Japanese Pronouns




Definition: A pronoun is a word that takes the place os a noun. However some pronouns are used as adjectives, modifying the meaning of a noun rather than replacing it.

Types of pronouns:

  • Subject Pronouns
  • Direct Object Pronouns
  • Indirect Objects Pronouns

    Subject Pronouns: Japanese Subject Pronouns are frecuently omitted when it's not easy to guesswho is being referred to. Futhermore, second-person an third-person are seldom or never used, especially to address a superior, because it carries an rude tone. In general, the name of a person or one's occupation is followeb by the polite suffix さん -San wich is commonly used intead of a personal pronoun.

    Personal Pronouns in Japanese refer to people, not ideas or things.

    English Kanji Katakana/Hiragana Romaji
    I(formal) わたし Watashi
    I(men) ぼく Boku
    I(girls, women) あたし Atashi
    I(rough, men) おれ Ore
    You あなた Anata
    You(less formal) きみ Kimi
    You(informal, men) お 前 おまえ Omae
    You(rude) あんた Anta
    He かれ Kare
    She 彼 女 かのじょ Kanojo
    He/She あの人 Ano hito
    He/She あの方 Ano hō
    We 私たち Watashi-tachi
    They 彼 ら かれら Karera

    Examples:
    • How are you?
    • あ な た は ど の よ う に?
    • Anata wa dono yō ni.

    • I went to Tokyo last month.
    • は 先 月 東 京 #12395;行 っ て き ま し た.
    • Watashi wa sengetsu Tōkyō ni itte kimashita.

    • How old is she?
    • 彼 女 は 古 い で す か ?.
    • Kanojo wa furuidesu ka?

    • He is a man with a sense of humor.
    • は ユ ー モ ア の セ ン ス を 持 つ 男 で す
    • Kare wa yūmoa no sensu o motsu otokodesu.

    • We want to buy a car.
    • 私 た ち は 車 を 購 入 し た い
    • Watashi-tachi wa kuruma o kōnyū shitai.

    • They will travel to Japan.
    • 彼 ら は 日 本 を 訪 問 す る.
    • Karera wa Nippon o hōmon suru.



  • Personal Pronouns in Japanese Videos











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