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How to Say ‘My family is waiting.’ in Japanese

家族が待っているんです。

kazoku ga matsu te iru n desu

[kah-zoh-koo gah maht teh ee-roo n dess]

💬 Usage Tip: [〜んです] gives a reason or explanation tone, which is why this sounds natural when explaining your situation to the driver. You can use the same soft explanation style in [家族が待っているんです] or [ここで降りたいんです].

Phrase Breakdown

家族が

kazoku ga

my family; family

Marks 家族 as the subject of the sentence.

Example

家族がいます。

I have family.

Words in this phrase

家族

kazoku

[kah-zoh-koo]

family

Refers to family members waiting for you.

Example

家族が待っているんです。

My family is waiting for me.

ga

[gah]

subject marker

Marks family as the subject.

Example

家族が待っているんです。

My family is waiting for me.

待っているんです

matsu te iru n desu

are waiting; it's that they are waiting

Explains the reason or situation softly with んです.

Example

友達が待っているんです。

My friends are waiting.

Words in this phrase

待っ

matsu

[maht]

wait

From the verb 待つ, to wait.

Example

家族が待っているんです。

My family is waiting for me.

te

[teh]

te-form

Connects the action to the continuing aspect.

Example

家族が待っているんです。

My family is waiting for me.

いる

iru

[ee-roo]

to be doing

Shows the waiting is ongoing now.

Example

家族が待っているんです。

My family is waiting for me.

n

[n]

explanatory nominalizer

Adds an explaining tone, often when giving a reason.

Example

家族が待っているんです。

My family is waiting for me.

です

desu

[dess]

polite explanatory ending

Polite ending used to explain the situation.

Example

家族が待っているんです。

My family is waiting for me.

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