How to Say ‘A little sore’ in Japanese
少しつらいです。
sukoshi tsurai desu
[soo-koh-shee tsoo-rah-ee dess]
💬 Usage Tip: [少しつらいです。] is a gentle, natural way to say something hurts a bit. Good if you want pressure adjusted without sounding alarmed.
🇯🇵 In Japan: Japanese customers often phrase discomfort mildly, but it is completely okay to be clear if something really hurts.
Phrase Breakdown
少し
sukoshi
[soo-koh-shee]
a little
Indicates a small degree, such as mild pain or discomfort.
少しつらいです。
It is a little painful.
つらいです
tsurai desu
it hurts; it’s painful
A polite way to say something is painful, hard, or uncomfortable.
首がつらいです。
My neck hurts.
Words in this phrase
つらい
tsurai
[tsoo-rah-ee]
painful; uncomfortable
Used to describe discomfort or pain.
肩がつらいです。
My shoulder is painful.
です
desu
[dess]
is; am; are
Polite sentence ending used with nouns and adjectives.
少しつらいです。
It is a little painful.
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