How to Say ‘Only three months’ in Japanese
まだ三か月です。
mada san kagetsu desu
[mah-dah sahn kah-gets dess]
💬 Usage Tip: This implies “I’m still new.” You can add [しか] for emphasis: [三か月しか] (only, and it’s not much).
🇯🇵 In Japan: Saying [まだ〜] can be a modest way to explain you’re still adjusting—common and socially comfortable in Japan.
Phrase Breakdown
まだ
mada
[mah-dah]
still; only; not yet
まだ is used to say something continues (“still”) or that not much time/amount has passed yet (“only; just”). In time expressions like 「まだ三か月」 it often means “only three months so far.”
日本に来てまだ三か月です。
I’ve only been in Japan for three months so far.
三か月
san kagetsu
three months
A time period. Read さんかげつ (sankagetsu). Common for “(for) three months.”
三か月勉強しました。
I studied for three months.
Words in this phrase
三
san
[sahn]
three
三 is the number “three.” It can be read さん (san) in counting, dates, and many set phrases.
三人で行きます。
We’ll go as a group of three.
か月
kagetsu
[kah-gets]
(counter) months
か月 is the counter for months (duration). After numbers it forms expressions like 一か月, 三か月, 半か月. Pronunciation often becomes ～かげつ (e.g., さんかげつ).
ここに住んで三か月です。
I’ve lived here for three months.
です
desu
[dess]
is/are (polite copula)
です is a polite sentence ending that states or confirms information (like “is/are”). Often used after nouns and adjectives.
今日は休みです。
Today is a day off.
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