わたし？ぼく？おれ？ – Master the Japanese first-person pronoun
Table of Contents
1. Japanese first-person pronoun
2. Common first-person pronouns
3. First-person pronouns in manga
4. Summary
5. Similar Articles
6. Comment
Q: I don’t know which Japanese first-person pronoun to use
A: There are many Japanese first-person pronouns, and they differ for men and women.
Common first-person pronouns
First, let’s review the commonly used first-person pronouns in Japanese.
| Men | Women |
|---|---|
| わたくし | わたくし |
| わたし | わたし |
| 自分 | あたし |
| ぼく | |
| おれ |
[わたくし／わたし]
Both men and women use “わたくし” and “わたし”, but women use them in both business and casual situations, while men use them only in business settings.
Additionally, “わたくし” sounds more polite than “わたし”. Therefore, it is used only in formal situations and not in everyday conversations, so please be aware of this.
[Example]
わたし／わたくしは、山本と申します。
I am Yamamoto.
⇒ Both men and women use it for self-introductions in business settings.
[自分]
Sometimes men use “自分” in business or formal settings, but it is not used for self-introductions. It is used to convey one’s actions or opinions. However, some listeners may perceive it as casual, so it is better to use “わたくし” or “わたし” in business situations.
[Example]
社長「次の会議のリーダー、誰かしてくれないか。」
男性社員「自分にやらせてください。」
President: Can someone take the lead for the next meeting?
Male employee: Please let me do it.
[わたし VS あたし]
“あたし” is a much more casual way of saying “わたし”. The kanji ‘私’ is read as “わたし,” not “あたし,” so please be aware of this. “わたし” is a more common subject, but occasionally some people use “あたし,” so it’s useful to know.
[Example]
(一般的) わたし、来週旅行に行くんだ。
(カジュアル) あたし、来週旅行に行くんだ。
(General) I’m going on a trip next week.
(Casual) I’m going on a trip next week.
[ぼくVSおれ]
Both are first-person pronouns used by men, so it sounds unnatural when used by women. When comparing “ぼく” and “おれ,” “おれ” gives a much more casual impression.
Generally, those who use “ぼく” tend to be somewhat serious or reserved, while those who use “おれ” often have the opposite personality.
Japanese boys gradually learn to distinguish between these two pronouns.
They typically use “ぼく” until around the age of 6-7, but as they grow older and start hearing “おれ” more often, many begin to think “おれ” sounds cooler and start using it.
[Example]
(大人) ぼくは毎日勉強しています。
おれは毎日、酒を飲むんだ。
(子ども) ぼくは5歳です。
(Adult) I study every day.
I drink alcohol every day.
(Child) I am 5 years old.
First-person pronouns in manga
There are actually first-person pronouns that are only used in the world of manga.
The ones most commonly seen in manga are “おら・おいら・せっしゃ・わい・おれさま”.
These are all used by men, but using them in the real world might make Japanese people laugh, so it’s best to avoid using them.
Summary
- The common first-person pronouns used by both men and women in business are “わたし” and “わたくし.”
- A much more casual first-person pronoun than “わたし” is “あたし.”
- First-person pronouns used only by men are “ぼく” and “おれ.”
- Be careful not to use first-person pronouns that are only used in manga (in the real world).
