Forms of Address in Japanese

[PERSONAL PRONOUNS IN JAPANESE] This lesson introduces Japanese personal pronouns and how to use them. As you will see, unlike English, Japanese — like Vietnamese — also uses different pronouns depending on the situation, how the speaker sees themselves and the relationship between speaker and listener.

[First- and second-person pronouns in Japanese]
私 [わたし]<watashi> “I”: used in ordinary, polite and formal situations. For example when you meet a stranger, or with someone older than you.
The plural is: 私たち [わたしたち]<watashi-tachi>”we, us.”

あなた <anata> “You” (to a man, a woman, an older person).
“Anata” is the polite way to address someone you are not very close to, and also the affectionate way a wife addresses her husband.
This is the polite form for someone you have just met; in writing the kanji 貴方 (anata) is used for men and 貴女 (anata) for women. Note that in writing you should not use the hiragana あなた unless you mean it affectionately.

Polite plural: 貴方がた [あなたがた]<anatagata>”Ladies and gentlemen, all of you”.
Familiar or casual plural: あなたたち <anatatachi> You lot.
Note that anata is an extremely polite form, especially in the plural “anatagata” (all of you, gentlemen, ladies).

君 [きみ]<kimi> “You”: an affectionate way of addressing a listener who is younger than you.
A boyfriend to his girlfriend, a teacher to a pupil, an older person to a junior.

君が そばに いなくて 僕 は さびしい。
<Kimi ga soba ni inakute boku wa sabishī>
Without you beside me I am very lonely.

私 [わたくし]<watakushi> “I” in a politer form than “watashi”, used at ceremonies or in formal settings.
Plural: 私ども <watakushi domo>
This is the most humble first-person form of address.

僕＝ぼく<boku>“I”: used by men in familiar situations, for example within the family, with a teacher, with friends or with a girlfriend. Note that this is familiar but not at all coarse. Avoid it in formal or ceremonial situations.

あたし<atashi>This is the “I” that women often use. The same as “watashi” but daintier.

俺 [おれ] <ore> “I”: used casually among friends, with people close to you who are younger, or as a rough street form of address.
This is how street brawlers and gangsters habitually speak, and it is considered impolite.
In Japanese, though, a boyfriend may use “ore” with his girlfriend and call her “omae”.

お前 [おまえ] <omae> “You” (rough, or between friends): street usage. “Mae” means in front, so omae forms a noun meaning the person standing in front of you. It is also slurred to おめえ (omee).
A boyfriend may impolitely call his girlfriend “omae”.

手前 [てまえ] hay [てめえ] <temae, temee> “You” in an even stronger form than “omae”. Don't use this word except when swearing at someone.
This is the rudest second-person form of address.

わし[washi] “I” as used by an old man; you will often see it in manga.

我々 [われわれ]<wareware>“We”: including the listener. “Watashi tachi” is “we” excluding the listener.
Example:
我々サイゴン人は繊細な心を持っている人間です。
<Wareware Saigon hito wa sensaina kokoro o motte iru ningendesu.>
We people of Saigon are people with sensitive souls.

諸君 [しょくん] shokun (kanji: “shokun”) “Everyone”: a polite way of addressing a group of younger people, as a king addresses his soldiers, a teacher addresses pupils, and so on…
This is a rather literary, formal way of speaking. The politer form is “anata gata”.
[Third-person pronouns and ways of addressing the second person in Japanese]

彼 [かれ] <kare>“He, him” Used for a man in the third person. “~san” is the politer form. “Kare” is neutral.
Plural: 彼ら＝かれら＝karera
Note that “kare” also means “boyfriend”; the more affectionate word is “kareshi” (彼氏). Example: 私の彼 <Watashi no kare>My boyfriend.

彼女 [かのじょ] <kanojo>“She, her” The same as “kare” but for women. Example: ぼくの彼女：My girlfriend.

～さん<~san>
The ordinary way of addressing someone: “Mr”, “Mrs”, “Ms”.
鈴木さん：Ms Suzuki
佐藤さん：Anh Satoh
高原さん：Mr Takahara
This is the ordinary form for someone older than you, or someone you are not very close to. You can use it to address the listener or to refer to someone else when speaking to them.

～氏 <~shi>
This is a stiffer (more formal and polite) form of “~san”, usually used in writing (a formal, official register).
Example: 鈴木氏 Suzuki-shi: Mr/Ms Suzuki
This is a NEUTRAL way (objective, carrying no emotion) of referring to a third person; don't call the person in front of you “~shi”.

～君 [～くん] <~kun>
“You” used for friends or males younger than you. Women can use it for male classmates or group members. It can be used for a younger male. You can use it to address the listener or to refer to someone else when speaking to them. Example: 加藤君：Katoh.

～ちゃん <~chan>
The same as “~kun” but for females. It can be rendered as “little” before the name.
マイちゃん：little Mai.

～様 [～さま] <~sama>
A polite form: “sir”, “madam”. This is politer than “~san”.
Example: 高橋様 = Mr Takahashi (honoured)
You can use this with someone you have just met and respect, or in a business relationship. It is usually used to address the listener directly.

お客様 <okyaku sama> Valued customer
～殿 [～どの] <~dono> (kanji: “dono”)
The most polite way of addressing the listener, above even “~sama”. Used on extremely formal occasions.

お宅 [おたく] <otaku>
“Otaku” was originally the polite word for someone's house (taku = house, residence); as a form of address it is a mannered way of saying "you". It is an extremely mannered form, often used in "otaku" culture, the culture of Japanese manga enthusiasts (where the characters address each other very formally).
[Ways of referring to an absent third person in Japanese]

人 [ひと] <hito>
The ordinary form, for example: その人：That person
安藤さんという人：The person called Mr Andoh

方 [かた] <kata>
The polite form. “That gentleman”, “that lady”.
その方：That lady
安藤さんとい方：The person called Mr Andoh
You should use this form for people on the other party's side.
Plural: kata gata (gata forms the honorific plural)

もの[mono]
弊社の安西というものが対応いたします。
<Heisha no Anzai to iu mono ga taiō itashimasu.>
Anzai of our company will deal with it.

Name + “to iu mono” is the humble way of referring to someone on the speaker's own side; note that in this case only the name is used, without “~san”.

あいつ <aitsu>“That guy”, “him”: refers to a third person. This is contemptuous.
Plural: あいつら (aitsura) that lot

こいつ <koitsu>“This guy”: a contemptuous way of addressing the listener

そいつ <soitsu> “That guy”: a contemptuous way of referring to an absent third person

この野郎 [このやろう] <kono yarou> “You swine”: an insulting way of addressing the person in front of you
(Compare: ばか野郎=baka yarou = “you idiot, you fool”, also an insult)
“yarou” is a contemptuous form, for example “sono yarou”,…

[Forming plurals of pronouns and forms of address in Japanese]
Polite form: add “gata”
貴方がた： Ladies and gentlemen, all of you
方々（かたがた）： People (politer than 人々 hitobito)

Ordinary form: add “tachi”
あなたたち：You lot
安西さんたち：Ms Anzai's group
子供たち：The children
友達（ともだち）：Friends
兵士たち：The soldiers
その人たち：Those people

Casual form: add “ra”
彼ら：That lot of his
彼女ら：That lot of hers
放浪者ら：The vagrants
お前ら：You lot
あいつら：That lot

Other forms of address in Japanese
王様：ousama, vua
陛下様：Your Majesty
閣下：kakka = Your Excellency (addressing the other person respectfully as a person of high standing)
小生：shousei = your humble servant (referring to yourself modestly)

You can also use common nouns as forms of address, such as:
青年＝せいねん＝A young man
若者＝わかもの＝A young person

See also:
Honorific Language in Japanese – How to Use Keigo
20 Mistakes People Make with Japanese Honorific Language