English–Japanese
“be afraid” in Japanese
Japanese
Pronunciation
Romajikowagaru
Example
子どもたちは雷を怖がります。ko do mo ta chi wa kaminari o kowa ga ri ma su
The children are afraid of thunder.
How to say “be afraid” in Japanese
“Be afraid” in Japanese is 怖がる (kowagaru). 怖がる can also mean “be scared of ___”.
怖がる (kowagaru) centers on a fearful response toward a person, thing, event, or situation.
Example sentences with 怖がる
弟は大きな音を怖がります。otōto wa ō ki na oto o kowa ga ri ma su
My little brother is scared of loud noises.
うちの猫は掃除機を怖がります。u chi no neko wa sō ji ki o kowa ga ri ma su
Our cat is afraid of the vacuum cleaner.
Tips for using 怖がる
- Japanese uses 怖がる (kowagaru) for a visible reaction to fear, so it often describes behavior rather than a private feeling alone.