我很难过
wǒ hěn nánguò
I'm very sad · trad. 我很難過
我很难过 (wǒ hěn nánguò) means "I'm very sad" or "I feel very upset." It describes a strong feeling of sadness or distress, often when something difficult or unpleasant has happened, making one feel "hard to pass" through the emotion.
What does 我很难过 (wǒ hěn nánguò) mean?
我很难过 (wǒ hěn nánguò) means “I'm very sad” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “I very hard to pass.”
When to use it
Neutral and direct. It's appropriate for expressing personal sadness to friends, family, or close acquaintances. For a slightly softer expression, you could say 我有点难过 (wǒ yǒudiǎn nánguò), "I'm a bit sad."
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “waw hun NAN-gwor.” The first syllable of 难过 is a rising tone, and the second is a falling tone.
Other ways to say it
- 我很伤心wǒ hěn shāngxīnI'm very heartbroken/grieved
- 我心情不好wǒ xīnqíng bù hǎoI'm in a bad mood
- 我有点难过wǒ yǒudiǎn nánguòI'm a bit sad
Examples
听到这个消息，我很难过。
tīngdào zhège xiāoxi, wǒ hěn nánguò.
Hearing this news, I'm very sad.
他看起来很难过，发生了什么事？
tā kànqǐlái hěn nánguò, fāshēngle shénme shì?
He looks very sad, what happened?
我很难过，因为我没通过考试。
wǒ hěn nánguò, yīnwèi wǒ méi tōngguò kǎoshì.
I'm very sad because I didn't pass the exam.
Pro tip: 难过 literally means "hard to pass" or "difficult to get through," which vividly captures the feeling of being overwhelmed by sadness or distress.
Related phrases
你真好 · You're so kind我很开心 · I'm very happy太可惜了 · What a pity
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