How to Say ‘Feeling down’ in Japanese
元気がない
genki ga nai
[gen-kee gah nai]
💬 Usage Tip: [元気] often means not just physical health but energy or emotional pep. So [元気がない] is a natural way to say someone seems down, low-energy, or not like themselves.
Phrase Breakdown
元気
genki
[gen-kee]
energy; cheerfulness; being well
In this phrase, it refers to having energy or feeling emotionally well.
今日は元気がない感じです。
I feel kind of down today.
がない
ga nai
to not have; lacking
Used after a noun to mean “no/lacking.” Together with 元気, it means “not energetic” or “down.”
今日は元気がない。
I’m not feeling energetic today.
Words in this phrase
が
ga
[gah]
subject marker
Connects 元気 with ない to show that energy or cheerfulness is what's lacking.
今日は元気がないです。
I'm not feeling energetic today.
ない
nai
[nai]
not have; is not
Shows absence; here it means not having energy or spirit.
朝から元気がないです。
I've had no energy since morning.
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