怖いです！ Kowai desu! I’m scared! Japanese Halloween Vocabulary
In this post we’ll learn some Japanese Halloween vocabulary. First, we’ll learn vocabulary and expressions related to costumes. Then we’ll learn some vocabulary for how children and adults celebrate Halloween. Finally, we’ll wrap up with some scary vocabulary to get you in the mood for お化け obake (ghosts) and 魔女 majo (witches).
Things that go bump in the night.
First, let’s start with costumes. 今年はハロウィンの仮装をしますか。Kotoshi wa harowin no kasou o shimasu ka. (are you wearing a Halloween costume this year)? Kids aren’t the only ones who wear コスチューム kosuchuumu (costumes). Some of the classics are ミイラ miira (a mummy), 狼男 ookami otoko (a werewolf), ゾンビ zonbi (a zombie), 怪物 kaibutsu (a monster), 悪魔 akuma (a devil), or 吸血鬼 kyuuketsuki (a vampire). But 怖いコスチューム kowai kosuchuumu (a scary costume) is not your only option. You could also be かかし kakashi (a scarecrow), 魔術師 majutsushi (a sorcerer), 妖精 yousei (a fairy), プリンセス purinsesu (a princess), 海賊 kaizoku (a pirate), or 映画のキャラクター eiga no kyarakutaa(a character from a movie.)
- 今年のハロウィンはどんな仮装をしますか。
Kotoshi no harowin wa don’na kasou o shimasu ka.
What are you dressing as this Halloween? - 素敵なコスチュームですね！
Suteki na kosuchuumu desu ne!
Your costume looks great! - とてもユニークなコスチュームですね！
Totemo yuniiku na kosuchuumu desu ne!
Your costume is very creative! - 怖いコスチュームですね！
Kowai kosuchuumu desu ne!
Your costume is scary!
子供のハロウィン kodomo no harowin (For Kids)
Now let’s talk about how kids celebrate Halloween. Kids love to go trick-or-treating. They walk around their neighborhood and ドアをノックします。 Doa o nokku shimasu. (they knock on doors). When someone answers, they hold up their 袋 fukuro(bags) and ask for お菓子 okashi(candy). If the person doesn’t give the kids candy, beware of the trick! Since no one needs to give kids any more ideas about いたずら itazura(mischief), we’ll leave that to your imagination. 用心に越したことはないです！Youjin ni koshita koto a nai desu! (better safe than sorry!). Best to just make sure you have enough candy.
- ｛男の子・女の子｝はお菓子で一杯になった袋を持っています。
{Otokonoko/On’nanoko} wa okashi de ippai ni natta fukuro o motte imasu.
The boy/girl is holding a bag full of candy. - 一番好きなお菓子は何ですか。
Ichiban suki na okashi wa nan desu ka.
What’s your favorite candy? - チョコレートが大好きです。
Chokoreeto ga daisuki desu.
I love chocolate. - いたずらしちゃったよ。
Itazura shichatta yo.
I played a trick on you.
大人のハロウィン otona no harowin (For Adults)
Now let’s turn to adults. Halloween isn’t just for kids. Adults also like to get dressed up. Do you wear your コスチューム kosuchuumu(costume) to work? Or maybe you go to パーティー paatii (a party) where everyone is dressed up. Even if you don’t go to any parties, you probably get かぼちゃ kabocha (a pumpkin) for a jack-o-lantern. You’ll carve 顔 kao (a face) into it, and put ろうそく rousoku(candle) inside so the face glows.
- 仮装パーティーに行きます。
Kasou paatii ni ikimasu.
We’re going to a costume party. - 週末にかぼちゃを買いに行きます。
Shuumatsu ni kabocha o kai ni ikimasu.
Let’s buy a pumpkin this weekend.
怖いです！ Kowai desu! (I’m Scared!)
Halloween is a great time of year to watch ホラー映画 horaa eiga (horror movies) or maybe visit 幽霊屋敷 yuurei yashiki (a haunted house). It’s fun to 叫ぶ sakebu(scream), as long as 悪夢 akumu(nightmares) aren’t too bad. Now that summer is over and 夜 yoru (the night) is longer, it’s the perfect time to visit 不気味な場所 bukimi na basho (eerie places), places for some good Halloween fun. Walk through 森 mori (the woods) 暗闇の中 kurayami no naka (in the dark), take a shortcut through 墓場 hakaba (the graveyard), visit that 廃屋 haioku (abandoned house) where you know there are probably no 悪霊 akuryou (evil spirits). Or at least you hope.
- この場所は不気味です！
Kono basho wa bukimi desu!
This place is spooky! - ホラー映画を見ましょう。
Horaa eiga o mimashou.
Let’s watch a horror film. - きのう悪夢を見ました。
Kinou akumu o mimashita.
I had a nightmare last night. - 鳥肌が立ちました！
Torihada ga tachimashita!
I have goosebumps! - 変な音が聞こえます！
Hen na oto ga kikoemasu!
I hear a strange noise! - お化けを信じますか。
Obake o shinjimasu ka.
Do you believe in ghosts? - 暗闇の中、森を通り抜けましょう。
Kurayami no naka, mori o toorinukemashou.
Let’s walk through the woods in the dark.
Whatever you do for Halloween, 安全に楽しみましょう！Anzen ni tanoshimimashou! (be stay safe and have fun!)
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