Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 彼 | kare | [ka̠] (narrow) [ka̠ɾe̞] (narrow) |
|
| あの方 | ano kata | [a̠no̞ka̠ta̠] (narrow) | polite |
| あの人 | ano hito | [a̠no̞çi̥to̞] (narrow) | feminine, masculine |
| その奴 | sono yatsu | impolite | |
| 奴 | yatsu | impolite, person | |
| そいつ | soitsu | [so̞it͡sɨ] (narrow) | impolite |
The primary way to say 'he' is 彼, which can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, depending on the context, 彼 can also mean 'boyfriend'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase あの人 is composed of the demonstrative あの, meaning 'that (far away)' and 人, meaning 'person'.
Which one should you use?
While 彼 is a direct pronoun, あの人 (that person) is a neutral alternative often used to avoid the clinical sound of a direct pronoun. For a more polite way to refer to 'he' or 'that person', especially when speaking about someone of higher status, use あの方. On the other hand, その奴, 奴 and そいつ are impolite forms used to refer to a person. Specifically, そいつ is a very casual and often rude way to refer to a male person, similar to 'that guy' or 'that jerk' in English.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
あの方 is the polite option for referring to someone of higher status. そいつ, その奴 and 奴 are impolite.
How do you pronounce it?
kare
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often over-use the word 彼 to mean 'he'. In Japanese, using it too frequently can sound unnatural or even imply the person is a boyfriend.
Did you know?
- The use of 彼 specifically to mean a male 'he' is a relatively modern development from the late Edo or early Meiji period. It was adopted to translate European languages into Japanese.
- The rude forms like そいつ are often used by speakers to show intimacy or camaraderie among very close male friends, despite their impolite dictionary meaning.
- In natural Japanese conversation, the most common way to say 'he' is to omit the pronoun entirely if the listener already knows who is being discussed.
Examples in context
- 彼は名医だ。He is a good doctor.This sentence uses 彼 to describe a doctor.Tatoeba #99659 by bunbuku, translation #304039 by CK
- 彼は怒った。He got angry.This sentence uses 彼 to describe someone getting angry.Tatoeba #101836 by bunbuku, translation #507233 by CM
- 彼は天才だ。He is a genius.This sentence uses 彼 to describe a genius.Tatoeba #101933 by bunbuku, translation #301761 by CK
- 山田さんは彼ですか？Is Mr./Ms. Yamada 'he'?
- あいつ、どこに行ったの？Where did he/she go?
- 7681 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hiyori and Hiroto are talking about a mutual friend.
- 陽葵 Himari彼はもう来た？Kare wa mō kita?Has he arrived yet?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、さっき来たよ。Un, sakki kita yo.Yes, he came a little while ago.
- 陽葵 Himari彼はどこにいるの？Kare wa doko ni iru no?Where is he?
- 大翔 Hirotoあそこで待ってるよ。Asoko de matteru yo.He is waiting over there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “he” translations and entries 彼, あの方, あの人, 奴, そいつ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries あの人, 彼, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
