Language/Japanese/Grammar/Pronouns

Japanese Grammar - Pronouns

Hi Japanese learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will dive into the world of Japanese pronouns. Pronouns are an important part of any language as they allow us to refer to people or things without repeating their names. In Japanese, pronouns also give us some insight into the culture and social norms. Let's get started with this intermediate-level lesson on Japanese pronouns.

Take a moment to explore these relevant pages as you conclude this lesson: Future Tense, How to Use "Have", How to Use Be & Questions 質問.

What are Pronouns?

Pronouns are words that can function as a noun phrase, and they replace nouns in a sentence. In other words, pronouns are substitutes for names or things, and they make communication easier by avoiding repetition of the same word. In Japanese, pronouns come in various forms and can be used in different contexts.

Japanese Pronouns

Japanese pronouns fall into several categories, including personal, interrogative, demonstrative, and indefinite pronouns. Here are some of the most common Japanese pronouns:

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
私	watashi	I, me
あなた	anata	You
彼	kare	He, him
彼女	kanojo	She, her
私たち	watashitachi	We
あの人	ano hito	That person
それ	sore	That
これ	kore	This
どれ	dore	Which one
何	nani	What

Usage of Pronouns in Japanese

In Japanese, the rules regarding pronouns are different than those in English. Japanese commonly omits pronouns, making usage much less frequent than in English. Additionally, there are different types of pronouns that are used in different situations.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns refer to individuals, and are used in the same way as they are used in English. The most common personal pronouns in Japanese are 私 (watashi), which means 'I' or 'me'; あなた (anata), which means 'you'; 彼 (kare), which means 'he' or 'him'; 彼女 (kanojo), which means 'she' or 'her'; and 私たち (watashitachi), which means 'we'.

Let's see how personal pronouns are used in a dialogue:

Person 1: あなたの名前は何ですか？(Anata no namae wa nanidesu ka?) (What is your name?) Person 2: 私の名前は太郎です。(Watashi no namae wa Taro desu.) (My name is Taro.)

In this conversation, Person 1 uses "あなた" (anata) to ask the name of the other person, while Person 2 replies with "私" (watashi) to introduce himself.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns are used to point out specific objects or people. In Japanese, the words for 'this', 'that', and 'that over there' are これ (kore), それ (sore), and あれ (are), respectively.

For example:

Person 1: これは何ですか？(Kore wa nanidesu ka?) (What is this?) Person 2: これは猫です。(Kore wa neko desu.) (This is a cat.)

In this case, Person 1 uses "これ" (kore) to ask about a specific object (a cat), and Person 2 uses "これ" (kore) to reply.

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to an unspecified person or thing. In Japanese, the most common indefinite pronoun is "何か" (nanika), which means "something".

For example:

Person 1: 何か飲み物は欲しいですか？(Nanika nomimono wa hoshii desu ka?) (Do you want something to drink?) Person 2: はい、何かジュースがいいです。(Hai, nanika juusu ga ii desu.) (Yes, I would like something like juice.)

Here, Person 1 uses "何か" (nanika) to signal the offer of something to drink, and Person 2 expresses his preference for "ジュース” (juusu) in his reply.

Pronoun Etiquette in Japanese

Pronoun use in Japanese communication is subject to quite different etiquette rules than in English. Unlike English where it's common to explicitly name the person whom you are addressing or referring to, Japanese commonly omits pronouns whenever possible. In general, while flattering expressions might be viewed as sign of arrogance in most English-speaking cultures, they are prized in Japan.

Additionally, there are pronouns that are specifically reserved for use in formal situations. For instance, in most situations, it is inappropriate to refer to yourself using the first-person pronoun 私 (watashi). In this case, either 相手の居場所がマネージャーに話された(or alternatively, a passive form is used), or a pronoun like the more neutral 僕 (boku) or the more humble 自分 (jibun) is used instead.

Practice Pronouns

Now that you have learned about the different types of Japanese pronouns, it's time to practice using them in context. Here are some sentences for you to try:

1. これは何ですか？(Kore wa nanidesu ka?) 2. 私は日本人です。(Watashi wa nihonjin desu.) 3. あなたは何を飲みますか？(Anata wa nani wo nomimasu ka?) 4. 彼はきれいな車を運転します。(Kare wa kirei na kuruma wo unten shimasu.) 5. あの人は誰ですか？(Ano hito wa dare desu ka?) 6. 僕は英語が話せません。(Boku wa eigo ga hanasemasen.)

Take some time to practice, and remember that the best way to improve is to speak with native speakers. You can find some Japanese speakers on Polyglot Club. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Sources

• Japanese pronouns - Wikipedia
• A Comprehensive Guide to Japanese Pronouns
• Japanese Pronouns: All You Need to Know

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Other Lessons

• Adjectives 形容詞
• Questions
• Pronouns (代名詞)
• Give your Opinion
• Conditional Mood
• Nouns 名詞
• Plurals
• Negation
• How to Use Have