Everyone likes it when something is free! But how do you say “free” in Japanese?
There are two ways to say it and I am going to show you both and example sentences.
①無料（むりょう） Muryou
“Muryou” means free of charge. This is a neutral and formal way to say “free”. It’s often used in written contexts such as advertisements, notices, and articles.
However, it doesn’t feel out of place when used in spoken contexts.
In formal settings, such as hotel receptions or business situations, this “Muryou” is generally expected to be used.
明日は美術館が入場無料だって。 Ashita wa bijutsukan ga nyuujou muryou datte. (I heard the museum will have free admission tomorrow.)
あの店のマッサージは、今なら初回無料だ。 Ano mise no massaazi wa, ima nara syokai muryou da. (That place is offering the first massage for free right now.)
②タダ Tada
“Tada” also means “free of charge. But Tada sounds more casual and is often used in casual conversations.
That said, using it in formal settings won’t cause any issues. But when writing, ”muryou” is still generally preferred.
このジュースタダだった！ラッキー。 Kono juusu tada datta! rakkii! (This juice was free! Lucky!)
タダより怖いものはない。 Tada yori kowai mono wa nai. (Nothing is scarier than something that’s free.)
Tada is usually written in Katakana. The kanji ‘無料’ is read as muryou, but it can also be read as tada.
コメント