尊敬しています
sonkei shite imasu
The English phrase "I admire you" is expressed in Japanese as 尊敬しています (sonkei shite imasu).
This phrase is typically used to express respect for someone's character, achievements or professional conduct rather than physical attraction.
What does it mean word for word?
The noun 尊敬 (sonkei) means respect or admiration.
Which one should you use?
The phrase あなたを尊敬しています directly states "I admire you". You can also say あなたのことを尊敬しています, which adds のこと to express admiration for the entirety of the person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
尊敬しています is a polite way to express admiration or respect and is suitable for expressing admiration to a superior or someone you do not know well. For casual conversation with friends or peers, you can use the shortened form 尊敬してる. To intensify the expression in an informal way, you can say マジ尊敬してるよ.
How do you pronounce it?
sonkei shite imasu
Did you know?
- If you admire someone's skills specifically, you might use the word 感心 (kanshin). However, using 感心しました toward a superior can be seen as condescending, as it implies you are judging their performance from a position of authority.
- While 尊敬しています expresses professional or moral admiration, Japanese speakers use 憧れています (akogarete imasu) to describe the 'yearning' admiration one feels for a celebrity or a role model.
- The word 尊敬 (sonkei) uses the kanji for 'respect' and 'honor'. In a business context, this respect is often baked into the grammar itself through 'keigo' or honorific speech, making the explicit phrase 尊敬しています an exceptionally strong emotional statement.
Examples in context
- 私はあなたをとても尊敬しています。I admire you very much.
- あなたの才能には本当に感銘を受け、あなたを尊敬しています。I am deeply impressed by your talent and truly admire you.
- あなたの人間性やもろもろの面で、私はあなたのことを尊敬しています。I admire you for your character and various aspects of who you are.
- あなたの努力にはいつも感心していて、本当に尊敬してるよ。I'm always impressed by your efforts, and I truly admire you.
- お前の勇気にはマジ尊敬してるよ。I seriously admire your courage.
- 彼女の強さを尊敬しています。Kanojo no tsuyosa o sonkei shite imasu.I admire her strength.
- 先輩のことを心から尊敬しています。Senpai no koto o kokoro kara sonkei shite imasu.I admire my senior from the bottom of my heart.
Example conversation
A junior colleague is talking to a senior mentor at a cafe.
- 陽太 Yota先輩の決断力を尊敬しています。Senpai no ketsudanryoku o sonkei shite imasu.I admire your decisiveness, senior.
- 陽葵 Himariそんなことないよ、ありがとう。Sonna koto nai yo, arigatou.That's not true, but thank you.
- 陽太 Yota本当です。いつも目標にしています。Hontou desu. Itsumo mokuhyou ni shite imasu.It's true. I always look up to you.
- 陽葵 Himariそう言ってもらえると嬉しいよ。Sou itte moraeru to ureshii yo.It makes me happy to hear you say that.
