フィリピン人です
Firipin-jin desu
The English phrase "I am filipino" is expressed in Japanese as フィリピン人です (Firipin-jin desu).
This phrase is used to identify one's nationality as being from the Philippines. While the default form is a complete sentence, you can change the subject to specify different levels of formality for "I": using watashi is formal, while Boku is a casual pronoun used mostly by males and ore is a masculine and casual pronoun.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
You can make the statement more informal and blunt by replacing desu with da, resulting in フィリピン人だ. To add a friendly tone to the end of a sentence, you can use da yo.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that you were Filipino in the past, change desu to deshita, forming フィリピン人でした.
How do you pronounce it?
Firipin-jin desu
Did you know?
- The suffix 人 ('jin') used in フィリピン人 to mark nationality is the same character used in the word 宇宙人 ('uchū-jin') to describe aliens from outer space.
- In formal business introductions, the phrase フィリピン人と申します ('Firipin-jin to moshimasu') uses a humble verb form that lowers the speaker's status to show respect to the listener.
- The word for 'Filipino' in Japanese, フィリピン人, uses the katakana script specifically because it is a loanword from the foreign name 'Philippines'. This visual marker tells a reader immediately that the root word is non-Japanese.
Examples in context
- 私はフィリピン出身です。I am from the Philippines
- はじめまして、フィリピン人です。Hajimemashite, Firipin-jin desu.Nice to meet you, I am Filipino.
- 私はフィリピン人です。Watashi wa Firipin-jin desu.I am Filipino.
Example conversation
Ren introduces himself to Misaki at a small international party.
- 蓮 Renはじめまして、蓮です。Hajimemashite, Ren desu.Nice to meet you, I am Ren.
- 美咲 Misaki美咲です。どちらから来ましたか？Misaki desu. Dochira kara kimashita ka?I am Misaki. Where are you from?
- 蓮 Renフィリピン人です。Firipin-jin desu.I am Filipino.
- 美咲 Misakiそうなんですね！Sou nan desu ne!Oh, I see!
