What does it mean word for word?
The term for an English person, イギリス人, is composed of Igirisu (UK/England) and jin (person).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form 私はイギリス人です uses desu at the end, making it a polite statement suitable for most social situations. For a more informal tone, you can use 僕はイギリス人だよ with the pronoun 僕 or replace desu with da to create イギリス人だ, which is suitable for friends or family. For a formal way to state you are from the United Kingdom, you can use 私は英国の出身です.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the sentence 私はイギリス人です, the particle wa marks the topic watashi (I) and desu functions as the copula "to be".
How do you pronounce it?
watashi wa igirisujin desu
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not forget to add jin (person) to the country name. If you only say イギリス, you will be saying "England" instead of "English person".
Did you know?
- The name Igirisu for the UK is thought to have evolved from the Portuguese word Inglez, which was used by early traders in Japan. It is a linguistic fossil of the historical trade relationship between the two nations.
- When introducing yourself as English, it is common to follow イギリス人です with a bow. The depth of the bow communicates your level of respect for the person you are meeting.
- When introducing yourself, many Japanese speakers will omit the word 'I' (watashi) entirely if the context is clear. Simply saying Igirisujin desu is often more natural than the full sentence.
Examples in context
- いいえ、私はイギリス人です。No, I am English.This sentence is useful for correcting someone who thinks you are not English.Tatoeba #1585505 by Bah_Dure, translation #1585479 by ngdongit
- はい、私はイギリス人です。Yes, I am English.
Example conversation
Hiyori and Youta are talking about their backgrounds.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太さんはどこから来ましたか？Youta-san wa doko kara kimashita ka?Youta, where are you from?
- 陽太 Yota私はイギリス人です。Watashi wa igirisujin desu.I am English.
- 陽葵 Himariそうなんですね！Sou nan desu ne!I see!
- 陽太 Yotaはい、ロンドン出身です。Hai, rondon shusshin desu.Yes, I'm from London.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
