Don’t worry – this post will teach you all the most common and useful ways to say ‘don’t worry’ in Japanese!
The basic way to say ‘don’t worry’ in Japanese is shinpai shinai de (心配しないで / しんぱいしないで).
But of course, as in English, there are a few different ways to communicate this expression.
In this post, we are going to learn some different ways to say ‘don’t worry’ in Japanese! You will see that some phrases are more suited to certain situations than others.
Shinpai shinaide
心配しないで
Don’t worry
The most common way to say ‘don’t worry’ in Japanese is shinpai shinai de (心配しないで / しんぱいしないで).
Shinpai is the Japanese term for ‘worry’ or ‘concern’ while shinaide is the negative imperative of the verb suru (する) meaning ‘to do’.
To make the negative imperative of a verb, you simply take the negative form and add de at the end to make it a command.
Example:
Sore wo tabenai de!
それを食べないで
それをたべないで
Don’t eat that!
You may hear shinpai shinai being used in various other iterations. Such as shinpai shinai de kudasai! (心配しないでください / しんぱいしないでください)
Kudasai means ‘please’ in Japanese, and is usually added to the end of a sentence for politeness, just like in English i.e ‘please, don’t worry!’. Be sure to use this variation when speaking to someone of a higher status/age than yourself.
You may also hear people use the phrase shinpai suru na (心配するな / しんぱいするな). Suru na is an alternative way of telling someone not to do something.
For this clause, you use the positive plain form of the verb and simply add on na at the end.
This phrasing definitely has a stronger, more assertive tone to it. Think of how a strict teacher or a parent may give orders!
Ki ni shinaide
気にしないで
Pay it no mind
Ki ni shinaide (気にしないで / きにしないで) is another way to say ‘don’t mind’ in Japanese.
Ki (気) is a big concept in the Japanese language. It has many different meanings, including ‘spirit’ or ‘mind’. So when something is ki ni suru (気にする) that means something is negatively playing on your mind or bothering you in some way.
Example:
Hareru kamoshiremasenga, ki ni shinaide kudasai
晴れるかもしれませんが、気にしないでください
はれるかもしれませんが、きにしないでください
There may be swelling, but don’t worry
Anshin shite
安心して
Rest assured
If you want to tell someone to ‘rest assured’ you ca use the phrase anshin shite (安心して / あんしんして).
Anshin means ‘relief’ or ‘‘peace of mind’ in Japanese. The first kanji 安 means ‘relax’ while the second kanji 心 means ‘heart’.
Example:
Himitsu wo mamoru kara, anshin shite
秘密を守るから、安心して
ひみつをまもるから、あんしんして
I will keep your secret, so rest assured
Donmai
ドンマイ
Never mind
Donmai (ドンマイ / どんまい) is a Japanese slang term taken and adapted from the English expression ‘don’t mind!’. It is best reserved for casual situations such as with friends and family.
You may hear this phrase often in the crowd of sporting events or between team members, as encouragement for any mistakes on the field!
Kamawanai
構わない
Don’t worry (don’t care)
Kamawanai (構わない / かまわない) is usually used to mean ‘it doesn’t matter’ or ‘I don’t care’ in Japanese, although it can also be used to express the sentiment ‘don’t worry’.
It comes from the verb kamau (構う / かまう) which means ‘to mind’ or to be concerned about’.
Example:
Watashi ni kamawanai de kudasai
私に構わないでください
わたしにかまわないでください
Don’t mind me
Kuyo kuyo shinai
くよくよしない
Don’t fret
Kuyo kuyo shinai (くよくよしない) is a Japanese onomatopoeic expression that means ‘don’t fret’ or ‘don’t worry’.
You can read up about Japanese onomatopoeia in our previous post!
Example:
Kako no shippai wo kuyo kuyo suru na
過去の失敗をくよくよするな
かこのしっぱいをくよくよするな
Don’t dwell on your past mistakes (remember: suru na is more forceful!)
Daijoubu (dayo)
大丈夫 (だよ)
It’s okay / don’t worry
There’s a good possibility that you already know the Japanese term daijoubu (大丈夫 / だいじょうぶ). It translates as ‘alright’ or ‘good’ in Japanese.
For example, if you have a friend who is worried about upsetting you for not being able to make it to your birthday party, you can reassure them by saying daijoubu dayo! The dayo (だよ) is an end-of-sentence particle used for emphasis or assertiveness. You are basically telling them, ‘it’s alright’, so, an indirect way of telling them not to worry!
It is handy to use in situations where you are out with a friend and paid for their coffee and they want to repay you. You can say daijoubu da yo to mean ‘don’t worry about it, it’s my treat’.
Don’t worry in Japanese
Now you know a few different ways to say don’t worry in Japanese! Which is your favourite? Have you used any of these phrases in Japanese conversation before?
For more essential Japanese phrases, our top recommended online lessons are at JapanesePod101. Try it – it’s free!
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Hannah is a half Irish/half Japanese girl living in Ireland. Her love for Japan and the Japanese language led her to studying languages and translation in university where she specialised in Japanese. She spent a year studying abroad at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. In her free time, Hannah enjoys using her sewing machine to upcycle clothes and create new pieces!