Translation guide
How to express being pleased, satisfied, or happy about something in Japanese, depending on formality and context.
Expressing that you are pleased or satisfied with a situation, outcome, or action.
Polite way to say you are happy/pleased. Commonly used in everyday conversation.
I'm pleased to meet you.
Thank you for the present. I'm very pleased.
Literally 'I am rejoicing'. Slightly more formal, often used when expressing pleasure about someone else's success or good news.
I'm very pleased to hear of your success.
Emphasizes satisfaction, often with a result or service. More formal than 嬉しい.
I'm pleased with the results.
Casual form. Use with friends or family.
Expressing pleasure in formal situations, such as business meetings, speeches, or letters.
Means 'I am honored'. Used in very formal contexts to express pleasure at receiving an opportunity or compliment.
Expressing self-satisfaction, sometimes with a nuance of smugness.
Means 'self-satisfied'. Can be neutral or slightly negative (smug).
Expressing willingness or pleasure in doing something for someone.
Standard polite phrase meaning 'I will gladly do ~'. Used when offering help.
I'll be pleased to help you.
嬉しい (ureshii) is for momentary happiness or pleasure about a specific event. 楽しい (tanoshii) is for enjoying an activity or experience over time. Don't use 嬉しい for fun activities.
The party was fun.
それ、嬉しい！
That makes me happy!
I am pleased to have this opportunity.
Humble/formal version of 嬉しいです. Used in business correspondence.
I am pleased to receive your message.
Very formal, often used in speeches or official statements.
I am pleased with your recent success.
He is pleased with his own work.
Describes someone looking pleased with themselves, often visibly proud.
She looks pleased with her test results.
By itself, means 'with pleasure' or 'gladly'. Used as a response.
"Can you help me?" "With pleasure."
I was pleased to receive the present.
The English phrase 'be pleased' often translates to 嬉しい or 満足する, but direct translations like 喜ばれる (be pleased by someone) are passive and not always natural. Use active expressions like 嬉しいです or 喜んでいます instead.