THE DIFFERENT WAYS TO ADDRESS "ME, MYSELF, AND I" IN JAPANESE
- AS
- Apr 19, 2020
- 2 min read
Japanese language can be so hard to grasp – including the many possible ways you can address yourself. (Why can't it be simple like English?!)
But don’t fret — I have below a list of all the possible ways of saying “me, myself, and I” to make your life a little easier.
私（わたし）= wa-ta-shi
僕（ぼく）= boh-koo
俺（おれ）= oh-reh
自分（じぶん）= ji-bun
ウチ（うち）= oo-chi
わし= wa-shi
Confused already?
Don’t worry. Once you break it down, it won’t be as difficult, I promise!
1. 私（わたし）= wa-ta-shi
This is the most common way of saying “I” in the Japanese language; it is supposed to be gender-neutral, but is typically and most commonly used among women.
Sometimes, an extra syllable "ku" can be added in between "ta" and "shi", changing the word's pronunciation to わたくし = wa-ta-ku-shi. This is commonly used in situations where you have to address yourself more formally.
2. 僕（ぼく）= boh-koo
This is how boys address themselves, and is typically only for boys. However, adult men most often use this
3. 俺（おれ）= oh-reh
This form of “I” can be used interchangeably with the previous form, since this is again, only used among boys/men. This form of “I”, however, is used most commonly among young (male) adults, and not much among young boys and/or elders. It is a more casual form of "bo-ku".
4. 自分（じぶん）= ji-bun
This word literally translates to “myself”, and is gender-neutral — some Japanese people use this word to address themselves, although rarely. You’ll hear it more often in the Kansai area (Western Japan centering Osaka). Be careful though, since some people look down on people calling themselves "ji-bun"; I would just refrain from using it if I were you.
5. ウチ（うち）= oo-chi
This form of “I” is again, heard most often in the Kansai area, and is used typically among girls/women. I would again avoid using this form of “I”, because it really isn’t the politest way to address yourself to others. It is, however, still good to know it exists.
6. わし= wa-shi
This is how my grandfather used to address himself. It is a common form of “I” among elderly male. It isn't the most useful word to know, but it does not hurt to know that it exists.
Lastly...
You might be feeling a bit overwhelmed by all these different ways to address yourself, but don't worry. The good news is, unlike English, you do not have to conjugate these pronouns! For instance, the word わたし(wa-ta-shi) can be used not only as "I", but as "me" and "myself" as well.
Also, just knowing the first form from the list, "wa-ta-shi" can be enough.
I hope you now have a better understanding of the differences between the many possible ways of saying “I”. Now, according to your gender and your age/generation, you can choose one form from any of the words listed above and stick to it!
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