How to say "monologue" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 独り言ひとりごとnounCovers talking to yourself in daily life — the murmurs, complaints, and musings spoken aloud to no one. This is the everyday word; a character muttering to themselves in a story is doing 独り言.
- nounThe loanword, used mainly for the theatrical or film sense: an extended speech by one character, or a comic's solo routine. When discussing drama, cinema, or stand-up, this is usually the word you want.
- 独白どくはくnoun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbA written or formal word for a monologue or soliloquy, especially in literature and drama — a character speaking their thoughts aloud, or a prose passage of inner speech. Common in criticism and essays.
- 独語どくごnoun, suru verbA more technical or clinical term for monologue or soliloquy — speaking to oneself, sometimes discussed in contexts like psychology or language description. For ordinary conversation about monologues, other choices are more natural.
Use 「独り言」 for everyday talking to oneself, 「モノローグ」 for the performing-arts term borrowed from English, and 独白 or 独語 for literary, theatrical, or technical soliloquy senses.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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