Aches and pains
Collocations, Stage 1chunk 17 of 22Body & health
Saying what hurts: body part + ga itai for any pain, plus stiff shoulders.
- atama ga itaihave a headache
- onaka ga itaihave a stomachache
- nodo ga itaihave a sore throat
- koshi ga itaihave lower back pain
- kata ga koruhave stiff shoulders
Mix-ups X ga itai covers every pain (atama itai, nodo itai), and koshi is the lower back, which English just calls 'my back'. kata ga koru is stiffness and takes the verb koru, never itai.
atama ga itai
polite atama ga itai desuhave a headache
頭が痛い あたまがいたい 頭が痛いです
adjectiveitai 痛いpainful, it hurts; on its own, 'ouch!'typical 2% of atama
trap Not a 'have' sentence: the head hurts, atama ga itai. The noun zutsuu exists (zutsuu ga suru, zutsuuyaku), but in conversation atama itai comes first.
Body part + ga itai is the pattern for any pain, usually said without ga: atama itai. Add n da or n desu when it's the reason you can't do something.
asa kara zutto atama itai.
I've had a headache since this morning.
朝からずっと頭いたい。
asa kara zutto atama ga itai n desu.
I've had a headache since this morning.
朝からずっと頭が痛いんです。
Also used, as in English, for a problem that's a headache.
Same adjective: ha (tooth), ashi (leg, foot), hiza (knee), mimi (ear)Learn alongside: onaka ga itai, nodo ga itai, koshi ga itai, kata ga koru, karada ga darui (Stage 2)Main list: itai (Stage 2)
onaka ga itai
polite onaka ga itai desuhave a stomachache
お腹が痛い おなかがいたい お腹が痛いです
adjectiveitai 痛いpainful, it hurtstypical 5% of onaka
trap Dictionaries give i for 'stomach'; i ga itai is said too, but the everyday tummy ache is onaka ga itai.
Covers any pain in the belly; usually said without ga, onaka itai, often with n da or n desu to explain. Often a polite hint that you need the toilet.
nanka onaka itai. tabesugita kamo.
My stomach kind of hurts. Maybe I ate too much.
なんかお腹痛い。食べすぎたかも。
nanka onaka ga itai n desu. tabesugita kamo shiremasen.
My stomach kind of hurts. I might have eaten too much.
なんかお腹が痛いんです。食べすぎたかもしれません。
An upset stomach from something you ate is onaka o kowasu (onaka kowashita). Onaka no choushi ga warui is the discreet way to mention it.
Same adjective: i (stomach), mune (chest), senaka (back)Learn alongside: atama ga itai, nodo ga itai, koshi ga itai, kata ga koru, karada ga darui (Stage 2)Main list: itai (Stage 2)
nodo ga itai
polite nodo ga itai desuhave a sore throat
喉が痛い のどがいたい 喉が痛いです
adjectiveitai 痛いpainful, it hurtstypical 2% of nodo
Often the first sign of a cold: nanka nodo itai, with ga dropped. Add n da or n desu when it explains a rough voice or skipping karaoke.
nanka nodo itai. kaze kamo.
My throat's kind of sore. Might be a cold.
なんか喉痛い。風邪かも。
nanka nodo ga itai n desu. kaze kamo shiremasen.
My throat is a bit sore. It might be a cold.
なんか喉が痛いんです。風邪かもしれません。
The same nodo is in nodo ga kawaku (thirsty); a scratchy throat is nodo ga igaiga suru.
Same adjective: atama (head), ha (tooth), mimi (ear)Learn alongside: atama ga itai, onaka ga itai, koshi ga itai, kata ga koru, karada ga darui (Stage 2)Main list: itai (Stage 2)
koshi ga itai
polite koshi ga itai desuhave lower back pain
腰が痛い こしがいたい 腰が痛いです
adjectiveitai 痛いpainful, it hurtstypical 3% of koshi
trap 'My back hurts' usually means the lower back, which is koshi. Senaka is the upper and middle back, so senaka ga itai points higher.
The everyday back-pain complaint after lifting, sitting all day or sleeping badly: koshi itai, with ga dropped. Older people say it constantly.
omoi mono motte, koshi itaku natta.
I lifted something heavy and now my back hurts.
重いもの持って、腰痛くなった。
omoi mono o motte, koshi ga itaku narimashita.
I lifted something heavy and hurt my back.
重いものを持って、腰が痛くなりました。
Koshi covers the lower back and hips together.
Same adjective: kata (shoulder), hiza (knee), senaka (upper back)Learn alongside: atama ga itai, onaka ga itai, nodo ga itai, kata ga koru, karada ga darui (Stage 2)Main list: itai (Stage 2), -ku naru / -ni naru (Stage 4)
kata ga koru
polite kata ga korimasuhave stiff shoulders
肩が凝る かたがこる 肩が凝ります
verbkoru 凝るstiffen, harden; also be really into something (ryouri ni koru)typical 2% of kata
trap English uses the adjective 'stiff', so learners look for one; Japanese uses the verb koru: kata ga kotteru.
Said as kata kotta (my shoulders have gone stiff) or kata kotteru (they're stiff); the noun katakori is just as common.
ichinichijuu pasokon de, kata kotta.
A whole day at the computer, and my shoulders are stiff.
一日中パソコンで、肩凝った。
ichinichijuu pasokon o tsukatte ite, kata ga korimashita.
I was on the computer all day, and my shoulders have gone stiff.
一日中パソコンを使っていて、肩が凝りました。
Japanese complain of stiff shoulders where English speakers often say neck or back. Lower-back pain is koshi ga itai.
Same verb: kubi (neck)Learn alongside: atama ga itai, onaka ga itai, nodo ga itai, koshi ga itai, karada ga darui (Stage 2)