How to Say ‘Free time / not busy’ in Japanese
ひま
ひま
💬 Usage Tip: [ひま] can mean “free time” or “not busy.” As a noun: [ひまがあります] “I have free time.”
🇯🇵 In Japan: Saying you’re [ひま] can sound like “I have nothing to do,” so with coworkers it’s sometimes better to say [少し時間があります] if you want to sound proactive.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
ひまひま
[hima]
free time; spare time; being available
A noun meaning you have no scheduled obligations. Common in phrases like ひまです (I’m free) / ひまがある (have free time).
ひまのとき、えいがをみます。
When I have free time, I watch movies.
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