Japanese first-person pronouns: "I" and "we"
In Japanese, there are variety of ways to say "I" and "we." We'll look at some forms from standard Japanese, some less alternative or less common forms, and some forms that are used only in particular dialects.
Standard Japanese
Here are the main first-person pronouns that are used in standard Japanese.
| Politeness | Male Speaker | Female Speaker | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Polite (humble) | わたくし (私) Transcription: watakushi | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ども (transcribed domo) | わたくし (私) Transcription: watakushi | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ども (transcribed domo) |
Standard (semi-polite) | わたし (私) Transcription: watashi | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ども (transcribed domo) | わたし (私) Transcription: watashi | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ども (transcribed domo) |
Semi-casual | ぼく (僕) Transcription: boku | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ら (transcribed ra) | わたし (私) Transcription: watashi | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ども (transcribed domo) |
Casual | おれ (俺) Transcription: ore | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ら (transcribed ra) | あたし Transcription: atashi | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ら (transcribed ra) |
Alternative forms
Here are a few alternatives to the standard first-person pronouns in Japanese.
| Politeness | Male Speaker | Female Speaker | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Semi-polite | 自分 Transcription: jibun | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ら (transcribed ra) | あたくし Transcription: atakushi | 〜たち (transcribed tachi) |
Casual | おら Transcription: ora | 〜たち (transcribed tachi) | うち Transcription: uchi | 〜ら (transcribed ra) |
おいら Transcription: oira | 〜たち (transcribed tachi) | あたい Transcription: atai | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ら (transcribed ra) | |
わし Transcription: washi | 〜ら (transcribed ra) | |||
Humble | わたくしめ Transcription: watakushime | |||
Writing (published) | 筆者 Transcription: hissha | 〜ら (transcribed ra) | 筆者 Transcription: hissha | 〜ら (transcribed ra) |
Writing (letters) | 小生 Transcription: shōsei | 〜ら (transcribed ra) | ||
Humble (business) | 手前ども Transcription: temae-domo | |||
Dialectal forms
Here are some first-person pronouns that are used in dialects of Japanese. The forms below are all singular, unless otherwise noted.
| Region | Male Speaker | Female Speaker |
|---|---|---|
Hiroshima | わし (transcribed washi) | うち (transcribed uchi)わっち (transcribed wacchi) |
Kochi | あし (transcribed ashi) - casual | あっち (transcribed acchi)あて (transcribed ate)わたい (transcribed watai) |
Osaka/Kyoto | わて (transcribed wate)わし (transcribed washi)わい (transcribed wai) | うち (transcribed uchi)わて (transcribed wate)あて (transcribed ate) |
Hokkaido | わっち (transcribed wacchi) おらだ (transcribed orada, meaning “we”) | わっちゃ (transcribed waccha) |
Kagoshima | おい (transcribed oi) - casual おいどん (transcribed oidon, meaning “we”) - casual | |
あたんど (transcribed atando, meaning “we”) | ||
Nagasaki | うったち (transcribed uttachi, meaning “we”) | |
Okayama | わい (transcribed wai) | |
Nagasaki | わえ (transcribed wae, meaning “we”)あがら (transcribed agara, meaning “we”) | |
Japanese second-person pronouns: "you"
In Japanese, there are also variety of ways to say "you." Let's now look at some forms from standard Japanese, some less alternative or less common forms, and some forms that are used only in particular dialects.
Standard Japanese
Here are the main second-person pronouns that are used in standard Japanese.
| Politeness | Male Speaker | Female Speaker | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Polite | ∅ | ∅ | ||
Standard (semi-polite) | あなた (貴方 / 貴女) Transcription: anata | 〜がた (transcribed gata)〜たち (transcribed tachi) | あなた (貴方 / 貴女) Transcription: anata | 〜がた (transcribed gata)〜たち (transcribed tachi) |
Casual (respectful) | きみ (君) Transcription: kimi | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ら (transcribed ra) | きみ (君) Transcription: kimi uncommon | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ら (transcribed ra) |
Casual (less respectful) | おまえ (御前) Transcription: omae | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ら (transcribed ra) | あんた Transcription: anta | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ら (transcribed ra) |
あんた Transcription: anta | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ら (transcribed ra) | |||
Casual (rough, disrespectful) | てめえ Transcription: temē | 〜ら (transcribed ra) | ||
きさま (貴様) Transcription: kisama | 〜ら (transcribed ra) | |||
Alternative forms
Here are a few alternatives to the standard second-person pronouns in Japanese.
| Politeness | Male Speaker | Female Speaker | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Semi-casual | おたく Transcription: otaku | 〜ら (transcribed ra) | ||
Casual | 自分 Transcription: jibun | 〜たち (transcribed tachi)〜ら (transcribed ra) | ||
Dialectal forms
Here are some second-person pronouns that are used in dialects of Japanese. The forms below are all singular, unless otherwise noted.
| Region | Second-person pronouns | |
|---|---|---|
Yamagata | おめさん (transcribed ome san) にさ (transcribed nisa) - casual, male | |
Kyoto | あて (transcribed ate)われ (transcribed ware) | |
Wakayama | おみら (transcribed omira) - plural | |
Hiroshima | われ (transcribed ware) | |
Okayama | じぶん (transcribed jibun) | |
Kōchi | おまはん (transcribed omahan)おまん (transcribed oman) | |
Nagasaki | あーた (transcribed āta) わい (transcribed wai) - casual | |
Kagoshima | おまんさー (transcribed omansā) わい (transcribed wai) - casual | |
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