Japanese Personal Pronouns 日本語の人称代名詞

Take a look at Japanese Personal pronouns.

Although the Japanese language does have personal pronouns (人代名詞 【じんだいめいし】), they are not as commonly used as in Western languages. Using personal pronouns puts a lot of stress on the subject and can often sound either self-centred or accusatory. Instead of using personal pronouns, the Japanese prefer to refer to another person by title or function, or by that person’s name.

There are several synonyms for each personal pronoun, often with different levels of politeness. Some personal pronouns are for exclusive used by women; others are exclusively used by men.

I / me 私 watakushi Formal

- 私 watashi Polite

- 僕 boku Informal / Masculine

- あたし atashi Informal / Feminine

- 俺 ore Rude - Masculine

you あなた anata Polite

- 君 kimi Informal

- お前 o-mae Rude - Masculine

he, him 彼 kare -

she, her 彼女 kanojo -

he, him / she, her あの方 ano kata Formal

- - あの人 ano hito

we, us 私達 watakushitachi Formal

- 私達 watashitachi Polite

- 僕達 bokutachi Informal - Masculine

- あたし達 atashitachi Informal - Feminine

- 俺等 orera Rude - Masculine

you あなた方 anatagata -

- あなた達 anatatachi Polite

- 君達 kimitachi Informal

- お前等 o-maera Rude - Masculine

they, them あの方々 ano katagata Formal

- あの方達 ano katatachi Formal

- あの人達 ano hitotachi -

- 彼等 karera -

- 彼女達 kanojotachi All women