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How to Say ‘Hot water isn't working.’ in Japanese

お湯が出ないんです。

o yu ga de nai n desu

[oh yoo gah deh nah-ee n dess]

💬 Usage Tip: [出ない] literally means "doesn't come out," and with water, gas, or hot water that's the normal way to say something isn't working. [んです] softens it and makes it sound like you're explaining a problem, not just stating a fact.

Phrase Breakdown

お湯

o yu

hot water

Refers to hot water, especially water from a tap or heater.

Example

お湯をください。

Please give me hot water.

Words in this phrase

お

o

[oh]

honorific prefix o-

お is the polite prefix in お湯, the usual word for hot water.

Example

お湯が出ないんです。

The hot water isn’t coming out.

湯

yu

[yoo]

hot water

湯 means hot water used for bathing or washing.

Example

湯がぬるいです。

The hot water is lukewarm.

が出ないんです

ga de nai n desu

isn't coming out

Used to explain a problem politely: something is not coming out / not working.

Example

水が出ないんです。

The water isn't coming out.

Words in this phrase

が

ga

[gah]

subject marker

が marks お湯 as the thing being talked about.

Example

お湯が出ないんです。

The hot water isn’t coming out.

出

de

[deh]

come out; flow out

出 is from 出る, often used for water, gas, or electricity becoming available.

Example

水が出ないんです。

The water isn’t coming out.

ない

nai

[nah-ee]

not; does not

ない makes the verb negative.

Example

お湯が出ないんです。

The hot water isn’t coming out.

ん

n

[n]

explanatory n

ん gives an explanatory or situational nuance.

Example

お湯が出ないんです。

The hot water isn’t coming out, you see.

です

desu

[dess]

is; polite ending

です makes the sentence polite and suitable for speaking to a landlord or stranger.

Example

お湯が出ないんです。

The hot water isn’t coming out.

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