独(ひと)り言(ごと)

ひとりごと

noun

talking to oneself; soliloquy; monologue

communication

1. talking to oneself; soliloquy; monologue

Speaking aloud to oneself without addressing anyone, often while thinking or working.

彼(かれ)は独(ひと)り言(ごと)が多(おお)い。

He talks to himself a lot.

「困(こま)ったな」と独(ひと)り言(ごと)を言(い)った。

"This is a problem," I muttered to myself.

独(ひと)り言(ごと)のつもりが、聞(き)かれていた。

I thought I was talking to myself, but someone heard me.

隣(となり)の席(せき)の人(ひと)がぶつぶつと独(ひと)り言(ごと)を言(い)っていて気(き)になった。

The person sitting next to me was mumbling to themselves, and it bothered me.

難(むずか)しい問題(もんだい)を考(かんが)えている時(とき)、つい独(ひと)り言(ごと)が出(で)てしまう。

When I'm thinking about a difficult problem, I end up talking to myself without realizing it.

独(ひと)り言(ごと) is speaking aloud to oneself: muttering, thinking out loud, the words that escape while you work through a problem. The verb is 言(い)う: 独(ひと)り言(ごと)を言(い)う.

Forms

独(ひと)り 'alone' + 言(ごと) 'saying, words.'

Writing

独(ひと)り言(ごと): the standard writing
ひとりごと: very common in hiragana
独言(ひとりごと): a compact kanji form, uncommon

Common collocations

独(ひと)り言(ごと)を言(い)う: to talk to oneself
独(ひと)り言(ごと)が多(おお)い: to talk to oneself a lot
独(ひと)り言(ごと)のように: as if talking to oneself, of something said in earshot but not addressed to anyone
ぶつぶつと独(ひと)り言(ごと)を言(い)う: to mumble to oneself

Related words

Other 〜言(ごと) words, each naming a kind of speech:

寝言(ねごと): sleep-talking
泣(な)き言(ごと): whining, complaining
たわ言(ごと): nonsense, drivel

Related Words

Related: 寝言(ねごと) (sleep-talking)

Related: 泣(な)き言(ごと) (whining, complaining)

Related: たわ言(ごと) (nonsense, drivel)

core

Added 2026.1.18 22:35 · Revised 2026.10.18 9:25

07000/07022_hitorigoto