How to Say ‘To spend the day’ in Japanese
一日過ごします。
itsu nchi sugoshi masu
[ee-chee nee-chee soo-goh-shee mahss]
💬 Usage Tip: Polite form of [過ごす]. You can add a place: [家で一日過ごします] (We’ll spend the day at home).
🇯🇵 In Japan: If a school expects a more standard “absence reason,” you can reframe it as [家庭の都合で欠席します] (Absent for family reasons).
Phrase Breakdown
一
itsu
[ee-chee]
one
First kanji in 一日 (いちにち), meaning “one / all-” as in “all day.”
一日過ごします。
I will spend the day.
日
nchi
[nee-chee]
day
Second kanji in 一日 (いちにち), forming “one day / all day.”
一日過ごします。
I will spend the day.
過ごし
sugoshi
[soo-goh-shee]
spend (time) (stem)
Stem of 過ごす used to form the polite verb: 過ごし + ます = 過ごします.
家で過ごします。
I will spend time at home.
ます
masu
[mahss]
polite verb ending (non-past)
Polite present/future ending. 過ごします = “(I) will spend (time).” Appropriate for explaining plans.
家族で一日過ごします。
We will spend the day with the family.
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