Translation guide
Describes someone who talks a lot. Japanese has many nuanced words for this, ranging from neutral to negative. The most common and neutral term is おしゃべり (oshaberi).
Describing someone who enjoys talking and is sociable, without negative judgment.
The most common and neutral word for 'talkative'. Can be used as a noun or na-adjective. Often implies a friendly, chatty nature.
She is very talkative.
It's fun to be with talkative people.
Literally 'fond of talking'. A straightforward, neutral way to say someone likes to talk.
My grandmother is talkative and often tells me stories from the past.
A verb phrase meaning 'talks a lot'. Very common in casual speech.
That kid really talks a lot, doesn't he?
Expressing that someone talks excessively, often annoyingly.
Can also be used negatively depending on context, like 'chatterbox'.
He talks too much.
Literally 'has many words'. A slightly formal way to say someone is talkative, often with a negative nuance of being verbose.
An onomatopoeic adverb describing non-stop, often glib talking. Can be negative when implying thoughtless chatter.
A formal, literary word for 'talkative' or 'voluble'. Often carries a negative connotation of being long-winded.
Describing someone, often a woman, who is sociable and chatty in a pleasant way.
Describing someone who becomes talkative under certain conditions.
A common pattern: 'becomes talkative when drinking'.
He gets talkative when he drinks.
Pattern: 'becomes talkative when...'
I'm the type who gets talkative when nervous.
The English word 'talkative' is often translated as おしゃべり, but direct translations like 話し好きな or 口数が多い may sound unnatural if used in the wrong context. Pay attention to the nuance you want to convey.
おしゃべり is an adjective/noun and can describe a person's character. よくしゃべる is a verb phrase and focuses on the action of talking a lot. Use おしゃべり for personality, and よくしゃべる for behavior.
She is a talkative person.
She's talking a lot today, isn't she?
He's talkative, but what he says lacks substance.
彼はぺらぺらとよくしゃべる。
He chatters on and on.
彼の饒舌な演説にはうんざりした。
I got fed up with his long-winded speech.
あの子はおしゃまで、大人みたいに話す。
That girl is a chatterbox and talks like an adult.