Translation guide
How to express 'lying face down' in Japanese, covering the most common verb, related expressions, and usage notes.
The most common way to say someone is lying on their stomach, face down.
The standard, neutral expression for lying face down. うつ伏せ (face down) + になる (to become).
彼はベッドにうつ伏せになった。
He lay face down on the bed.
I like sleeping on my stomach.
Specifically for sleeping face down. うつ伏せ (face down) + で (in that state) + 寝る (to sleep).
赤ちゃんをうつ伏せで寝かせないでください。
Please don't put the baby to sleep on its stomach.
Literally 'become belly crawl', often used for lying flat on one's stomach, sometimes with a nuance of crawling or being prostrate.
彼は床に腹ばいになって本を読んだ。
He lay on his stomach on the floor and read a book.
More formal or literary expressions for lying face down.
A single verb meaning to lie face down. Less common in everyday speech, more literary.
彼は机に俯してしまった。
He lay face down on the desk.
Can mean to lie face down, but also to crouch or hide. Context-dependent and somewhat literary.
草むらに伏して敵を待った。
He lay face down in the grass and waited for the enemy.
Describing the state of being face down, rather than the action of lying down.
The state of being face down. うつ伏せ (face down) + だ (is).
彼はうつ伏せだ。
He is lying face down.
The progressive state of being face down, emphasizing the ongoing posture.
彼は床にうつ伏せになっている。
He is lying face down on the floor.
The action of turning something or someone face down.
To put someone or something into a face-down position. Transitive version of うつ伏せになる.
赤ちゃんをうつ伏せにしないでください。
Please don't put the baby face down.
カードをうつ伏せに置いてください。
Please place the card face down.
To turn over, flip. Can be used for turning something face down, but also for turning inside out or upside down. Context clarifies.
うつ伏せ is the most common and neutral term for lying face down. 腹ばい often implies lying flat on the belly with limbs stretched out, and can also refer to an infant's crawling position. In many contexts they are interchangeable, but うつ伏せ is safer for general use.
うつ伏せで寝るのは体に良くないと言われている。
It is said that sleeping on your stomach is not good for your body.
赤ちゃんが腹ばいで遊んでいる。
The baby is playing on its tummy.
仰向け means lying face up, on your back. It is the opposite of うつ伏せ. Be careful not to confuse them.
仰向けに寝てください。
Please lie on your back.
紙を裏返してください。
Please turn the paper over (face down).