狭い
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Base i-adjective form ending in 『い』. Describes something that has limited width or is not spacious.
Theme
While apartment hunting in Tokyo, User and their real estate agent Mika are viewing a small studio, discussing its size.
狭い
せまい
narrow
Core Language Building BlocksCore Adjectives
Memory Hook
Imagine a narrow alley where you can barely squeeze through. You say, 'It's so narrow!' — think of 'shy' (sounds like 狭い semai) because narrow spaces can make you feel shy or cramped.
Cultural Note
In Japan, many urban areas have narrow streets and small living spaces, so 『狭い』 (semai, 'narrow') is often used to describe rooms, roads, or crowded places. It's a common word in daily conversations about space constraints.
Forms
Base: 狭いBase i-adjective form ending in 『い』. Describes something that has limited width or is not spacious.
Negative: 狭くないDrop 『い』 → add 『くない』 (kunai, negative) → 『狭くない』 (semakunai).
Past: 狭かったDrop 『い』 → add 『かった』 (katta, past) → 『狭かった』 (semakatta).
Adverbial: 狭くDrop 『い』 → add 『く』 (ku, adverbial) → 『狭く』 (semaku).
Comparative: より狭いComparative formed with modifier 『より』 (yori, 'more than') + base adjective.
Superlative: 一番狭いSuperlative formed with 『一番』 (ichiban, 'number one / Most') + adjective.