Hey there fellow netizens,

I was thinking that we should keep learning some of the words often used in conversation. That’s because I would like you to get your motor going and start chattering in Japanese. For me, it was the fastest way to learn it, and also the most immersive.

So, last time we explored some uses of 思い （ おもい ）.

Today we’re going to get a little into 気 ( き ):

On its own, it doesn’t do much. Pretty useless I could say.

But put it together with some verbs or adjectives and the range of uses just explodes in your face, like:

OK, it’s not really that high, but pretty impressive anyway.

First, to get a feel of the different meanings it can have:

気（き）
spirit;  mind;  heart;
nature;  disposition;
motivation;  intention;
mood;  feelings;
atmosphere;  essence

Now let’s get started! First on the list is...

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気がする
きがする
to have a feeling/hunch (about something)

As the Japanese dislike dealing in absolutes when expressing their opinion, they embrace words that help them get impressions across while sounding as non-imperative as possible, and this is one of them.

It can be used when talking about other (people/things/situations)...

A:
彼女が最近元気ない気がする。
かのじょ　が　さいきん　げんき　ない　き　が　する。
I have a feeling that she hasn’t been well lately.
Literally: "She + が + lately + well (energetic) + not + feeling + が + makes."

B:
私もそう思う。
わたし　も　そう　おもう。
I was also thinking that.
Literally: "I + also + like that + think."

And it can also be used when talking about yourself...

家族の為なら何でも出来る気がする。
かぞく　の　ため　なら　なんでも　できる　き　が　する。
I feel like I could do anything for my family.
Literally: family + の + sake + if + anything + can do + feeling + が + makes.

Moving on, to its doppelganger...

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気にする
きにする
to mind (negative nuance);  to care about;  to worry about (someone's well-being);  to pay undue (amount of) attention to (something)

Completely unrelated in meaning, as you can see. So be careful not to mix them up.

We see it used in a few distinct scenarios, which we’ll explore thoroughly:

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1. To mind/ to sweat the small stuff

You:
昨日好きな人の前ででっかいクシャミしちゃったわ T_T
きのう　すきな　ひと　の　まえ　で　でっかい　クシャミ　しちゃった　わ T_T
Yesterday I sneezed loudly in front of the guy I like! T_T
Literally: "yesterday + liked + person + の + in front of + huge + sneeze + did."
Note: This sentence-ending わ is quite feminine-sounding.

BFF:
別にいいじゃん、それぐらい。一々気にするな。
べつ　に　いい　じゃん、　それぐらい。　いちいち　き　に　するな。
So what? Don’t sweat it so much!
Literally: "particularly + good + isn't it(?) + that much. + every little thing + don't 気にする (=worry about)."
Note: It's worthwhile to just remember 別に（べつに）as "nothing really" or "nothing special," although with いい（じゃん／じゃない？） the meaning becomes "Isn't that fine?" or "That's not such a big deal, is it?" 別にいいじゃん！

You:
…それで鼻水が垂れてさ～、もう最悪！
…それで　はなみず　が　たれて　さ～、　もう　さいあく！
…and then my nose was dripping snot. It was the worst!
Literally: "then + nasal mucus / runny nose + が + droop / drip + さ～, + already + the worst!"
Note: This さ～ is kind of like saying "so" or "like."

BFF:
あ…それやばいな。もう、新しい恋探した方がいいかも。
あ…　それ　やばい　な。　もう、　あたらしい　こい　さがした　ほうが　いい　かも。
Oh, that’s bad. Maybe you should start looking for a new love.
Literally: "ah + that + dangerous (=slang for "bad; good; cool") + な. + already, + new + love + you should look for + かも (i.e. maybe)."

You:
なにそれ 、ひどい！
なに　それ、　ひどい！
That’s just mean!
Literally: "what + that + cruel / awful / terrible."
Note: なにそれ (what + that) is pretty much a word of its own, meaning "what (the heck is) that?"

But I wouldn’t fret so much about it. There’s somebody somewhere for each of us.

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2. To take to heart:

You’re new at work, new faces everywhere and you forget your coworker’s name. After getting his name once again, you can say...

You:
失礼なことして大変申し訳ないです！
しつれい　な　こと　して　たいへん　もうし　わけ　ない　です！
I am very sorry for my rudeness!
Literally: "rude + thing + do + very / terrible + I'm sorry + です."

Coworker:
いいよ、気にしてないから。
いいよ、　き　に　してない　から。
It’s all right, I don't mind!
Literally: "good + よ, + 気にしてない + because."
Note: いいよ is a great, casual way to say "It's OK" to someone. Also, ～ してない literally means "am not doing."

This happens to me all the time and I’m really grateful when people don’t mind it.

Next...

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気を付ける
きをつける
to be careful

餅を食べる時は気を付けた方がいいよ。
のどに詰まりやすいから。
もち　を　たべる　とき　は　きをつけた　ほう　が　いい　よ。　
のど　に　つまり　やすい　から。
You should be careful when eating mochi.
You can easily choke on it.
Literally, Line #1: "mochi + eat + when + は + careful + better + よ."
Literally, Line #2: "throat + in + get stuck + easily + because."

Like, for real! Several elderly people actually die in Japan because of this every year (particularly around New Year's).

So no gulping it down!

Another useful one is...

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気のせい
きのせい
(just) one’s imagination / wrong ‘hunch‘

You'll often hear this one in anime, when a character suspects they hear something strange, then they second-guess themselves, and think...

気のせいか。
きのせいか。
Guess it was just my imagination.

...then they promptly get attacked/killed by what was NOT just "the fault of their 気."

So, there are many many more, but we're on to a good start.

I think I'll gradually introduce more in my next lessons.

See you next time!

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This lesson was written by Adriana, a guest contributor.