吾輩は猫である
wagahai wa neko de aru
The English phrase "I am a cat" is expressed in Japanese as 吾輩は猫である (wagahai wa neko de aru).
吾輩は猫である is most recognizable as the title of the famous novel by Natsume Soseki. It uses a specific combination of an arrogant first-person pronoun and a literary copula characteristic of Meiji-era literature.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase can be broken down into its constituent parts: 吾輩 (wagahai) is a highly formal, somewhat old-fashioned and often pompous way to say "I". 猫 (neko) means "cat". And である (de aru) is a formal, literary version of the copula (the verb "to be").
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In standard Japanese, a more common way to say "I am a cat" would be Watashi wa neko desu, where watashi is the pronoun for "I", wa is the topic particle, neko means "cat" and desu is a formal copula. For a more casual tone, one might use da instead of desu or use the casual pronoun for "I" typically used by males Ore.
How do you pronounce it?
wagahai wa neko de aru
Did you know?
- The pronoun 吾輩 was once used by samurai and high-ranking officials, but in the novel, it is used by a stray cat to create a comedic effect through extreme irony.
- In Japanese media, such as anime or manga, using 吾輩 is a common way to signal that a character is an old, dignified, or perhaps slightly ridiculous animal.
- The phrase has become a cultural shorthand for the concept of a detached, intellectual observer. This is thanks to the protagonist of the novel being a cat that observes human folly with irony.
Examples in context
- 吾輩は猫である。I am a cat.This example shows the phrase 吾輩は猫である.Tatoeba #7982379 by trochal, translation #2068388 by shekitten
- 吾輩は猫である。名前はまだ無い。I am a cat. I don't have a name yet.This example contains the phrase 吾輩は猫である.Tatoeba #2330661 by Scott, translation #390043 by Scott
- 「吾輩は猫である」を読んでいます。“Wagahai wa neko de aru” o yonde imasu.I am reading "I Am a Cat".
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about books at a cafe.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さんは、今何を読んでるの？Kenta-san wa, ima nani o yonderu no?Kenta, what are you reading now?
- 健太 Kenta「吾輩は猫である」という小説だよ。“Wagahai wa neko de aru” to iu shousetsu da yo.It's a novel called "I Am a Cat".
- 美咲 Misakiあ、それ有名な古典文学だよね。A, sore yuumeina koten bungaku da yo ne.Oh, that's a famous classic, isn't it?
- 健太 Kentaうん、すごく面白いよ。Un, sugoku omoshiroi yo.Yeah, it's really interesting.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
