<p>Haganai is actually taken from the hiragana only of the title: </p>

<p>僕<strong>は</strong>友達<strong>が</strong>少<strong>ない</strong></p>

<p>Ha is pronounced as 'wa' when used as a particle, but the actual phonogram is 'ha' everywhere else.</p>

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2019-12-19T20:02:45.963Z
2019-12-19T20:02:45.963Z
Eriol
<p>Light novels are somewhat infamous for titles that are often ridiculous and/or ridiculously long, I'm looking at you <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldEnd" rel="nofollow noreferrer">WorldEnd</a>: 終末なにしてますか？　忙しいですか？　救ってもらっていいですか？ </p>

<p>Hepburn: Shūmatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii Desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii Desu ka? </p>

<p>Translated as: What Do You Do at the End of the World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us? </p>

<p>A lot of these series have an informal contraction which is used to refer to it without reading out the entire title e.g. the above is usually contracted to "SukaSuka". The contraction is taken from bits and pieces of the Japanese title, so, Shūmatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii De<strong>su ka</strong>? Sukutte Moratte Ii De<strong>su ka</strong>? -> SukaSuka. </p>

<p>There are plenty of titles which have this approach, such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KonoSuba" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Konosuba</a>: 
この素晴らしい世界に祝福を! </p>

<p>Hepburn: Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o! </p>

<p>Translated as: A blessing to this wonderful world! </p>

<p>The contraction is derived as: <strong>Kono Suba</strong>rashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o! -> Konosuba</p>

<p>Some titles have a more offbeat approach such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rascal_Does_Not_Dream_of_Bunny_Girl_Senpai" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Aobuta</a>, 青春ブタ野郎はバニーガール先輩の夢を見ない</p>

<p>Hepburn: Seishun Buta Yarō wa Banīgāru Senpai no Yume o Minai</p>

<p>Translated as: Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai</p>

<p>Its contraction derives incompletely from: Seishun <strong>Buta</strong> Yarō wa Banīgāru Senpai no Yume o Minai -> buta.
I understand this to be because 青春 has no equivalent in English but is often translated as "springtime of youth", the first kanji 青 is read sei as part of 青春 (seishun) but on its own can be read ao (as in the colour blue) which gives us Aobuta.</p>

<p>My question is about the origin of the contraction for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haganai" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Haganai</a>, 僕は友達が少ない </p>

<p>Hepburn: Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai</p>

<p>Translated as: I Have Few Friends</p>

<p>The part I can derive is: Boku wa Tomodachi <strong>ga</strong> Suku<strong>nai</strong> -> ganai. The hepburn lacks the ha kana and I don't think any of the kanji have an alternate reading as ha. Has it ever been stated how the name Haganai was derived? </p>

<boku-wa-tomodachi-ga-sukunai>
Origin of the name "Haganai"
# Origin of the name "Haganai"
Posted by: username_0 on 2019-12-19
Light novels are somewhat infamous for titles that are often ridiculous and/or ridiculously long, I'm looking at you [WorldEnd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldEnd): 終末なにしてますか？　忙しいですか？　救ってもらっていいですか？

Hepburn: Shūmatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii Desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii Desu ka?

Translated as: What Do You Do at the End of the World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us?

A lot of these series have an informal contraction which is used to refer to it without reading out the entire title e.g. the above is usually contracted to "SukaSuka". The contraction is taken from bits and pieces of the Japanese title, so, Shūmatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii De**su ka**? Sukutte Moratte Ii De**su ka**? -> SukaSuka.

There are plenty of titles which have this approach, such as [Konosuba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KonoSuba):
この素晴らしい世界に祝福を!

Hepburn: Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o!

Translated as: A blessing to this wonderful world!

The contraction is derived as: **Kono Suba**rashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o! -> Konosuba

Some titles have a more offbeat approach such as [Aobuta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rascal_Does_Not_Dream_of_Bunny_Girl_Senpai), 青春ブタ野郎はバニーガール先輩の夢を見ない

Hepburn: Seishun Buta Yarō wa Banīgāru Senpai no Yume o Minai

Translated as: Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai

Its contraction derives incompletely from: Seishun **Buta** Yarō wa Banīgāru Senpai no Yume o Minai -> buta.
I understand this to be because 青春 has no equivalent in English but is often translated as "springtime of youth", the first kanji 青 is read sei as part of 青春 (seishun) but on its own can be read ao (as in the colour blue) which gives us Aobuta.

My question is about the origin of the contraction for [Haganai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haganai), 僕は友達が少ない

Hepburn: Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai

Translated as: I Have Few Friends

The part I can derive is: Boku wa Tomodachi **ga** Suku**nai** -> ganai. The hepburn lacks the ha kana and I don't think any of the kanji have an alternate reading as ha. Has it ever been stated how the name Haganai was derived?
**Tags:** boku-wa-tomodachi-ga-sukunai
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## 1 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2019-12-19. Score: 4 | Accepted answer
Haganai is actually taken from the hiragana only of the title:

僕**は**友達**が**少**ない**

Ha is pronounced as 'wa' when used as a particle, but the actual phonogram is 'ha' everywhere else.
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