The basic word: isogashii
Isogashii, 忙しい, is an i-adjective meaning busy. Isogashii desu is the polite statement, isogashii the casual one, and isogashikatta desu the past, I was busy. The te-form isogashikute is useful for giving busyness as a reason: isogashikute, renraku dekinakute sumimasen, I was busy and couldn't get in touch, sorry.
Isogashii describes people, periods and places: kyō wa isogashii, today is busy; shigoto ga isogashii, work is busy; isogashii mise, a busy shop. For crowded rather than busy, use konde iru instead, as in densha ga konde iru, the train is crowded.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 忙しいです。 | Isogashii desu. | I'm busy. |
| 今週はちょっと忙しいです。 | Konshū wa chotto isogashii desu. | I'm a bit busy this week. |
| 最近、仕事が忙しくて。 | Saikin, shigoto ga isogashikute. | Work has been busy lately, so... |
| 昨日はすごく忙しかった。 | Kinō wa sugoku isogashikatta. | Yesterday was really busy. (casual) |
| 年末は忙しくなります。 | Nenmatsu wa isogashiku narimasu. | It gets busy at the end of the year. |
Softer and more vivid ways to say it
Japanese often avoids stating busyness baldly. Bata bata, the sound of hurried footsteps, gives a sense of hectic activity without complaining. Te ga hanasenai means you are physically in the middle of something. Te ga fusagatte iru, my hands are full, and te ippai, at full capacity, are common at work.
For extreme busyness, people say me ga mawaru hodo isogashii, so busy my eyes are spinning, or informally, isogashisugite shinu, so busy I could die, which is a light exaggeration among friends. Neko no te mo karitai, I'd even borrow a cat's paws, is an idiom for being so busy you would accept help from anyone.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 今ちょっとバタバタしていて。 | Ima chotto bata bata shite ite. | Things are a bit hectic right now. |
| 今、手が離せないんです。 | Ima, te ga hanasenai n desu. | I'm tied up right now and can't step away. |
| 今、手がふさがっていて。 | Ima, te ga fusagatte ite. | My hands are full at the moment. |
| 今、手一杯です。 | Ima, te ippai desu. | I'm at full capacity right now. |
| 目が回るほど忙しいです。 | Me ga mawaru hodo isogashii desu. | I'm so busy my head is spinning. |
| 猫の手も借りたいくらいです。 | Neko no te mo karitai kurai desu. | I'm so busy I'd take help from anyone. |
| 忙しすぎて死にそう。 | Isogashisugite shinisō. | I'm so busy I could die. (casual exaggeration) |
Asking if someone is busy
Before you interrupt a colleague, a teacher or a shop worker, it is polite to check that they have a moment. Rather than asking isogashii desu ka, are you busy?, which can sound blunt, Japanese speakers usually ask whether now is a good time. Ima o-jikan daijōbu desu ka and ima chotto yoroshii desu ka are the standard lines at work.
For more elaborate openings, such as apologising for interrupting with o-isogashii tokoro sumimasen, see our guide to saying sorry to bother you in Japanese. The key phrases below are the short everyday ones.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 今、お時間大丈夫ですか。 | Ima, o-jikan daijōbu desu ka. | Do you have a moment now? |
| 今ちょっとよろしいですか。 | Ima chotto yoroshii desu ka. | Could I have a moment? |
| 五分ほどお時間いただけますか。 | Go-fun hodo o-jikan itadakemasu ka. | Could I have about five minutes of your time? |
| お忙しいところすみません。 | O-isogashii tokoro sumimasen. | Sorry to bother you when you're busy. |
| 今、忙しい？ | Ima, isogashii? | Are you busy now? (casual) |
| 今、大丈夫？ | Ima, daijōbu? | Is now OK? (casual) |
Notice o-isogashii with the polite o-. When talking about someone else's busyness respectfully, the o- prefix is common; you never use it for your own.
Answering when someone asks
When someone asks if you have a moment, you can say yes, suggest a time, or explain that you are tied up. Offering an alternative is the key to sounding helpful rather than dismissive. A time estimate, such as go-fun go ni, in five minutes, works well.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| はい、大丈夫ですよ。 | Hai, daijōbu desu yo. | Yes, that's fine. |
| どうぞ。 | Dōzo. | Go ahead. |
| 五分後でもいいですか。 | Go-fun go demo ii desu ka. | Could it be in five minutes? |
| すみません、今ちょっと手が離せなくて。 | Sumimasen, ima chotto te ga hanasenakute. | Sorry, I'm tied up right now. |
| 後でこちらから声をかけます。 | Ato de kochira kara koe o kakemasu. | I'll come and find you later. |
| 会議が終わったら連絡します。 | Kaigi ga owattara renraku shimasu. | I'll get in touch after my meeting. |
| ごめん、今無理。あとでいい？ | Gomen, ima muri. Ato de ii? | Sorry, can't right now. Later OK? (casual) |
Declining softly because you are busy
Busyness is one of the most common reasons given when turning down an invitation, extra work or a request. The usual pattern is apology, a soft reason, and an unfinished sentence, with an alternative if you genuinely want to accept another time. Saying iie or dame desu outright is rare and can sound harsh.
Chotto on its own does a lot of work here. Sono hi wa chotto, that day is a bit..., is understood as a polite no without any further explanation. For the wider topic of turning down invitations, see our guide to Japanese invitations and polite refusals; below are the lines that specifically use being busy as the reason.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| すみません、その日はちょっと…。 | Sumimasen, sono hi wa chotto... | Sorry, that day is a bit difficult... |
| 今週はバタバタしていて、難しそうです。 | Konshū wa bata bata shite ite, muzukashisō desu. | This week is hectic, so it looks difficult. |
| 今、手一杯でして…。 | Ima, te ippai deshite... | I'm at full capacity at the moment... |
| 来週なら時間が取れると思います。 | Raishū nara jikan ga toreru to omoimasu. | I think I can make time next week. |
| また誘ってください。 | Mata sasotte kudasai. | Please invite me again. |
| ごめん、今週忙しくて。また今度ね。 | Gomen, konshū isogashikute. Mata kondo ne. | Sorry, busy this week. Next time! (casual) |
Be careful with mata kondo, next time. Among friends it can be a genuine promise or a polite way to say no, and the tone and whether you suggest a date usually make the difference.
Busy at work: taking on or refusing tasks
At work, saying you are too busy for a new task needs extra care, especially with a manager. It is common to state your current workload and ask for guidance on priorities rather than refusing outright. This keeps the conversation cooperative.
| Situation | Phrase | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Manager adds a task | Ima A no ken de te ippai na no desu ga, dochira o yūsen shimashō ka. | Shows your workload and asks for priorities |
| Colleague asks for help | Sumimasen, kyō wa te ga hanasenakute. Ashita demo ii desu ka. | Declines today but offers tomorrow |
| Explaining a slow reply | Bata bata shite ite, go-renraku ga osoku narimashita. | Apologises without sounding defensive |
| Checking a deadline | Itsu made ni hitsuyō desu ka. | Clarifies before you commit |
Common learner mistakes
- Using isogashii for crowded places. A busy train or street is konde iru, not isogashii, when you mean full of people.
- Asking a colleague isogashii desu ka? directly. Ima o-jikan daijōbu desu ka sounds more considerate.
- Adding o- to your own busyness. O-isogashii is for other people only.
- Declining with a flat isogashii desu kara. Apologise first, soften with chotto, and trail off.
- Taking every mata kondo as a real plan. Listen for whether a date is suggested.