Japanese Conversation · Level 4
86 words
Japanese word
私
Pronunciation
Romajiwatashi
Meaning
- pronounI
Example
私は学生です。watashi wa gaku sei de su
I am a student.
More examples
私は小学生です。watashi wa shō gaku sei de su
I am an elementary school student.
先生は私に本を貸します。sen sei wa watashi ni hon o ka shi ma su
The teacher lends me a book.
Core concept
Places the speaker at the center of a statement as the person who acts, feels, or is affected.
Common phrases
私の名前watashi no na mae
my name
私もwatashi mo
me too
Similar words
僕boku: A first-person pronoun often used by male speakers in everyday conversation.
俺ore: A strongly informal first-person pronoun commonly used by male speakers.
わたくしwatakushi: A formal first-person pronoun used in polite or official settings.
あたしatashi: An informal first-person pronoun often associated with female speakers.
Definition in Japanese
話し手自身を指し示す語。hana shi te ji shin o sa shi shime su go
Word origin
私 (watashi) is a native Japanese pronoun that grew from 私 (watakushi), an older form connected with the idea of what belongs to oneself.
Usage tips
- In everyday Japanese, 私 (watashi) is often left unstated because the conversation makes the speaker clear, unlike the usually required English I.
Other meanings
- mepronoun
Related words
- 私たちwatashitachiwepronoun