Pronouns in Japanese: A Complete Guide

Mastering Japanese pronouns and understanding their uniqueness is a great help in learning Japanese. Since there are many differences between English pronouns and Japanese pronouns, it’s important to understand these so you can communicate clearly and naturally.

For example, there are many personal pronouns in Japanese, and most have several forms and uses based on context, formality and the speaker's gender. Also, Japanese pronouns do not appear as often as English pronouns as they are usually omitted.

In this guide, we cover the different types of Japanese pronouns and how to use them correctly.

A basic overview of Japanese pronouns

Typically, pronouns serve as replacements for nouns. In this article, we'll focus on two types of pronouns – personal pronouns, which refer to people, and demonstrative pronouns, which refer to places and things.

Let’s get started on conquering these two types of pronouns.

Japanese personal pronouns

Japanese personal pronouns refer to first, second or third person in the same way that English pronouns do. However, there is more than one pronoun for each, as different pronouns carry nuances reflecting the relationship between the speaker and the listener, their social status and the level of formality.

Also, in Japanese, pronouns are omitted if the context clearly indicates the subject or object, and it remains grammatically correct even with such omission.

Japanese first person pronouns

One of the first words you learn in most languages is the word for ‘I,’ and you probably already know the word ‘I’ in Japanese as watashi.

Watashi is used to refer to yourself and can be used by both male and female speakers in both casual and formal settings. However, if we want to be precise about this word, it is generally used by females, and when used by a male speaker, it is usually only in formal settings.

You may wonder then what kind of pronoun men should use in casual settings. The answer is in the list of common first person pronouns below. These are the seven most commonly used first-person pronouns:

• Watashi (わたし・私)
  This pronoun is gender neutral and can be used in most formal situations by male and female speakers. It can be used by women in all settings, both casual and formal. Men typically use this word only in formal settings.
  

• Watakushi ( わたくし・私)
  A formal form of watashi. It is used to show more respect to listeners, such as towards one’s superior.
  

• Atashi (あたし)
  Only used by females. A casual version of watashi.
  

• Boku (ぼく・僕)
  Only used by males. A common pronoun for men, used mainly in casual situations.
  

• Ore (おれ・俺)
  Only used by males, it gives a much more masculine, harsh and even vulgar impression compared to boku. It cannot be used in formal settings as it is almost considered rude.

• Uchi(うち)
  An option that is used by the younger generation of females. This word comes from the Kansai region dialect. It is getting more popular among the younger generation.
  

• Jibun (じぶん・自分 )
  A gender-neutral option which comes from the word for ‘self’ or ‘oneself.’ This word is not appropriate in formal situations.
  

To make learning these easier, you do not have to memorize all of these words to create more variety in your speaking. Simply knowing the word watashi is good enough for Japanese language learners.

However, being familiar with other versions of watashi will help you to understand the conversation of native Japanese speakers or when watching anime and reading manga. Knowing that the word ‘I’ can take many forms based on a speaker’s gender, age or social status is a great help in learning Japanese.

Next, how about the word ‘you’? Let’s move on to the second person pronouns.

Japanese second person pronouns

• Anata (あなた)
  A polite, general and gender-neutral word used in situations where the speaker doesn't know the name of the listener. If you overuse this word, it might give the impression that you are distancing yourself from the person you are talking to.
  

• Kimi (きみ)
  Often used when speaking to someone of lower status, for example a boss towards a subordinate. Commonly used by men speaking to women.
  

• Omae (おまえ)
  A very informal and vulgar word, with a tone of anger depending on how it is used. It is only used among people who have a close relationship or when a person is intentionally trying to be disrespectful to someone.
  

Note: The use of anata in conversation can be odd, as in most cases Japanese speakers address people by their names. However, if you don’t know the name of the person, anata is an acceptable option. Words like kimi or omae should be avoided since they are only used to address a lower ranking person, so using these words suggests a vulgar and even angry tone.

Japanese third person pronouns

• Kare / kanojo (彼/彼女)
  

When it comes to ‘he’ and ‘she,’ the pronouns are very simple as there are no alternatives. All you have to do is to remember that kare means ‘he’ and kanojo means ‘she.’ Note that these words are used infrequently in Japanese conversation.

Invisible personal pronouns

As mentioned before, the Japanese language can function without personal pronouns – often, dropping personal pronouns makes sentences flow more naturally. This is because in Japanese we can form sentences without specifying the subject or object. This is a huge difference from English.

Demonstrative pronouns in Japanese

Another type of Japanese pronoun is demonstrative pronouns. These are slightly more complex than one might think. However, once you understand the core concept, they will be extremely useful in conversation.

The series of demonstrative pronouns are called kosoado words (こそあど言葉) in Japanese. These words are like the English words ‘this,’ ‘that,’ ‘here’ and ‘there.’ We use them to point to things and locations based on the physical distance between the speaker and the listener.

Although in English these words tend to come in pairs such as ‘this and that’ or ‘here and there,’ in Japanese each set is made up of three words starting with ‘ko,’ ‘so’ and ‘a’ and a corresponding question word starting with ‘do.’ This is the reason that these words are called kosoado words.

Let’s look at some examples.

To refer to things:

• Kore (これ) - this
• Sore (それ) - that
• Are (あれ) - that one over there
• Dore (どれ) - which

To refer to place:

• Koko (ここ) - here
• Soko (そこ) - there
• Asoko (あそこ) - over there
• Doko (どこ) - where

To give directions or refer to things in an honorific way:

• Kochira (こちら) - honorific of kore, or ‘this way’
• Sochira (そちら) - honorific of sore, or ‘that way’
• Achira (あちら) - honorific of are, or ‘over that way’
• Dochira (どちら) - honorific of dore, or ‘which way’

Pronouns that need to be followed by a noun:

• Kono (この) - this [noun]
• Sono (その) - that [noun]
• Ano (あの) - that [noun]
• Dono (どの) - which [noun]

Note: Do you know the very useful phrase ‘kochira koso’ used for greetings or introducing yourself? Learn how to use it in our article on Japanese introductions.

The basics of kosoado words

Now let’s look at a different way to group the kosoado words to help you use them correctly.

• Ko group
  Kore (this), koko(here), kochira (this way) and kono (this) all belong to the ‘ko group,’ as these words begin with ‘ko.’ They refer to things and places that are close to the speaker.
  

• So group
  Sore (it), soko (there), sochira (that way) and sono (that) belong to the ‘so group.’ These words refer to things, people or places close to the listener. But if the speaker and the listener are close together, let’s say side by side, these words can refer to things and places a little distant from both of them.

• A group
  Are (that), asoko (over there), achira (over that way) and ano (that) belong to the ‘a group.’ These are the words for things and places that are distant from both the speaker and the listener.

• Do group
  Dore (which), doko (where), dochira (which way) and dono (which one) are in the ‘do group.’ These pronouns are used in questions.

When it comes to Japanese demonstrative pronouns, learners often struggle understanding the difference between the so-group and a-group, as the translations of those two are the same in English.

When you are considering which of these pronouns to use, it is best to think of the position of the thing you are referring to. If it is rather close to the listener, you can use so-group words, and if it is rather far from both you and the listener, a-group words would be appropriate. The distance can be physical or metaphorical.

Now have you become confident that you know how to use kosoado words? Do you feel like starting to use them? Understanding when and how to use these pronouns will definitely come in handy when communicating in Japanese. Not only will it contribute to your communication skills, but it will also deepen your understanding of Japanese social dynamics.

Wrapping up Japanese pronouns

The more familiar you become with these pronouns, the more naturally and appropriately you will be able to engage in your conversation with native speakers.

Here are a few reminders before concluding this article:

• Learn when to drop pronouns. Note that Japanese tends to omit pronouns in conversation where it is clear what the subject is. It is a more natural way to speak and can be practiced as you get more comfortable with the language.

• Keep the social context in mind. Don't just focus on expanding your vocabulary when learning pronouns – make sure you understand the proper way to use them by paying attention to the cultural context as well.

The proper use of pronouns plays such an important role in conversation, whether you are a beginner learning Japanese grammar or an advanced learner refining your fluency. As you master pronouns in Japanese, you will be able to engage in richer and more engaging conversations.