Translation guide
How to express the action of sitting down in Japanese, from formal to casual situations.
座りました。
I sat down.
The physical act of lowering oneself onto a seat or the floor.
The most common verb for sitting down. Can be used for chairs, floors, etc.
どうぞ座ってください。
Please sit down.
彼は椅子に座った。
He sat down on the chair.
Literally 'lower one's hips', a slightly more formal or descriptive way to say sit down.
ソファに腰を下ろして、本を読み始めた。
I sat down on the sofa and started reading a book.
Formal term used in ceremonies, meetings, or instructions. Implies taking one's assigned seat.
ご着席ください。
Please be seated.
Specifically sitting on tatami or floor, often in traditional settings.
Still the default verb, but context implies floor sitting.
畳に座ってお茶を飲んだ。
We sat on the tatami and drank tea.
To sit in the formal kneeling posture (seiza). Not just any floor sitting.
茶道では正座をします。
In tea ceremony, we sit in seiza.
To sit cross-legged. Casual, mostly for men in informal settings.
Polite or casual ways to offer a seat.
Standard polite invitation to sit.
どうぞ座ってください。
Please have a seat.
More formal and elegant. Often used in business or customer service.
こちらへどうぞ。おかけください。
This way, please. Please take a seat.
Casual command form. Use only with close friends or family.
座って、楽にして。
Sit down and make yourself comfortable.
座る is the everyday verb. 腰を下ろす is more literary or descriptive, often used in narratives. 着席する is strictly formal, used in schools, ceremonies, or official settings.
授業中は着席していてください。
Please remain seated during class.
English 'sitting' can mean the state of being seated. In Japanese, 座っている (suwatte iru) is the state, while 座る is the action of sitting down. Use 座っている for 'is sitting'.
彼は今、座っています。
He is sitting now.
He's sitting cross-legged watching TV.