がっかり

Usage

• がっかりする (to be disappointed)
• がっかりさせる (to disappoint someone)
• がっかりだ (expression of disappointment)

Transitivity

• Type: 自動詞(じどうし) (intransitive)
• No standard transitive pair
• Pattern: がっかりする

がっかり is a mimetic word (擬態語(ぎたいご)) that evokes the feeling of deflation or letdown when expectations aren't met. The sound itself suggests the sensation of one's spirits dropping.

Common patterns

• 〜にがっかりする: to be disappointed in/by ~
• 〜てがっかりした: was disappointed that ~

Related words

• 失望(しつぼう): disappointment (formal/literary)
• 落胆(らくたん): dejection, discouragement (formal)

ASPECT (ている):

• がっかりしている: is disappointed, feels let down (resultative state, not "is getting disappointed")
• がっかりした: got disappointed (the moment of becoming disappointed — this is the usual form when first reacting)
• Note: がっかりする is a change-of-state verb. The plain past がっかりした reports the event of becoming disappointed, while がっかりしている describes the ongoing emotional state that results. English "I'm disappointed" can correspond to either form depending on whether the focus is on the reaction or the state.