1.
to feel lonely
to feel lonely; to miss (someone); to show loneliness
犬が飼い主を寂しがっている。
The dog misses its owner.
子どもは親がいないと寂しがる。
Children feel lonely when their parents aren't around.
彼は遠くに引っ越した友人のことを寂しがっている。
He misses his friend who moved far away.
寂しがる is a godan verb formed from the adjective 寂しい (lonely) + the suffix がる.
TRANSITIVITY:
- Type: Intransitive (自動詞)
- Pattern: Xが寂しがる / XがYを寂しがる (X misses Y)
ASPECT (ている):
寂しがっている describes someone visibly showing loneliness or missing someone.
The がる suffix is used to describe observable emotional states, particularly in third person:
- 寂しい (I'm lonely) → 寂しがる (to show loneliness - typically third person)
Note: Can also be spelled 淋しがる.
Related がる verbs:
- 恥ずかしがる (to show embarrassment)
- 怖がる (to show fear)
- 欲しがる (to show wanting)