How to Say ‘Is painful / uncomfortable.’ in Japanese
つらいです。
tsurai desu
[tsoo-rai dess]
💬 Usage Tip: [つらいです] is polite and useful for soreness, stiffness, or general discomfort—not only strong pain.
🇯🇵 In Japan: This softer wording can feel more natural than sounding overly medical in a relaxation setting.
Phrase Breakdown
つらい
tsurai
[tsoo-rai]
painful; tough; uncomfortable
Used when something feels sore, painful, or hard to bear.
肩がつらいです。
My shoulder is painful.
です
desu
[dess]
is; am; are
The polite copula used to complete the sentence.
首がつらいです。
My neck is bothering me.
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