What does it mean word for word?
The word for American, アメリカ人, is composed of Amerika (America) and jin (person).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
You can use the more formal version Watashi wa Amerikajin desu, or state you are from America using the formal phrases Watashi wa Amerika kara kimashita. or Amerika shusshin desu. For informal situations, men may use Boku wa Amerikajin. or Ore wa Amerika-jin da. Replacing desu with da in the phrase アメリカ人だ makes the statement informal or blunt.
How does it change in a sentence?
In many contexts, the subject "I" (watashi wa) is often omitted, meaning you can simply say Amerikajin desu to mean "I am American".
How do you pronounce it?
amerikajin desu
When do people say it?
In casual conversations, many Japanese men use boku as the pronoun for "I", while some men also use ore to mean "I".
Did you know?
- Because Japanese culture values harmony, a person might respond to 'Are you American?' by saying いえいえ ie ie (no no) even if they are, as a way of showing modesty.
- While アメリカ人 means 'American person', Japanese speakers may refer to the United States as 米国 Beikoku in formal writing or news reports.
- In Japanese, the word Amerika is written using the Katakana alphabet, which is specifically reserved for foreign loanwords and names of foreign countries.
Examples in context
- 私はアメリカ人です。I am American.This sentence is useful for stating your nationality.Tatoeba #161499 by tommy_san, translation #461975 by tamsanh
Example conversation
Two students are introducing themselves at a university mixer.
- 結衣 Yuiはじめまして、結衣です。Hajimemashite, Yui desu.Nice to meet you, I'm Yui.
- 陽太 Yota陽太です。アメリカ人ですか？Yota desu. Amerikajin desu ka?I'm Yota. Are you American?
- 結衣 Yuiはい、アメリカ人です。Hai, Amerikajin desu.Yes, I am American.
- 陽太 Yotaそうなんですね！Sou nan desu ne!Oh, I see!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
