Translation guide
The English word "singles" has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common ones for learners: unmarried people, single-person items (like tickets or rooms), and sports matches between two individuals.
Referring to people who are not married, often in the context of dating or social events.
The most common and neutral word for 'unmarried person'. Can be used for both men and women.
彼はまだ独身です。
He is still single.
独身の友達を紹介してください。
Please introduce me to your single friends.
Loanword from English, often used in contexts like 'single mother' or 'single life'. Can sound slightly more modern or casual.
シングルマザーとして頑張っています。
She's working hard as a single mother.
A slightly more literary or old-fashioned way to say 'single', emphasizing being alone.
独り身の気楽さを楽しんでいる。
I'm enjoying the ease of being single.
Referring to something intended for one person, such as a ticket, hotel room, or serving.
Used as a prefix or standalone for single-occupancy things, like hotel rooms or tickets.
シングルルームを予約しました。
I booked a single room.
シングルチケットはいくらですか？
How much is a single ticket?
Means 'for one person'. Can be attached to nouns to indicate single-person use.
一人用のテーブルをお願いします。
A table for one, please.
A competition, especially in tennis or badminton, where one player competes against another.
The standard term for singles matches in sports like tennis, badminton, and table tennis.
彼はテニスのシングルスで優勝した。
He won the tennis singles.
A more formal or technical term for a singles match, less common in everyday speech.
While シングル can mean 'single' as in unmarried, it's often used in compounds like シングルマザー. Using it alone to describe a person might sound unnatural; 独身 is safer.
シングル is a loanword often used for hotel rooms and tickets, while 一人用 is a native Japanese phrase meaning 'for one person' and can be used more broadly (e.g., 一人用の鍋).
独身ですか？
Are you single?
京都までのシングルチケットをください。
I'd like a single ticket to Kyoto.
彼女はダブルスよりシングルスが好きだ。
She prefers singles over doubles.
単試合の結果が発表された。
The results of the singles match were announced.