Translation guide
How to express 'impatiently' in Japanese, covering eagerness, irritation, and restlessness.
Expressing that someone is so eager or excited that they can't wait for something.
Literally 'unable to wait', this is a very common way to describe doing something impatiently out of eagerness.
彼は待ちきれずにプレゼントを開けた。
He impatiently opened the present.
Expresses that something is so eagerly awaited that it feels far off; often used with verbs like 思う or 感じる.
Showing annoyance or frustration because something is taking too long.
A common mimetic word for irritation or frustration. Often used when someone is impatient due to stress or annoyance.
彼は渋滞にイライラして、クラクションを鳴らした。
He honked his horn impatiently in the traffic jam.
Describing physical signs of impatience like tapping fingers or shifting weight.
Mimetic word for being restless or fidgety, often from nervousness or impatience.
彼は面接の前、そわそわして落ち着かなかった。
He was fidgeting impatiently before the interview.
イライラ implies irritation or anger, while そわそわ implies nervous restlessness. Use イライラ when someone is annoyed by a delay, and そわそわ when they are excited or anxious.
電車が遅れてイライラした。
I got irritated because the train was late.
デートの前でそわそわしている。
I'm feeling restless before the date.
夏休みが待ち遠しくて、毎日カレンダーを見ている。
I'm so impatient for summer vacation that I check the calendar every day.
An adjective meaning 'irritatingly slow' or 'making one impatient'. Used when something is not progressing fast enough.
彼の話はいつもじれったい。
His stories are always so slow they make me impatient.
A slightly more formal or written way to express irritation or impatience.
彼女は苛立って足を踏み鳴らした。
She stamped her foot impatiently.
From the verb じれる, meaning to get impatient or irritated by lack of progress. Often used in the te-form.
子供たちはじれて騒ぎ始めた。
The children started making noise impatiently.
Literally 'without settling down', used when someone can't stay still due to impatience.
彼女は落ち着かずに部屋の中を歩き回った。
She paced around the room impatiently.