Learning Japanese: Say That You Feel Sick – JLPT N5 Conversational

This article focuses on learning conversational Japanese geared towards the JLPT N5 level. We’ll learn how to express feeling sick, asking for help, and understanding common responses – all in a way that’s practical for real-life situations.

Essential Phrases & Vocabulary

Let’s start with some crucial phrases you’ll need:

• あつい (atsui) – Hot
• つらい (tsurai) – Painful, difficult
• お腹が痛い (onaka ga itai) – My stomach hurts
• 頭が痛い (atama ga itai) – My head hurts
• 風邪気(ふうきゃ)っている (fuka gitta iru) – I have a cold. (Formal, often used in medical settings).
• 少しだけ (sukoshi dake) – Just a little bit
• もうちょっと (mou chotto) – A little more

Now let’s look at some example sentences:

• 「お腹が痛いです。」(Onaka ga itai desu.) – “My stomach hurts.” This is a very common and polite way to express discomfort.
• 「頭が痛くて、つらいです。」(Atama ga tsurai desu.) – “My head hurts, it’s painful.” Notice the addition of ‘tsurai’ adds emphasis on the difficulty or pain.

Common Scenarios & Dialogue

Let’s practice a typical scenario: You’re at work and you feel unwell.

Scenario 1: Talking to a Colleague

You: すみません、ちょっと体調が悪いです。(Sumimasen, chotto taichou ga warui desu.) – “Excuse me, I’m not feeling well.”
Colleague: あら、どうしたの？ (Ara, doushita no?) – “Oh, what’s wrong?”
You: お腹が痛いです。(Onaka ga itai desu.) – “My stomach hurts.”
Colleague: それはつらいですね。何かできることはありますか？(Sore wa tsurai desu ne. Nani ka dekiru koto wa arimasu ka?) – “That’s painful. Is there anything I can do?”
You: 少しだけ、大丈夫です。(Sukoshi dake, daijoubu desu.) – “Just a little bit, it’s okay.” (Or: もうちょっと、大丈夫です。Mou chotto, daijoubu desu – A little more, it’s okay)

Common Mistakes & Corrections:

• Incorrect: “風邪がいます。”(Fuka ga imasu.) – This is too formal for a colleague and might sound alarming. Correction: Use the less direct “体調が悪いです” (taichou ga warui desu – not feeling well)

Asking for Help / Medical Assistance

Here’s how you could ask a store clerk or someone for help:

You: すみません、少し風邪気(ふうきゃ)っています。病院はどこですか？ (Sumimasen, sukoshi fuka gitta iru. Byouin wa doko desu ka?) – “Excuse me, I have a cold. Where is the hospital?” (Again, using the more formal ‘fuka gitta iru’ is acceptable here)
Person: まっすぐ行ってください。(Massugu itte kudasai.) – “Go straight.”

Key Takeaways for JLPT N5

Remember these key points:

• Focus on polite phrasing like ‘desu’ and ‘sumimasen’.
• Learn common expressions for illness – ‘atsui’, ‘tsurai’, ‘onaka ga itai’, etc.
• Practice simple dialogues to build your conversational skills.

Consistent practice is key! Good luck with your Japanese studies!