English–Japanese
“first” in Japanese
How to say “first” in Japanese
“First” in Japanese is 一番 (ichiban).
It marks the point that comes before all others in an order or stands at the top of a ranking.
Example sentences with 一番
かけっこで一番になりました。ka ke kko de ichi ban ni na ri ma shi ta
I came in first in the race.
彼女は大会で一番になりました。kano jo wa tai kai de ichi ban ni na ri ma shi ta
She came in first in the competition.
Tips for using 一番
- In everyday Japanese, 一番 (ichiban) can also come before an adjective to mean "most," extending the idea of the highest rank to comparisons.
Other Japanese words for “first”
まず水を飲みます。ma zu mizu o no mi ma su
First, I drink water.
私は先に帰ります。watashi wa saki ni kae ri ma su
I will leave first.
私は最初に宿題をします。watashi wa sai sho ni shuku dai o shi ma su
I do my homework first.
第一に、名前を書きます。dai ichi ni na mae o ka ki ma su
First, I write my name.
彼は真っ先に手を挙げます。kare wa ma ssaki ni te o a ge ma su
He raises his hand first.