これは私の父です
kore wa watashi no chichi desu
To say "this is my father" in Japanese, use これは私の父です (kore wa watashi no chichi desu).
This phrase is used to introduce your own father to another person.
What does it mean word for word?
The sentence literally breaks down as kore (this), wa (topic marker), watashi no (my), chichi (father) and desu (is).
Which one should you use?
When introducing your own father to someone else, you should use the term chichi. In contrast, otousan is used when addressing your father directly or speaking about someone else's father, but it is generally considered inappropriate to use otousan when introducing your own father to an outsider.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
これは私の父です is a straightforward and polite way to introduce your father. In more formal business or social settings, you can make the introduction more polite by replacing kore with kochira, resulting in こちらは私の父です.
How do you pronounce it?
kore wa watashi no chichi desu
Did you know?
- The polite version of this phrase uses kochira instead of kore. While kore literally means 'this' object, kochira means 'this direction' and is used to figuratively point toward a person as a way of showing respect.
- The term chichi is a 'kenjougo' or humble word, which is a specialized category of Japanese grammar designed specifically to lower the speaker's status.
- If you accidentally use otousan when introducing your father to a business client, you might sound as if you are trying to elevate your family's status above the listener's. This violates the essential Japanese social rule of using humble language for one's own family in public.
Examples in context
- これは私の父です。Kore wa watashi no chichi desu.This is my father.
- 紹介します。これは私の父です。Shoukai shimasu. Kore wa watashi no chichi desu.Let me introduce him. This is my father.
Example conversation
Ren introduces his father to his friend Misaki at a park.
- 蓮 Ren美咲さん、こんにちは。これは私の父です。Misaki-san, konnichiwa. Kore wa watashi no chichi desu.Hello Misaki. This is my father.
- 美咲 Misakiはじめまして。よろしくお願いします。Hajimemashite. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.Nice to meet you. Pleased to meet you.
- 蓮 Ren父、こちらは友達の美咲さんです。Chichi, kochira wa tomodachi no Misaki-san desu.Father, this is my friend Misaki.
- 美咲 Misakiよろしくお願いします。Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.It's a pleasure to meet you.
