Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 私 | watashi | [β̞a̠ta̠ɕi] (narrow) [β̞a̠ta̠kɯ̟̊ɕi] (narrow) |
|
| こちら | kochira | [ko̞t͡ɕiɾa̠] (narrow) | |
| 内 | uchi | [ɯ̟t͡ɕi] (narrow) | |
| 我 | ware | [β̞a̠ɾe̞] (narrow) [ɡa̠] (narrow) |
archaic |
| 小生 | shōsei | [ɕo̞ːse̞ː] (narrow) | |
| 愚生 | gusei | [ɡɯ̟se̞ː] (narrow) | humble |
| 朕 | chin | archaic | |
| あたい | atai | [a̠ta̠i] (narrow) | |
| 予 | yo | [jo̞] (narrow) | archaic |
| あたし | atashi | [a̠ta̠ɕi] (narrow) | feminine |
| 僕 | boku | [bo̞kɯ̟] (narrow) | familiar, masculine |
| 俺 | ore | [o̞ɾe̞] (narrow) | informal, masculine |
| わて | wate | [β̞a̠te̞] (narrow) | dialectal |
| あっし | asshi | [a̠ɕːi] (narrow) | masculine, vulgar |
| 自分 | jibun | [d͡ʑibɯ̟̃ɴ] (narrow) | Kanto, dialectal |
| わっし | wasshi | [β̞a̠ɕːi] (narrow) | dialectal, masculine |
Japanese uses a wide range of pronouns to refer to oneself. 私 is the standard, versatile and polite way to say 'I' for any gender, making it the safest choice in professional or formal settings. For even higher levels of formality, a version pronounced watakushi is used. In very formal or business situations, one can use こちら (literally 'this direction') as a humble way to refer to oneself. In contrast, 僕 is a relatively polite but informal pronoun used mainly by males, while 俺 is a highly informal and assertive masculine pronoun. Feminine-coded options include the casual あたし, and more specialized or archaic terms exist for specific historical or social contexts, such as 小生, 愚生, 我, 朕 and 予.
Which one should you use?
The choice of pronoun depends heavily on how you wish to present yourself. For men, 僕 is a softer, more polite informal option compared to the much rougher and more assertive 俺. For women, あたし is a more casual and feminine-coded version of the standard 私. While 私 is neutral and suitable for most people, 俺 can come across as arrogant or rough and 僕 is better suited for semi-formal or casual settings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Formality is central to Japanese pronoun selection. 私 is the most appropriate and safest choice for professional and formal situations for all genders. For extremely high-formality or humble contexts, watakushi or こちら may be used. In casual or daily conversation, men might use the familiar 僕 or the informal 俺, while women might use the informal あたし. Archaic forms like 我, 朕 and 予 exist. Specialized humble forms like 愚生 or 小生 exist for specific formal contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Several dialectal forms exist: わて and あたい are used in certain dialects, as is 自分 in the Kanto region. わっし is a colloquial masculine dialectal form.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
watashi
When do people say it?
In many Japanese social situations, it is common to omit the word for 'I' entirely if the context makes it clear who is speaking.
Did you know?
- Some humble forms of 'I', such as 愚生, literally incorporate the word for 'foolish', reflecting a cultural value of self-deprecation in formal speech.
- The highly formal pronoun 朕 is not just an old-fashioned way to say 'I', it is specifically the pronoun used by an Emperor to refer to himself.
- The common pronoun 私 originally meant 'private' as opposed to 'public' and was not used to mean 'I' until the late 13th century.
Examples in context
- 僕は寝たい。I want to sleep.This sentence shows the use of 僕.Tatoeba #81845 by wat, translation #321870 by CK
- 僕は甘党だ。I have a sweet tooth.Tatoeba #81970 by tommy_san, translation #256724 by CK
- 私も行った。I also went.This sentence shows the use of 私.Tatoeba #152192 by bunbuku, translation #262358 by CK
- 6986 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are discussing their favorite food at a cafe.
- 健太 Kenta私はカレーが好きです。Watashi wa karee ga suki desu.I like curry.
- 結衣 Yui私はパスタの方が好きです。Watashi wa pasuta no hou ga suki desu.I prefer pasta.
- 健太 Kenta結衣さんは、何が一番好きですか？Yui-san wa, nani ga ichiban suki desu ka?Yui, what do you like best?
- 結衣 Yui私は甘いものが大好きです。Watashi wa amai mono ga daisuki desu.I love sweet things.
