How to Say I'm Drunk in Japanese: Yotta, Horoyoi and Futsukayoi

From tipsy to hungover in four words

The verb is you (酔う), to get drunk. Because it describes a change of state, Japanese uses the past form when English says I'm drunk. Yotta means I've got drunk, so I'm drunk. Yotchatta adds a soft, slightly sheepish oops. Around that verb sit three words you will hear on any night out.

You will also hear yopparatta, from yopparau, which means properly drunk rather than tipsy. Roughly, the longer the word, the drunker the speaker: chotto yotta, yotta, yopparatta, and finally berobero.

The grammar trap: yotta, not yoimasu

English describes the state: I am drunk. Japanese describes the event that caused it: I have got drunk. So yotta and yotte iru both mean I'm drunk, while yoimasu means I get drunk or I will get drunk. The same logic applies to onaka ga suita, I'm hungry, and tsukareta, I'm tired.

When a friend asks yotteru?, answer with a degree word: chotto yotteru kamo, I might be a bit drunk, or mada daijōbu, I'm still fine. A clear answer helps the people topping up your glass.

The drunk scale

Japanese has a lively set of words for how drunk someone is. The onomatopoeia are casual and often affectionate; yopparai, a drunk, is a little negative and is used for strangers on the last train more than for friends.

Shirafu also appears in shirafu ja ienai, I couldn't say it sober, which people use with a laugh before confessing something at a party.

Stopping politely

At many gatherings people top up each other's glasses, and in some groups a glass left full is a quiet signal that you do not want more. Customs differ, so if someone keeps pouring, say something kind and clear. Japanese refusals work best with a reason or a soft alternative rather than a flat no.

Osake ni yowai, weak with alcohol, is a face-saving reason everyone accepts. Switching to oolong tea or water lets you keep toasting.

If you are driving, say so: kuruma na node, I came by car. Japan's drink-driving rules are very strict, and people will usually stop offering at once. Some groups also call for ikki, downing a drink in one go; it is widely discouraged today because it is dangerous, and muri muri, no way, I can't, with a laugh is a fine answer.

The morning after

Futsukayoi is the hangover. At work the next day, people often thank the organiser and apologise lightly if they were loud, with kinō wa gochisōsama deshita or kinō wa shitsurei shimashita. Nobody expects a confession; a smile and a short line are enough. Kimochi warui, I feel sick, and atama ga itai, my head hurts, describe the symptoms.

Shijimi miso soup, made with tiny freshwater clams, is a popular hangover remedy in Japan, and convenience stores sell drinks marketed for before and after a night out. Whether they work is another matter, but they make good small talk.

A spoken exchange: the nomikai and the next morning

You are at a team dinner. After two beers you switch to tea, and the next morning a coworker checks on you by the coffee machine.

Muri shinaide ne, don't push yourself, is the kind reply many people give when someone stops drinking. If you hear it, you have declined successfully and nobody is offended.

Strong or weak: talking about your limits

Before the drinking starts, people often ask osake wa tsuyoi desu ka, are you strong with alcohol? Tsuyoi means you can drink a lot without getting drunk, and yowai means a little goes a long way. Zenzen nomenai, I can't drink at all, is a perfectly acceptable answer.

Answering honestly at the start of the night saves trouble later, because your neighbours will know whether to keep topping you up. If you do not drink for health, religion or simple preference, you do not need to give details. Kyō wa nomanai n desu, I'm not drinking today, is enough, and kanpai dake, just for the toast, lets you raise a glass with everyone.

Common mistakes

• Saying yoimasu for I'm drunk. Use yotta, yotchatta or yotte imasu.
• Calling a friend a yopparai to their face. Say yotteru ne or berobero da ne with a laugh instead.
• Refusing with a flat iranai. Give a soft reason: mō jūbun desu or osake ni yowai n desu.
• Overdoing the apology the next day. One kinō wa shitsurei shimashita is enough unless something really went wrong.

Above all, nobody should feel they must drink. A clear, friendly line at the start and a soft drink in your hand keep you part of the party.