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    Twirling dragon Maciamo's Avatar
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    Post List of personal pronouns in Japanese

    Contrarily to European languages, Japanese has many different pronouns for each person (I, you, he/she, we...). "I" and "you" have an especially wide range of translation with various nuances, politeness level and gender. Learning is particularily useful to read mangas. I know the following ones (I am sure there are more, among old fashioned ones) :

    "I" and "We"

    Watakushi 私 : Most polite and formal version
    Watashi 私 : most common. Used more by women than men.
    Atashi � たし : Mostly used by young females. Sounds cute.
    Atai 私 : Slang version of "Atashi"
    Washi わし : Mostly used by older men to younger or lower rank people.
    Boku 僕 : Common for younger men (sometimes women). Sounds more refine than "ore".
    Ore 俺 : Used by virile or older men. Not as polite as "watashi". (also おら and おいら in dialects)
    Onore 己 : Used by men. Sounds arrogant and impolite. Also means "self" or "you".
    Sessha 拙者 : Used by men (formerly samurai). Humble and polite.
    Ware 我 : Quite formal and polite, but old-fashioned (except plural "wareware", used in a humble way to talk about one's company).
    Wa(ga) 我(が): Literary for "watashi". Still used in the meaning of "my" or "our" (eg : わが国 = my/our country).
    Kochitomo こちとも : Slang for "we" or "ourselves", sometimes also "I" and "myself".
    Wate わて : Kansai dialect for "Watashi".
    Chin 朕 : Used by emperors or kings.
    Daikou 乃公 : Literary. Used by men when speaking in an haughty way.
    Soregasi 某 : Ancient form of "Watakushi".
    Warawa 妾 : Ancient form of "Watakushi".

    "You"

    Anata 貴方/貴女 : Most usual and polite form.
    Anta � んた : Informal version of "anata".
    Kimi 君 : Used by men to talk to younger women or children, or to intimate people.
    Omae お前 : Used by older or less refined people. Less polite than "anata" and sometimes almost rude.
    Temee 手前 : A bit rude and aggressive.
    Kisama 貴様 : Usually rude and including bad feelings.
    Onore 己 : Used in a disdainful way.
    Onushi (onoshi) 御主 : Polite and humble. Used by samurai to talk to people of equal or lower rank. Literally means "master".
    Nanji (namuchi, nare) 汝 : Literary. Used with intimate people or lower rank people.
    Onmi 御身 : Literary honorific form meaning "your body".
    Sochi そち, Sokotomo そのとも, Sonohou その方, Sonota そのた, Konota このた : dated variant of "Anata", all meaning something like "hey there !"

    "He/she"

    Kare/kanojo 彼/彼女 : Most usual and neutral form
    Koitsu, soitsu, aitsu こいつ、そいつ、� いつ : means "this/that guy"

    The plural can be form by adding "-ra" or "-tachi" at the end (ex : watashitachi, anatatachi, temeira, karera, aitsura...) or by doubling the word (wareware).
    Last edited by Maciamo; May 2, 2004 at 15:50.

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