Translation guide
How to express 'darken' in Japanese, covering literal darkening of light/color, emotional darkening, and sky/weather changes.
To describe something becoming darker in color or losing light.
The most common and natural way to say 'become dark' for rooms, skies, or general light levels.
The room suddenly darkened.
It's getting dark outside.
Specifically means to become blackish or discolored, often for objects, skin, or fabric.
The silver has darkened/tarnished.
Used when a color becomes deeper or darker, like paint or dye.
The color darkened.
To cause something to become darker.
To describe a person's mood or facial expression becoming sad, angry, or serious.
Also used metaphorically for mood; '顔が暗くなる' means one's expression darkens.
His face darkened when he heard the news.
My mood darkened.
Literally 'to become cloudy', used for expressions becoming gloomy or troubled.
To become shadowed or overcast; often used for mood or atmosphere darkening.
To describe the sky becoming overcast or dark before a storm.
The most common word for the sky becoming cloudy or overcast.
The sky suddenly darkened.
Also used for the sky losing light, especially at dusk or before a storm.
The sky darkened before the storm.
A more literary verb meaning the sky suddenly becomes overcast.
暗くなる suggests a deeper, more internal gloom, while 曇る often describes a passing clouding of expression. 陰る is more literary and implies a shadow falling over one's mood.
His face darkened (with deep sadness).
Her face clouded over (briefly).
English can say 'The news darkened his mood,' but Japanese rarely uses a direct transitive verb for this. Instead, use intransitive expressions like 暗くなる or 曇る, or rephrase with ～させる (causative) if necessary.
Her expression darkened.
A shadow darkened his face.
空がかき曇り、雨が降り出した。
The sky darkened and it started to rain.