あなたの番
anata no ban
The English phrase "your turn" is expressed in Japanese as あなたの番 (anata no ban).
あなたの番 is used to inform someone that it is now their time to act or play within a specific sequence. The core word 番 specifically refers to a turn or a scheduled time to perform an action, such as in a game or a rotation of duties.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of anata (you), the possessive particle no (of) and ban (turn/order).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
You can use 次は君の番だ in informal or casual settings among peers by using kimi instead of anata.
How does it change in a sentence?
To turn the phrase into a complete and polite sentence, such as "it is your turn", you can add desu to the end to make あなたの番です.
How do you pronounce it?
anata no ban
When do people say it?
When you want to politely request that someone take their turn, you can use the formal phrase お願いします. If you wish to be polite and tell someone to go before you, you can say お先にどうぞ, which means "After you."
Did you know?
- While あなたの番 is grammatically correct, using あなた (anata) can actually feel quite distant or even cold between people who know each other well.
- In traditional Japanese games like Go or Shogi, the concept of a 'turn' is deeply tied to the phrase 手番 (teban). Here, 手 means 'hand', reflecting that a turn is specifically the act of placing a hand on the board.
- The word 番 also appears in the word 番号 (bangō), meaning 'number'. This comes from the idea that a number assigns a specific 'turn' or 'order' to an item or person in a list.
Examples in context
- 次はあなたの番だよ。Tsugi wa anata no ban da yo.Next is your turn.
- あなたの番が来たよ。Anata no ban ga kita yo.It is your turn now.
- そろそろあなたの番です。Sorosoro anata no ban desu.It is almost your turn.
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are playing a board game.
- 美咲 Misaki私の番が終わったよ。Watashi no ban ga owatta yo.My turn is over.
- 健太 Kentaわかった。次は僕の番だね。Wakatta. Tsugi wa boku no ban dane.I got it. Next is my turn, right?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、あなたの番だよ。Un, anata no ban dayo.Yes, it is your turn.
- 健太 Kentaよし、サイコロを振るよ。Yoshi, saikoro o furu yo.Okay, I will roll the dice.
