How to Say ‘There isn't / I don't have (polite)’ in Japanese
ないです
nai desu
[nye dess]
💬 Usage Tip: Polite negative of “to exist/have.” For people/animals you’d use [いないです], but for things/symptoms it’s [ないです].
🇯🇵 In Japan: In pharmacies, short negatives like [ないです] are completely fine—staff will guide the conversation.
Phrase Breakdown
ない
nai
[nye]
not exist; not have (casual/adj.)
「ない」 means “there isn’t / I don’t have.” Used for symptoms: 「ねつがない」 = “no fever.”
ねつがないです。
I don’t have a fever.
です
desu
[dess]
is (polite)
「です」 makes 「ない」 sound polite: 「ないです」 = polite “don’t have / isn’t.”
おなかの痛みはないです。
I don’t have stomach pain.
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