In the mood
Idioms, Stage 1chunk 15 of 21Feelings & temper
Being willing or not to do something: change your mind, feel like it, not keen, feel bad doing it.
- ki ga kawaruchange your mindliterally “the mind changes”
- ki ga susumanaibe reluctant, not keenliterally “the mind won't move forward”
- ki ga noranainot in the moodliterally “the mind won't climb aboard”
- ki ga mukufeel like doing itliterally “the mind turns toward it”
- ki ga hikerufeel bad about doing itliterally “the mind pulls back”
Mix-ups All ki ga + verb: ki ga noranai (not in the mood) vs ki ga susumanai (reluctant), ki ga muku is the positive.
ki ga kawaru
polite ki ga kawarimasu
“the mind changes”
change your mind
In English: change one's mind
Mostly in the past (ki ga kawatta, I changed my mind) and in ki ga kawaranai uchi ni (before I change my mind). It's about plans and intentions; a changed opinion is kangae ga kawaru.
ki ga kawattara oshiete = let me know if you change your mind.
yappari ikanai. ki ga kawatta.
Actually, I'm not going. I changed my mind.
やっぱり行かない。気が変わった。
sumimasen, ki ga kawatte, yappari ikanai koto ni shimashita.
Sorry, I changed my mind and decided not to go after all.
すみません、気が変わって、やっぱり行かないことにしました。
Written 気が変わる · きがかわるHeard 282× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesMain list kawaru (Stage 1), -uchi ni (Stage 4)
ki ga susumanai
polite ki ga susumimasen
“the mind won't move forward”
be reluctant, not keen
A soft way to say you'd rather not, often to turn something down: chotto ki ga susumanai n da kedo. Almost always negative. Ki ga noranai is about your mood right now, while ki ga susumanai is reluctance about the thing itself.
Blunter one-word alternative: iya.
ano nomikai, ki ga susumanai n da yo ne.
I'm not too keen on that drinking party.
あの飲み会、気が進まないんだよね。
sono hanashi wa chotto ki ga susumimasen ne.
I'm a little reluctant about that idea.
その話はちょっと気が進みませんね。
Written 気が進まない · きがすすまないHeard 96× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside ki ga noranai, ki ga muku, ki ga hikeru, ki ga omoi (Stage 4)Main list chotto... (Stage 3), iya (Stage 2)
ki ga noranai
polite ki ga norimasen
“the mind won't climb aboard”
not in the mood
In English: not feeling it
Not having the mood or energy for something right now: kyou wa ki ga noranai. Ki ga susumanai is reluctance about the thing itself, and the positive ki ga noru is much rarer.
Also said: kinori shinai (from the noun kinori).
kyou wa nanka ki ga noranai.
I'm just not feeling it today.
今日はなんか気が乗らない。
kyou wa chotto ki ga noranai n desu.
I'm just not in the mood today.
今日はちょっと気が乗らないんです。
Written 気が乗らない · きがのらないHeard 31× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside ki ga susumanai, ki ga muku, ki ga hikeru, ki ga omoi (Stage 4)Main list iya (Stage 2), n da (Stage 1)
ki ga muku
polite ki ga mukimasu
“the mind turns toward it”
feel like doing it
In English: when the mood strikes
Mostly heard as ki ga muitara (whenever you feel like it), the no-pressure invitation, and as ki ga mukanai (don't feel like it). Also ki ga muita toki ni (when the mood takes me).
ki ga muitara asobi ni kite ne.
Come over whenever you feel like it.
気が向いたら遊びに来てね。
ki ga muitara, itsu demo asobi ni kite kudasai ne.
Drop by any time you feel like it.
気が向いたら、いつでも遊びに来てくださいね。
Written 気が向く · きがむくHeard 29× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside ki ga susumanai, ki ga noranai, ki ga hikeru, ki ga omoi (Stage 4)Main list -tara (Stage 2)
ki ga hikeru
polite ki ga hikemasu
“the mind pulls back”
feel bad about doing it
Said when doing something feels like imposing or taking too much: zenbu ogotte morau no wa ki ga hikeru. Ki ga susumanai is plain reluctance, while ki ga hikeru is reluctance out of guilt or modesty.
Plain alternatives: moushiwakenai, warui (I feel bad).
zenbu ogotte morau no wa ki ga hikeru yo.
I'd feel bad letting you pay for everything.
全部おごってもらうのは気が引けるよ。
zenbu gochisou ni naru no wa ki ga hikemasu.
I'd feel bad letting you treat me to all of it.
全部ごちそうになるのは気が引けます。
Written 気が引ける · きがひけるHeard 20× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside ki ga susumanai, ki ga noranai, ki ga muku, ki ga omoi (Stage 4)Main list -no (Stage 2)