Translation guide
To make someone lose hope, confidence, or enthusiasm. Japanese expresses this through verbs for losing spirit, becoming discouraged, or feeling down, often using passive or intransitive forms to describe the emotional impact.
To make someone feel discouraged or lose their drive, often due to a setback or negative news.
Literally 'to cause discouragement'. A direct transitive verb for disheartening someone. Common in both speech and writing.
その知らせは彼を落胆させた。
The news disheartened him.
To disappoint or let down, causing a drop in spirits. Very common in daily conversation.
試験の結果が彼女をがっかりさせた。
The exam results disheartened her.
To break someone's spirit or willpower. Slightly stronger, implying a crushing of motivation.
度重なる失敗が彼の気力をくじいた。
Repeated failures disheartened him.
To cause dejection or demoralization. More formal and literary, often used in written narratives.
その敗北はチームを意気消沈させた。
The defeat disheartened the team.
To feel disheartened oneself. Japanese often uses intransitive verbs or passive forms to describe the emotional state.
To be discouraged or disheartened. The most direct intransitive form.
彼はその結果に落胆した。
He was disheartened by the results.
To be disappointed or disheartened. Very common in everyday speech.
不合格と聞いてがっかりした。
I was disheartened to hear I failed.
To feel depressed or dispirited. Emphasizes a lingering low mood.
悪いニュースばかりで気がめいる。
I feel disheartened by all the bad news.
Literally 'one's heart breaks'. A colloquial way to say one's spirit is broken or deeply disheartened.
何度も断られて心が折れた。
I was disheartened after being rejected so many times.
Describing something that causes discouragement.
Disappointing or disheartening. A common adjectival phrase.
それはがっかりさせるような結果だった。
It was a disheartening result.
Depressing or disheartening, often for situations that drag on.
気のめいるような天気が続いている。
The disheartening weather continues.
Direct translations like '心を失わせる' are not natural. Use the verbs and phrases above instead.
Japanese often describes the state of being disheartened (intransitive) rather than focusing on who caused it. Use passive or intransitive forms when the agent is not important.