Tsumaranai can mean ‘boring’ or ‘bored’ in Japanese, explained

What does “tsumaranai” mean in Japanese?

Native speakers say “tsumaranai” to mean ‘boring’ or ‘bored’ in Japanese. Probably, many Japanese learners know this word as it is often used in Japanese movies, songs, novels, manga, anime, and the like. In this blog post, however, I will explain this word together with its major conjugations. And also, I will explain how to use them through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners to use “tsumaranai” more properly. Then, let’s get started!

Contents

• Definition and meanings of “tsumaranai”
  • Example #1: how to say “boring” in Japanese
• Tsumaranakunai: the nai form of “tsumaranai”
  • Example #2: how to say “not boring” in Japanese
• Tsumaranakatta: the ta form of “tsumaranai”
  • Example #3: how to say “was boring” in Japanese
• Tsumaranakute: the te form of “tsumaranai”
  • Example #4: how to say “boring and” in Japanese
• Tsumaranakereba: the ba form of “tsumaranai”
  • Example #5: how to say “if boring” in Japanese
• Summary

Definition and meanings of “tsumaranai”

Let me start with the definition and meanings of “tsumaranai”.

• tsumaranai – つまらない : an i-adjective meaning ‘boring’ or ‘bored’ in Japanese.

Native speakers say “tsumaranai” to mean ‘boring’ or ‘bored’ in Japanese. In English, we need to be careful with the subject word in a sentence. When the subject is boring someone, we need to say “boring”. When the subject is bored by someone or something, we need to say “bored”. The Japanese i-adjective, however, does not care whether the subject is boring or bored. We can just say “tsumaranai” in both cases.

Then, let me explain how to use “tsumaranai” through the example sentence below.

Example #1: how to say “boring” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• kono – この : a determiner used before a noun referring to a thing close to the speaker. In the example, this is used before “eiga” to say “this movie” in Japanese.
• eiga – 映画 (えいが) : a noun meaning ‘movie’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. Learn more about Japanese plural.
• wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “kono eiga” to make the subject in the sentence.

This is a typical usage of “tsumaranai”. In this example, it works as a complement. Like other adjectives, however, it can also work as a modifier in front of a noun. For example, we can say “tsumaranai eiga” to mean a ‘boring movie’ in Japanese. It’s worth knowing, I think. When we want to describe something boring in Japanese, anyway, “tsumaranai” is a very good option.

So far, I’ve explained the definition and meanings of “tsumaranai” and how to use it through the example sentence. In the rest part of this blog post, I will explain its major conjugations. The first one is “tsumaranakunai”.

Tsumaranakunai: the nai form of “tsumaranai”

Below are the definition and meanings of “tsumaranakunai”.

• tusmaranakunai – つまらなくない : the nai form of “tsumaranai”, which means ‘not boring’ or ‘not bored’ in Japanese.

Grammatically, “tsumaranakunai” consists of the following two parts:

• tsumaranaku – つまらなく : one conjugation of “tsumaranai”. This can have a smooth connection with “nai”.
• nai – ない : an auxiliary verb used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to deny its meaning. Word orders in Japanese and English are different, but the role of this auxiliary verb is similar to that of “not”.

From these two parts, we can understand that “tsumaranakunai” is literally the nai form of “tsumaranai” and means ‘not boring’ or ‘not bored’ in Japanese. Then, let me explain how to use this nai form through the example sentence below.

Example #2: how to say “not boring” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• manga – 漫画 (まんが) : a noun meaning ‘manga’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural.
• yo – よ : a sentence-ending particle used to state the fact or idea in a soft way. As the definition suggests, this is used at the end of the example sentence to state the speaker’s idea softly.

This is a typical usage of “tsumaranakunai”. When we want to say “not boring” in Japanese, this nai form is a very good option.

Tsumaranakatta: the ta form of “tsumaranai”

Below are the definition and meanings of “tsumaranakatta”.

• tsumaranakatta – つまらなかった : the ta form of “tsumaranai”, which means ‘was boring’, ‘was bored’, or such in Japanese.

Grammatically, “tsumaranakatta” consists of the following two parts:

• tsumaranakat – つまらなかっ : one conjugation of “tsumaranai”. This can have a smooth connection with “ta”.
• ta – た : an auxiliary verb used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its past tense form. Probably, this is well known as a part of Japanese ta form.

From these two parts, we can understand that “tsumaranakatta” is literally the ta form of “tsumaranai” and means ‘was boring’, ‘was bored’, or such in Japanese. Then, let me explain how to use this ta form through the example sentence below.

Example #3: how to say “was boring” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• ano – あの : a determiner used before a noun referring to a thing not close to the speaker. In the example, this is used before “eiga” to say “that movie” in Japanese.
• mo – も : a binding particle making the subject word or the object word in a sentence with adding the meaning of ‘also’, ‘as well’, or ‘too’. In the example, this works after “ano eiga” to make the subject in the sentence with adding the meaning of ‘too’.

This is a typical usage of “tsumaranakatta”. When we want to use the past tense form of “tsumaranai”, this ta form is the best option.

Tsumaranakute: the te form of “tsumaranai”

Below are the definition and meanings of “tsumaranakute”.

• tsumaranakute – つまらなくて : the te form of “tsumaranai”, which means ‘boring’ or ‘bored’ in Japanese.

Grammatically, “tsumaranakute” consists of the following two parts:

• tsumaranaku – つまらなく : one conjugation of “tsumaranai”. This can have a smooth connection with “te”.
• te – て : a conjunctive particle used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its te form.

From these two parts, we can understand that “tsumaranakute” is literally the te form of “tsumaranai”. In Japanese, te-formed words have some important roles. One of them is make smooth connections of words. So, “tsumaranakute” is very useful when we want to use “tsumaranai” in front of another adjective or a verb. Let me explain this usage through the example sentence below.

Example #4: how to say “boring and” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• totemo – とても : an adverb of degree meaning ‘very’, ‘much’, ‘so’, or such in Japanese. In the example, this works before “tsumaranakute” to emphasize its meaning.
• nagai – 長い (ながい) : an i-adjective meaning ‘long’ in Japanese.

This is a typical usage of “tsumaranakute”. In the example, it has the smooth connection with “nagai”. When we want to use “tsumaranai” in front of another adjective, its te form is very useful to make a smooth connection.

Tsumaranakereba: the ba form of “tsumaranai”

Lastly, let me explain the definition and meanings of “tsumaranakereba”.

• tsumaranakereba – つまらなければ : the ba form of “tsumaranai”, which makes a conditional clause in a sentence with meaning ‘boring’ or ‘bored’ in Japanese.

Grammatically, “tsumaranakereba” consists of the following two parts:

• tsumaranakere – つまらなけれ : one conjugation of “tsumaranai”. This can have a smooth connection with “ba”.
• ba – ば : a conjunctive particle used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its ba form.

From these two parts, we can understand that “tsumaranakereba” is literally the ba form of “tsumaranai”. In Japanese, the ba forms of words can work as their conditional forms. So, we can use “tsumaranakereba” to make a conditional clause in a sentence with adding the meaning of ‘boring’ or ‘bored’. Let me explain this usage through the example sentence below.

Example #5: how to say “if boring” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• ga – が : a case particle used to make the subject word or the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “kono eiga” to make the subject in the conditional clause.
• tome – 止め (とめ) : one conjugation of the verb, “tomeru”, which means ‘to stop’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
• te – て : the same as used in “tsumaranakute”. In the example, this is used after “tome” to make its te form, “tome te”. Verbs need to be changed to their te forms to be connected with “kudasai”.
• kudasai – ください : one conjugation of the verb, “kudasaru”, which means ‘to give’ in Japanese. When this follows a verb, however, this can work like an auxiliary verb to add the meaning of ‘please’. In the example, this works like an auxiliary verb after “tome te” to add the meaning of ‘please’.

This is a typical usage of “tsumaranakereba”. In this example, it works as a part of the conditional clause, “kono eiga ga tsumaranakereba”, which means ‘if this movie is boring’ in Japanese. When we want to make a conditional clause in a sentence with adding the meaning of ‘boring’ or ‘bored’ in Japanese, this ba form is useful.

Summary

In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meanings of “tsumaranai” and its major conjugations. And also, I’ve explained how to use them through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.

• tsumaranai – つまらない : an i-adjective meaning ‘boring’ or ‘bored’ in Japanese. This can work as both a modifier and a complement.
• tusmaranakunai – つまらなくない : the nai form of “tsumaranai”, which means ‘not boring’ or ‘not bored’ in Japanese.
• tsumaranakatta – つまらなかった : the ta form of “tsumaranai”, which means ‘was boring’, ‘was bored’, or such in Japanese.
• tsumaranakute – つまらなくて : the te form of “tsumaranai”, which means ‘boring’ or ‘bored’ in Japanese. When we want to use “tsumaranai” in front of another adjective, this te form is very useful to make a smooth connection.
• tsumaranakereba – つまらなければ : the ba form of “tsumaranai”, which makes a conditional clause in a sentence with meaning ‘boring’ or ‘bored’ in Japanese.

Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.