Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 彼ら | karera | [ka̠ɾe̞ɾa̠] (narrow) | |
| あいつら | aitsura | [a̠it͡sɨɾa̠] (narrow) | |
| あの人達 | anohito-tachi | [a̠no̞çi̥to̞ta̠t͡ɕi] (narrow) | polite |
| あの方々 | anokata-gata | [a̠no̞ka̠ta̠ɡa̠ta̠] (narrow) |
彼ら is used as a third-person plural pronoun. In Japanese, it is often more natural to omit the word 彼ら entirely if the context makes it clear who is being discussed.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 彼ら is the plural form of the pronoun 彼, which means 'he'. The suffix ら is attached to pronouns or nouns to indicate plurality.
Which one should you use?
While 彼ら is a standard way to say 'they', you might use あいつら to mean 'those guys' or 'those bastards', which is much more casual and potentially rude. For a more polite approach, あの人達 can be used to mean 'those people' by using the word for 'person' instead of a direct pronoun. The most formal and respectful way to refer to 'them' is あの方々, which translates to 'those esteemed people'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
あいつら is a much more casual and potentially rude form. あの人達 is a polite way to refer to 'them'. あの方々 is the most formal and respectful option.
How does it change in a sentence?
The suffix ら attached to pronouns or nouns indicates plurality.
How do you pronounce it?
karera
Did you know?
- The pronoun 彼 for 'he' was not originally used this way and was adopted during the Meiji era to translate Western pronouns into Japanese.
- The plural suffix ら in 彼ら and あいつら can sometimes carry a nuance of looking down on the people being discussed.
- In highly formal settings, speakers avoid all direct pronouns like 彼ら and instead refer to 'them' by their family name and a title.
Examples in context
- 彼らは勝った。They won the day.This sentence shows how to use 彼ら to state that they won.Tatoeba #96846 by bunbuku, translation #306858 by CM
- 彼らは歩いた。They walked.This sentence shows how to use 彼ら to state that they walked.Tatoeba #4212173 by KK_kaku_, translation #2111352 by CK
- 彼らは叫んだ。They yelled.This sentence shows how to use 彼ら to state that they yelled.Tatoeba #4212175 by KK_kaku_, translation #2111351 by CK
- 彼らは本を持っています。They have books.
- 875 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are watching a group of tourists.
- 陽太 Yota彼らはどこへ行くのかな？Karera wa doko e iku no kana?I wonder where they are going?
- 美咲 Misakiきっと駅に向かっているよ。Kitto eki ni mukatte iru yo.They are probably heading to the station.
- 陽太 Yota彼らは地図を持っているね。Karera wa chizu o motte iru ne.They have a map, don't they?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、観光客みたいだね。Un, kankōkyaku mitai da ne.Yeah, they look like tourists.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “they” translations and entries 彼ら, あいつら, あの人達, あの方々, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
