How do you say "I'm a little nervous." in Japanese?

"I'm a little nervous." in Japanese is "ちょっと緊張するよ。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

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How to Say ‘I'm a little nervous.’ in Japanese

Q: What does "ちょっと緊張するよ。" mean in English?

"ちょっと緊張するよ。" means "I'm a little nervous." in English. Usage tip: [ちょっと緊張するよ。] sounds honest and natural before teeing off. The [ちょっと] keeps it light rather than dramatic.

ちょっと緊張するよ。

chotto kinchou suru yo

[choht-toh keen-choh soo-roo yoh]

💬 Usage Tip: [ちょっと緊張するよ。] sounds honest and natural before teeing off. The [ちょっと] keeps it light rather than dramatic.

🇯🇵 In Japan: On the first tee, this kind of comment is relatable and often invites kind encouragement from the group.

Phrase Breakdown

ちょっと

chotto

[choht-toh]

a little

An adverb meaning a little or somewhat; often used to soften what you say.

Example

ちょっと緊張するよ。

I'm a little nervous.

緊張する

kinchou suru

to be nervous

Means to feel tense, anxious, or nervous.

Example

本番は緊張します。

I get nervous before the real thing.

Words in this phrase

緊張

kinchou

[keen-choh]

tension / nervousness

A noun meaning nervousness or tension; with する it means to feel nervous.

Example

ちょっと緊張するよ。

I'm a little nervous.

する

suru

[soo-roo]

to do

A common verb used with nouns to form actions, such as 緊張する.

Example

ちょっと緊張するよ。

I'm a little nervous.

よ

[yoh]

you know / I tell you

A sentence-ending particle that adds emphasis and shares your feeling with the listener.

Example

ちょっと緊張するよ。

I'm a little nervous, you know.

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