”
ใใณใใ/ใใฟใใ (sabishii / samishii) is often used with other verbs to explain why you feel lonely.
For Example:
ไผใใชใใฆใใณใใ/ใใฟใใใ
(Aenakute sabishii/samishii).
I feel lonely because I can’t see you.
This expression can be used with your friends, family, or significant other. Like the expression ไผใใใ (aitai), saying this to someone implies that they are someone special in your life (since you are saying you feel sad or lonely without them). So be careful using this phrase lightly. Saying it to someone can imply you like them more than a friend.
The past tense of ใใณใใ/ใใฟใใ (sabishii / samishii) is ใใณใใใฃใ or ใใฟใใใฃใ (sabishikatta / samishikatta). This past tense version means “I missed you.”
ใใณใใ/ใใฟใใ can also imply that you are lonely in general (you don’t miss anyone in particular). Because of this, it is better to specify a reason why you feel lonely or why you miss someone to make things clear.
Examples:
ใใชใใใใชใใฆใใณใใใฃใ / ใใฟใใใฃใใ
(Anata ga inakute sabishikatta / samishikatta).
I was lonely because you were not here.
Example Dialogue 1:
A conversation between friends who live far from each other.
้ฝๅญ: ๆตทๅคใงใฎ็ๆดปใซใฏๆ
ฃใใ๏ผ
Yลko: (Kaigai deno seikatsu niwa nareta?)
Yoko: Have you gotten used to living abroad?
่ฉฉ็น: ใใผใใใพใ ๆ
ฃใใชใใใชใ
Shiori: (ลชn, mada narenai kana.)
Shiori: Wellโฆnot yet (getting used to).
้ฝๅญ: ไฝใไธ็ชๅคงๅค๏ผ
Yลko: (Nani ga ichiban taihen?)
Yoko: What’s the hardest thing (to get used to)?
่ฉฉ็น: ใใฃใฑใใๆฅๆฌใซใใๅ้ใจไผใใชใใฆๅฏใใๆฐๆใกใๅผทใใใชใ
Shiori: (Yappari, Nihon ni iru tomodachi to aenakute sabishii kimochi ga tsuyoi kana.)
Shiori: As I expected, I miss seeing my friends in Japan (I feel pretty lonely).
้ฝๅญ: ็งใใกใ่ฉฉ็นใใใชใใฆๅฏใใใใๆฉใๅธฐใฃใฆใใฆใ
Yลko: (Watashitachi mo Shiori ga inakute sabishii yo. Hayaku kaette kite.)
Yoko: We miss you too. Come back soon.
Example Dialogue 2:
A conversation between work colleagues about their boss.
ๆ: ็ข้ใใใไปๆฅใใพใๅบๅคใใฆใชใใญใ
Nozomi: (Yano san, kyล mo mata shukkin shitenai ne.)
Nozomi: Mr. Yano (boss) didn’t come to work today, either.
ๆญฃ: ็
ๆฐใใใใใ้ทๆใงไผใใฃใฆใ
Tadashi: (Byลki rashii yo. Chลki de yasumu tte.)
Tadashi: I heard that he is sick. It seems he’s gonna be away for a while.
ๆ: ใใผใใใใชใใ ใ็ข้ใใใฃใฆๅฃใใใใใใใใฃใคใใ ใซใคใใฆใใใ ใใฉใใใชใใจๅฏใใใใใ ใญใ
Nozomi: (ฤ, sล nanda. Yano san tte kuchiurusai kara ittsumo mukatsuitetan dakedo, inai to samishii mon da ne.)
Nozomi: Really? I was always annoyed by him because he is so annoying, but now that he’s gone, I miss him being around.
ๆญฃ: ใปใใจใใใใจใใฏใใฃใจใใใใฃใใฎใซใใใชใใชใใจๅฏใใใฃใฆไธๆ่ญฐใ ใญใ
Tadashi: (Honto, iru toki wa uttลshikatta noni, inakunaru to samishiitte fushigi dane.)
Tadashi: That’s true. Even though he annoys us when he’s here, it’s lonely without him. Itโs so weirdโฆ
ๆ: ็
ๆฐใๆฉใ่ฏใใชใใจใใใญใ
Nozomi: (Byลki hayaku yoku naru to ii ne.)
Nozomi: I hope he gets well soon.
3. ใใใซใใฆใใใใใใใฎใซ (Koko Ni Ite Kuretara Ii Noni): I Wish You Could Be Here With MeโฆI Miss You
ใใใซใใฆใใใใใใใฎใซ (Koko ni ite kuretara ii noni) or ใใใซใใใใใใฎใซ (Koko ni itara ii noni) could be translated to “It would be nice if you were here” or “I wish you could be here with me.” This can also have a nuance of “I miss you.”
Like the other expressions we’ve already covered, this can also be used with your friends, family, or significant other.
Here, the “๏ฝใใ (tara) ๏ฝใฎใซ (noni)” form is used to express something you wish would happen. ใใ (ii) means “good” or “nice.” So ๏ฝใใใใใฎใซ (tara ii noni) means “It would be nice if ๏ฝ.”
Examples:
Here is a conversation between a married couple over their daughter, who is currently traveling overseas.
็พ็ด: ็พๆใๅ
ๆฐใใช?
Miki: (Mitsuki, genki kana?)
Miki: How is Mitsuki doing?
ๆญฆๅคซ: ๅ
ๆฐใ ใใไน
ใใถใใฎๆตทๅคๆ
่กใง็พฝใไผธใฐใใฆใใใ
Takeo: (Genki da yo. Hisashiburi no kaigai ryokล de hane o nobashiteru yo.)
Takeo: She is doing well. It’s been a while since she’s traveled, so she is living it up.
็พ็ด: ใใใญใใงใไปๆฅใฎๅค้ฃใฏ็พๆใฎๅฅฝใใชใใณใใผใฐใชใฎใใญใใใผใใใใใซใใใใใใฎใซใญใ
Miki: (Sล ne. Demo kyล no yลซshoku wa Mitsuki no suki na hanbฤgu na no yo ne. Aa, koko ni itara ii noni ne.)
Miki: I guess so. But today’s dinner is her favorite, hamburger steak. Ah, I wish she was here with us.
ๆญฆๅคซ: ใพใใพใใใใใซๅธฐใฃใฆใใใใๅใๅญ้ขใใใชใใจใชใ
Takeo: (Mฤmฤ, sugu ni kaette kuru yo. Kimi mo kobanare shinaito na.)
Takeo: Well, she’ll be back soon. You have to let her live her own life.
Casual Versions of This Pattern
Here are more casual ways you can use this pattern. Because the following expressions are casual, you would only use them with people you are close to like family, friends, or significant others.
ใใใซใใฆใใใใใช / ใญใ
(Koko ni ite kuretara na / ne.)
I wish you were here.
ใใใซใใใใช / ใญใ
(Koko ni itara na / ne.).
Wish you were here.
Past Tense: ใใใซใใฆใใใใใใใฃใใฎใซ (Koko Ni Ite Kuretara Yokatta Noni)
ใใใซใใฆใใใใใใใฃใใฎใซใ
(Koko ni ite kuretara yokatta noni.)
It would have been great if you were here.
Above is the past tense version of the sentence “ใใใซใใฆใใใใใใใฎใซ (Koko ni ite kuretara ii noni).” Either sentence could be used to mean, “I miss you.”
To make this phrase more casual, you can shorten it to:
ใใใซใใใใใใฃใใฎใซใ
(Koko ni itara yokatta noni.)
It would have been great if you were here.
ใใณใใ (Sabishii) or ใใฟใใ (Samishii)? Which Pronunciation is Correct?
You may hear people pronouncing both “sabishii” and “samishii. ” Both are correct, although originally the kanji was only read as “sabishii” until the Edo era.
As time went by, “samishii” started to be used together with “sabishii.” Now both pronunciations are widely accepted. But in a formal setting like a speech or a newspaper article, “sabishii” is considered formal and is more commonly used.
ๅฏใใ (Sabishii) vs ๆทใใ (Sabishii)? What’s the Difference Between These Two Kanji?
There are two different kanji for these adjectives, and the meanings can be slightly different depending on which kanji is used. In any case, the pronunciations are the same for these two kanji. This means that it can be challenging to know which word is being referenced in spoken conversations. These different kanji characters are only useful when you read books or write messages/letters.
- The kanji “ๆทใใ (sabishii / samishii)” is more focused on your state of mind or feelings of loneliness.
- In contrast, “ๅฏใใ (sabishii / samishii)” can be more objective. In addition to talking about emotions, it can describe things like a lonely place or atmosphere. When used to describe a place or ambiance, ๅฏใใ should only be pronounced as ใใณใใ (sabishii). Here are some examples.
Examples:
1. ใใใฏๅฏใใๅ ดๆใ ใ
(Koko wa sabishii basho da.)
This place looks deserted (no one seems to be here).
2. ๅฏใใๅค้ใๆญฉใใ
(Sabishii yomichi o aruku.)
Walking on a lonely road at night.