[name]と呼んでください
[name] to yonde kudasai
In Japanese, the phrase to say "please call me [name]" is [name]と呼んでください ([name] to yonde kudasai).
This phrase is typically used during self-introductions to establish how you wish to be addressed in a social or professional setting.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the particle と (to) meaning "as", the verb 呼んで (yonde) which is the te-form of "to call" and ください (kudasai) meaning "please".
Which one should you use?
While [name]と呼んでください is a direct request to be called a certain name, the phrase [name]でいいです is a more indirect way of saying "[name] is fine/sufficient" when someone asks how to address you.
How does it change in a sentence?
Dropping the ください (kudasai) at the end to say [name]と呼んで makes the request informal and is used with friends or people of lower social status.
How do you pronounce it?
[name] to yonde kudasai
Did you know?
- In Japan, even if you ask to be called by your name, people may still add a suffix like -san or -kun to it. It is considered much more polite to include these honorifics than to call someone by their name alone.
- Japanese culture often relies on social roles rather than names. Instead of asking to be called by a name, a person might prefer to be addressed by their title, such as 'Sensei' or 'Bucho', to maintain professional boundaries.
- The verb 呼ぶ (yobu) used in this phrase is also used in many Japanese idioms to mean 'to summon' or 'to call out' a person's presence, rather than just the act of using their name.
