Kiana Gryloo

Professor Yamak

Japanese Linguistics A

December 19, 2018

Personal Pronouns in the Japanese Language

Japanese is unique in the way it refers to the speaker, the hearer, and any third persons

in dialogue or writing; the reason for this being that, more often than not, Japanese people

tend to drop pronouns that may refer to themselves, their audience, or other people. Not only

that, but—unlike other languages such as Italian and Farsi—the verb and adjective

conjugations give no direct hint as to who the subject is.

To add to its uniqueness, there are a wide variety of Japanese personal pronouns, each

of which is used depending on several factors: honor, humility, politeness, familiarity,

superiority, age, social groups, sex, and region (though this essay will not touch on the latter

too much, as there are too many dialectical differences between regions to count). There are

1st, 2nd, and 3rd person pronouns. Plurals exist as well, mainly in the form of a suffix attached

to the singular pronoun. For this particular essay, focus will be given only to a few examples

of 1st person singular pronouns, the most common plural forms for every person, and how

and when personal pronouns may be used when speaking Japanese.

1st Person Pronouns

Watakushi (私) is the humblest form. It is used by both men and women in situations where

the speaker is socially lower or equal to the hearer. It is frequently used in official

conversations and may be used by TV announcers and politicians.

(1) 私、長崎市長になりました。

Watakushi, Nagasaki shichou ni narimashita.

I became the mayor of Nagasaki.

It can also be used in a speech or self-introduction during a formal business matter. Take this

example of someone calling in to a company to apply for a job:

(2) 私、山下健と申します。

Watakushi, Yamashita Takeshi to moushimasu.

I am Takeshi Yamashita.

Sometimes, older women prefer to use watakushi to appear elegant and classy.

Watashi (私) is the most common Japanese 1st person pronoun, used by both men and

women but becoming more of a neutral female pronoun in modern days. For men, on the

other hand, using watashi is considered polite (almost at the level of watakushi) rather than

just neutral. Women use it very frequently in nearly every situation.

(3) 瑞穂と私と、どちらのほうが背が高いですか。

Mizuho to watashi to, dochira no houga segatakai desu ka?

Between me and Mizuho, who is taller?

(4) 私は遅刻して、すみませんでした。

Watashi wa chikokushite, sumimasen deshita.

I am sorry for being late.

Watashi is the safest pronoun to use when facing a situation in which the level of formality is

unknown.

Boku (僕) is a male pronoun for all ages but typically used by the youth. Older people may

use it as well, however, depending on their environment and with whom they socialize. (For

example, in Tokyo, it is common to use boku with co-workers.) Consider the following

conversation between you and your manager:

(5) 店長：アルバイトをしながら学校に行くのは大変だね。
 あなた：ええ、時々、遅刻しちゃうんですよ。

店長：僕も学生の時は良く授業をサボったよ。

Tenchou: Arubaito wo shi nagara gakkou ni iku no wa taihen da ne.

Anata: ē, tokidoki, chikokushi chau n desu yo.

Tenchou: Boku mo gakusei no toki wa yoku jugyou wo sabotta yo.

Manager: Having a part-time job while going to school is difficult, isn’t it.

You: Yeah, sometimes, unfortunately, for this reason, I am late.

Manager: When I was a student, I would also often skip school.

Boku was once deemed an informal pronoun, but now it is used frequently by males with no

problem, as long as it is not used in a formal situation or in a rude manner. The following is a

less casual (neutral/formal) situation:

(6) 僕はチョコレートを一個しかもらえませんでした。

Boku wa chokorēto wo ikko shika moraemasen deshita.

I received as little as one chocolate.

The next example demonstrates how boku may be used in a more casual setting, such as gift-

giving between friends:

(7) 和夫君、はい、これ。

Kazuo-kun, hai, kore.

Kazuo, here.

ええ、僕に？ありがとう！

Ē, boku ni? Arigatou!

What, for me? Thanks!

Due to the influence of manga, there are a handful of females who may use it, particularly

those who may identify themselves as tomboys. However, boku is indeed becoming a netural

male pronoun like watashi is with females.

Ore (俺) is also a male pronoun, used by young adult boys and older. It gives off a sense of

rough manliness or machismo.

(8) お前の相手は俺だろう？

Omae no aite wa ore darou?

Aren’t I your opponent?

(9) 俺の机には置くな。

Ore no tsukue ni wa oku na.

Don’t you put it on my desk!

Ore should not be used in ordinary conversation, and especially not when the hearer is

socially higher than the speaker. It can also be used to intentionally be rude:

(10) 俺は知らないよ。

Ore wa shiranai yo.

I have no idea.

Again, it is unacceptable in conversation in which polite forms are being used. Consider the

following conversation during a job interview:

(11) レストランで働いたことがありますか。

Resutoran de hataraita koto ga arimasu ka.

Have you ever worked at a restaurant before?

俺はウエイターならしたことがあります。
 Ore wa ueitā nara shita koto ga arimasu. X

I have worked as a waiter.

Ore should not be used in the above example. Instead, it would be best to use watashi or no

pronoun at all.

Atashi (あたし) is a female pronoun that comes from watashi. It is more common in speaking

than writing. It should be used only in casual conversation or to sound cuter and more

feminine.

(12) あたしは誕生日に新しい車が欲しい。

Atashi wa tanjoubi ni atarashii kuruma ga hoshii.

I want a new car for my birthday.

(13) あたしは君が好きじゃない！

Atashi wa kimi ga suki janai!

I don’t like you!

Jibun (自分) is the 1st person pronoun that is often used in the military, in official

conversations, and sometimes in higher level sports clubs or companies where rank is of

importance.

(14) 自分は第１０５小隊の渡辺であります！

Jibun wa dai 105 shoutai no Watanabe de arimasu!

I am Watanabe of the 105th platoon!

Finally, in Okinawa, it is not unusual for people to refer to themselves by their own name.

For example:

(15) キアナはお金があまりない。
 Kiana wa okane ga amari nai.

I don’t have much money.

Plural Pronouns

Plural suffixes can be added to any of the personal pronouns; they do not apply to

inanimate objects.

Tachi (達) is neutral and will turn people or animals into the plural form.

(1) 私達は大学を素次要しました。

Watashi-tachi wa daigaku wo sotsugyou shimashita.

We graduated from university.

(2) 先生達は休んでいます。

Sensei-tachi wa yasunde imasu.

The teachers are resting.

(1) 私のペット達が大好きです。

Watashi no petto-tachi daisuki desu.

I love my pets.

It can also be attached to a name to indicate that person as well as the group he/she is with:

(1) 龍之介達が来る。

Ryuunosuke-tachi ga kuru.

Ryuunosuke and his friends will come.

Gata (方) is formal and is normally used for nouns or anata.

(1) あなた方に妻を紹介させてください。

Anata-gata ni tsuma wo shoukai sasete kudasai.

 Allow me to introduce my wife to you all.

Domo (共) is humble when used for the first person.

(1) 私共は喜んで、お手伝いします。

Watakushi-domo wa yorokonde, otetsudaishimasu.

We are happy to help.

When used for the 2nd or 3rd person, however, it is rude.

(1) 貴様共は俺を倒せると思うか。

Kisama-domo wa ore wo taoseru to omou ka?

Do you all think that you can defeat me?!

This is often seen in anime and manga.

Ra (等) is used in casual situations, but it can also be deprecating. Thus, one should refrain

from applying this suffix when speaking to those who are not family, when referring to

someone other than yourself, or when you are not trying to be hostile. It is more appropriate

when attached to personal pronouns of similar degree of politeness:

(1) 彼等をからかってはいけません。

Kare-ra wo karakatte wa ikemasen.

You must not make fun of them.

(2) お前等は行かなければならない。

Omae-ra wa ikana kereba naranai.

You all have to go.

Ra can be used with animals as well.

Wareware (我々) is formal 1st person plural. It is used when speaking for a group or

company. The following is an example from Ajani’s Sunstriker:

(1) 「アジャニは行かねばならないところに行き、我々は彼の名の下に彼の土地を守る。」

“Ajani wa ikaneba naranai tokoro ni iki, wareware wa kare no na no shita ni kare no

tochi o mamoru.”

“Ajani goes where he has to go, and in his name we keep his lands safe.”

Heisha (弊社) is formal and humble. It is used for the 1st person only when representing

one’s own company to a hearer that is in the out-group.

(1) 弊社は機械パーツの輸入を行なっています。

Heisha wa kikai pātsu no yunyū wo okonatte imasu.

We specialize in the import of machinery parts.

Wagasha (我が社) is also a formal 1st person plural pronoun that is used when representing

one’s own company.

(1) 我が社も設立以来良く伸びたもんだ。

Wagasha mo setsuritsu irai yoku nobita monda.

Our company has come a long way since it was set up.

Usage of Personal Pronouns

Knowing when to include or exclude the pronoun is often difficult for non-native

Japanese learners. Simply put, the pronoun is normally dropped when it is obvious who the

speaker is talking about.

(1) 初めまして。キアナです。アメリカから来ました。

Hajimemashite. Kiana desu. Amerika kara kimashita.

 Nice to meet you. I am Kiana. I come from America.

In the above example, there is no need to say “Watashi wa Kiana desu. Watashi wa Amerika

kara kimashita” because the speaker has already established with “Hajimemashite” that she is

introducing herself and therefore not talking on someone else’s behalf. Including the

“Watashi wa” is still grammatically correct—excluding this phrase just makes the sentences

sound more natural.

(2) 冬休みはどうしますか。

Fuyu yasumi wa dou shimasu ka?

What will you do for winter break?

韓国か台湾に行くつもりです。

Kankoku ka Taiwan ni iku tsumori desu.

I intend to go to either Korea or Taiwan.

A 2nd person pronoun is not needed in the question, since it should be made obvious by the

speaker (either by context or body language) that the question is being directed at you. For

this same reason, a 1st person pronoun is not needed in the response, since it is clear that you

are talking about yourself in your answer. However, if you wanted to answer for your whole

family, you may find it useful to include pronouns then:

(3) 両親はインギリスに行きます。私は韓国に行くつもりです。

Ryoushin wa Ingirisu ni ikimasu. Watashi wa Kankoku ni iku tsumori desu.

My parents are going to England. I intend to go to Korea.

In this case, the pronouns are needed to distinguish what is being done by whom.

The pronoun-dropping rule also applies to the use of possessives and certain nouns like

ane that typically imply it is in the speaker’s possession.

(4) 今日は何をしますか。
 Kyou wa nani wo shimasu ka?

What will you do today?

姉と遊びます。

Ane to asobimasu.

I will spend time with my older sister.

Here, we see that ane automatically refers to the speaker’s older sister, so it is not necessary

to say “watashi no ane.” Similarly, there are some verbs that can usually indicate who the

subject or object is without the need for a pronoun. This is demonstrated by the following

example:

(5) 母が（私に）編んだマフラーをくれました。

Haha ga (watashi ni) anda mafurā wo kuremashita.

My mother gave me a winter scarf that she knit.

The verb kureru will usually imply that something was given to the speaker, thus “watashi

ni” can be omitted. Also, haha functions like ane in the way that it refers to the speaker’s

mother as opposed to anyone else’s. Thus, “watashi no haha” is not said.

Finally, another case in which the pronoun is necessary is when you must make it

clear who you are referring to, as it is crucial for the hearer to know.

(6) これは誰の教科書ですか

Kore wa dare no kyoukasho desu ka?

Whose textbook is this?

私のです！

Watashi no desu!

It is mine!
 Even with the unusual number of personal pronouns and pronoun rules already listed,

this is not an exhaustive list. The Japanese language is complex and even something like

personal pronouns can take years to master. Understanding when and how to use each

pronoun is a necessary skill in reaching fluency of this language.