手(て)が空(あ)く

てがあく

expression

to become free; to have a moment to spare

1. to become free; to finish what one was doing and be available

For one's hands to come free — that is, to finish the task at hand and have time for something else. Literally 'one's hands become empty.' Used constantly at work to offer or ask for help.

手(て)が空(あ)いたら手伝(てつだ)ってください。

Please help me when you're free.

今(いま)は手(て)が空(あ)いていないので、後(あと)にしてもらえますか。

I'm tied up right now — could it wait?

手(て)が空(あ)いている人(ひと)から順番(じゅんばん)に片付(かたづ)けを始(はじ)めた。

Whoever was free started clearing up, one after another.

午後(ごご)になれば手(て)が空(あ)くと思(おも)うので、そのときに資料(しりょう)を見(み)ておきます。

I should be free in the afternoon, so I'll look over the materials then.

Structure: 手(て) (hand) + が + 空(あ)く (to become empty, to open up).

Common patterns

手(て)が空(あ)いたら: when you get a moment
手(て)が空(あ)いている: to be free right now
手(て)が空(あ)いていない: to be busy (the standard polite refusal)

Similar words

暇(ひま)になる: to become free — about having no work at all; 手(て)が空(あ)く is about the gap between tasks
時間(じかん)が空(あ)く: to have a slot open up — about the schedule rather than the person
手(て)が離(はな)せない: to be unable to break away — hands literally occupied at this moment

Usage

Asking 手(て)が空(あ)いていますか is gentler than 忙(いそが)しいですか, because it implies you will wait until the person is ready.

Related Words

Antonym: 手(て)が足(た)りない (to be short-handed)

Compare: 手(て)が離(はな)せない (to be unable to break away)

general

Added 2026.8.12 12:18 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:31

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