Translation guide
How to talk about being single in Japanese, from stating your status to describing the single life.
I am single.
Noun meaning 'single/unmarried person'. Can be used in casual statements like '独身だよ'.
I'm still single.
Casual phrase meaning 'I don't have a boyfriend'. Often used by women, but can be used by anyone. Implies not in a romantic relationship.
I don't have a boyfriend right now.
Casual phrase meaning 'I don't have a girlfriend'. Often used by men.
I've been single my whole life (lit. years without a girlfriend = my age).
Formal term for 'unmarried', often used on official forms.
Marital status: unmarried
The speaker wants to talk about the experience or perks of being single.
The speaker wants to emphasize that they are single intentionally or due to a situation.
Means 'choosing to stay single' or 'daring to be single'. Implies a conscious decision.
More people are choosing to stay single.
Simply 'not getting married'. Can be a statement of intent or description.
I don't intend to get married.
Means 'always single' or 'single forever'. Often used self-deprecatingly or as a statement of fact.
I might stay single forever like this.
English uses 'single' as an adjective (I am single), but Japanese prefers noun-based expressions like 独身 (unmarried person) or verb phrases like 彼氏がいない (don't have a boyfriend). There is no direct adjective equivalent.
Are you single?
独身 is the everyday word for 'single/unmarried'. 未婚 is more formal and often used in documents or statistics. In casual conversation, 独身 is preferred.
I've been single for three years.
Being single has its advantages.
Literally 'living alone'. Often associated with being single, but can apply to anyone living by themselves.
Living alone is carefree.
独り身の気ままな休日。
A carefree holiday for a single person.