あなたは？
anata wa?
The English phrase "and you" can be translated into Japanese as あなたは？ (anata wa?)
This phrase is used to ask the same question back to the person who just asked it. There are more natural alternatives depending on the context, such as using 名前は？ when specifically asking for someone's name in return.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In polite or business contexts, it is more natural to use そちらは？ rather than あなたは？ to avoid the directness of the word anata.
How do you pronounce it?
anata wa?
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often over-use あなたは？ because they are taught that anata means "you", but in Japanese, using anata to address someone directly can often sound distant, cold or even confrontational.
Did you know?
- The word anata is frequently used in Japanese songs and poetry to mean 'darling' or 'dear', rather than a generic 'you'.
- The phrase そちらは？ literally translates to 'that direction' or 'that side' rather than 'you'.
- Using the pronoun あなた can sometimes make the speaker sound like they are lecturing a child or a subordinate.
Examples in context
- それで、あなたは？And you are…?This is useful for asking for someone's identity or follow-up details.Tatoeba #9482716 by small_snow, translation #9482616 by DJ_Saidez
- 元気ですよ。あなたは？Fine, thank you. And you?This is useful for returning a greeting or a question about one's well-being.Tatoeba #175037 by small_snow, translation #239430 by sundown
- リカルドといいます。あなたは？My name's Ricardo, and you?This is useful for returning a question about a person's name.Tatoeba #10557702 by small_snow, translation #3622038 by Ricardo14
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are talking about their favorite food.
- 蓮 Ren僕は寿司が好きです。あなたは？Boku wa sushi ga suki desu. Anata wa?I like sushi. And you?
- 結衣 Yui私はパスタが好きです。Watashi wa pasuta ga suki desu.I like pasta.
- 蓮 Renいいですね。Ii desu ne.That's nice.
- 結衣 Yui蓮さんはパスタは嫌いですか？Ren-san wa pasuta wa kirai desu ka?Do you hate pasta, Ren?
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
