The age, social standing, and closeness of the connection affect how we speak about members of the family in Japanese. And even inside these classes, there are totally different ranges of ritual to pay attention to!
It’d sound difficult, however we’ll do our greatest to make it as clear as attainable for you. On this article, you’ll discover ways to tackle each your personal and different folks’s members of the family in Japanese. Let’s get began!
Honorifics for household in Japanese
Earlier than we get into the phrases for various members of the family, let’s recap honorifics. “お” (o), “さん” (san), and “様” (sama) are honorifics folks use to point out respect for household in Japanese. “お” comes on the entrance of phrases and “さん” or “様” on the finish, with “様” being the extra formal. When speaking about different folks’s moms, begin with お and finish with さん or さま.
Speaking about moms in Japanese
Individuals use just a few totally different phrases to speak about moms in Japanese. In case your first language is like English (with just a few phrases for “mom”), this may be complicated, however all of the phrases within the beneath desk imply the identical factor: “mom” or “mum.” The one distinction is once you would use them!
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Your mom |
One other individual’s mom |
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is for speaking about your mom in formal or skilled conditions |
お母さん (おかあさん, okā san) has a well mannered tone |
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母親 (ははおや, haha oya) is used precisely because the above, it’s simply one other variant |
お母様 (おかあさま, okā sama) has a proper and well mannered tone |
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お母さん (おかあさん, okā san) is well mannered to make use of when speaking about or to your mom |
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お母ちゃん (おかあちゃん, okā chan) is used when speaking about or to your mom in informal conditions |
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母さん (かあさん, kā san) an alternative choice for a similar conditions as above (informal) |
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母ちゃん (かあちゃん, kā chan) an alternative choice for a similar conditions as above (informal) |
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ママ (まま, mama) is commonly utilized by kids and is much like “mummy” |
Searching for slightly extra steerage on when to make use of every time period? Listed below are some further notes:
- “ちゃん” is a extra child-like method to speak about your mom, although adults can use it too. For instance, a teenage boy would possibly name his mom “母ちゃん’”(a extra child-like phrase) when he’s alone together with her. However in entrance of his pals, he’s extra more likely to say “母さん.” When he’s speaking to an grownup who’s not a member of the family, he’ll say “お母さん” or “母”.
Speaking about fathers in Japanese
As above, the phrases you employ to speak about your personal dad change relying on the state of affairs and your relationship. Let’s have a look:
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is used when speaking about your father in formal or skilled conditions |
has a well mannered tone |
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is one other model of the above (formal) |
has a proper and well mannered tone |
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is well mannered when speaking about or to your father |
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is utilized in informal conditions when speaking about or to your father |
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is one other model of the above (informal) |
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is one other model of the above (informal) |
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is much like the English phrase “previous man” |
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is commonly utilized by kids and is much like “daddy” |
Prime tip! You can too use these phrases to speak to folks out and about on the town. You may tackle older males with the phrase for father (お父さん) and older ladies with the phrase for mom (お母さん).
Speaking about siblings
The principles when speaking about or to siblings are barely totally different. You continue to want to point out respect, however you may drop the “お” from the start of the phrase. If it’s your youthful sibling, don’t use “さん” on the finish both. If it’s another person’s youthful sibling, you must use “さん.”
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Your siblings |
Different individual’s siblings |
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is used neutrally when speaking about your older brother |
お兄さん (おにいさん, onī san) has a well mannered tone |
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is well mannered to make use of when speaking about or to your older brother |
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is used when speaking about or to your older brother in informal conditions |
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simply as above (informal) |
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simply as above (informal) |
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Older sister |
姉 (あね, ane) is used neutrally when speaking about your older sister |
お姉さん (おねえさん, onē san) has a well mannered tone |
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お姉さん (おねえさん, onē san) is well mannered to make use of when speaking about or to your older sister |
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姉さん (ねえさん, nē san) is used when speaking about or to your older sister in informal conditions |
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お姉ちゃん (おねえちゃん, onē chan) simply as above (informal) |
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姉ちゃん (ねえちゃん, nē chan) simply as above (informal) |
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Youthful brother |
弟 (おとうと, otōto) has a impartial tone |
弟さん (おとうとさん, otōto san) has a well mannered tone |
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Youthful sister |
妹 (いもうと, imōto) has a impartial tone |
妹さん (いもうとさん, imōto san) has a well mannered tone |
Prime tip! For those who’re speaking to youthful store assistants or waitresses, you may tackle males with the phrase for older brother (お兄さん) and females with the phrase for older sister (お姉さん).
Speaking about kids
The principles for speaking about kids are much like that of siblings. As a result of they’re youthful, you don’t want to make use of the identical honorific language you’d about folks older or the identical age as you. To your personal kids, you don’t want to make use of “お” or “さん.” For different folks’s kids, you continue to want to make use of honorifics.
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Your kids |
Different individual’s kids |
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Kids |
子供 (こども, kodomo) |
お子さん (おこさん, oko san) |
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Daughter |
娘 (むすめ, musume) |
娘さん (むすめさん, musume san) |
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Son |
息子 (むすこ, musuko) |
息子さん (むすこさん, musuko san) |
Speaking about spouses
Once more, when speaking about spouses there are totally different ranges of politeness. Select the fitting phrase for the fitting state of affairs.
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Your partner |
Different individual’s partner |
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Spouse |
妻 (つま, tsuma) is used neutrally when speaking about your spouse |
奥さん (おくさん, oku san) has a well mannered tone |
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奥さん (おくさん, oku san) is well mannered to make use of when speaking about your spouse |
奥様 (おくさま, oku san) has a well mannered and formal tone |
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お嫁さん (およめさん, oyome san) simply as above (well mannered) |
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Husband |
夫 (おっと, otto) is used neutrally when speaking about your husband |
ご主人 (ごしゅじん, goshujin) simply as above (well mannered) |
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旦那 (だんな, danna) simply as above (well mannered) |
旦那さん (だんなさん, danna san) has a well mannered tone |
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旦那様 (だんなさま, danna sama) has a well mannered and formal tone |
Prime tip! It’s quite common to listen to Japanese {couples} who’ve kids tackle one another with “お母さん” (okā san, mom) and “お父さん” (otō san, father). Even lengthy after their kids have grown up and left the household dwelling.
Speaking about prolonged households
And eventually, listed here are the phrases you should utilize to speak about prolonged households. As above, the state of affairs you might be in dictates which phrase you must use.
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Your prolonged household |
Another person’s prolonged household |
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Grandmother |
祖母 (そぼ, sobo) is used neutrally when speaking about your grandmother |
お祖母様 (おばあさま, obā sama) has a well mannered and formal tone |
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おばあさん (obāsan) is used neutrally when speaking about or to your grandma |
おばあさん (obāsan) has a well mannered tone |
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おばあちゃん (obāchan) is utilized in informal conditions when speaking about or to your grandmother |
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ばあさん (bāsan) has a impartial tone and is used when speaking about or to your grandma |
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ばあちゃん (bāchan) is utilized in informal conditions when speaking about or to your grandmother |
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Grandfather |
祖父 (そふ, sofu) is used neutrally when speaking about your grandfather |
お祖父様 (おじいさま, ojī sama) has a well mannered and formal tone |
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おじいさん (ojī san) is used neutrally when speaking about or to your grandpa |
おじいさん (ojī san) has a well mannered tone |
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おじいちゃん (ojī chan) is utilized in informal conditions when speaking about or to your grandfather |
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じいさん (jī san) is used neutrally when speaking about or to your grandfather |
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じいちゃん (jī chan) is utilized in informal conditions when speaking about or to your grandfather |
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Aunt |
叔母 (おば, oba) is used neutrally when speaking about your aunt |
おばさん (oba san) is well mannered to make use of when speaking about or to somebody’s aun |
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おばさん (oba san) is well mannered to make use of when speaking about or to your aunt |
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Uncle |
叔父 (おじ, oji) is used neutrally when speaking about your uncle |
おじさん (oji san) is well mannered to make use of when speaking about or to somebody’s uncle |
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おじさん (oji san) is well mannered to make use of when speaking about or to your uncle |
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Cousin |
いとこ (itoko) |
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Niece |
姪っ子 (めいっこ, meikko) |
姪御さん (めいごさん, meigo san) |
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Nephew |
甥っ子 (おいっこ, oikko) |
甥御さん (おいごさん, oigo san) |
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Mom-in-law |
義理の母 (ぎりのはは, giri no haha) |
義理のお母さん (ぎりのおかあさん, giri no okā san) |
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Father-in-law |
義理の父 (ぎりのちち, giri no chichi) |
義理のお父さん (ぎりのおとうさん, giri no otō san) |
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Sister-in-law (older) |
義理の姉 (ぎりのあね, giri no ane) |
義理のお姉さん (ぎりのおねえさん, giri no onē san) |
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Sister-in-law (youthful) |
義理の妹 (ぎりのいもうと, giri no imōto) |
義理の妹さん (ぎりのいもうとさん, giri no imōto san) |
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Brother-in-law (older) |
義理の兄 (ぎりのあに, giri no ani) |
義理のお兄さん (ぎりのおにいさん, giri no onī san) |
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Brother-in-law (youthful) |
義理の弟 (ぎりのおとうと, giri no otōto) |
義理の弟さん (ぎりのおとうとさん, giri no otōto san) |
Phew! That was loads of phrases. However bear in mind, when speaking about different folks and their members of the family, including さん (san) to the top is at all times a good suggestion.
Select the fitting phrase when speaking about members of the family
Let’s summarize the details. When speaking in Japanese, you want to pay attention to the degrees of politeness and ritual. That is very true when addressing folks. When speaking about different folks’s members of the family, at all times use the well mannered type. When speaking about your personal member of the family, select the well mannered or informal type relying on the state of affairs.
Attempt to not really feel overwhelmed by all of this data. It sounds difficult (as a result of it type of is), however with apply, it’ll quickly grow to be second nature. Why not be taught Japanese on-line with a Preply tutor for assist, steerage, and alternatives to apply?