Nuances of Japanese First-Person Pronouns

[@kanamenaito]

Let me explain a pronoun that is often used. I forgot to mention it. 「じぶん（自分/flat tone）」is a pronoun used mainly by men, it carries very humble feeling. 自分 is used by men who are in a community/club/organization that has strict hierarchical relationship, like in 部活(sports club in junior/high school, University) or in 自衛隊(Self-Defense Forces). So referring to yourself with 自分 can give humble feeling but at the same time it gives people that you might be a person who belongs/belonged to a strict military-like hierarchical community. In Japanese, people often say the pronoun 自分 gives 「体育会系」feeling. 「体育会系」refer to a person who engage or engaged in sports activity. That is because in Japan sports clubs in school often have very strict hierarchical relationship among 先輩(older/senior) and 後輩(younger/junior), that resemble that of military.

[@systud2786]

日本語ならではの敬語システムとかに苛まれていますが、できれば、ちゃんと皆さんに解説すればいいんです。

[@shadowllght]

「自分」って関西／大阪では結構普通に使われてませんか？男女関係なく

[@notuxnobux]

There was an episode of detective conan where this was important to the plot. A character used "jibun" and a foreigner thought that he was saying "I" but the person that said it was from osaka so he meant "you", since in osaka dialect it can mean both "I" and "you".

[@3chmidt]

I also know the pronoun わたらし

[@iluvcat]

I swear to god kanji and Chinese are so similar, but I guess they have different pronunciations

[@KirroSoya]

“If you refer to yourself using name plus Chan, it’s disaster” I’m laughing so hard

[@angeldude101]

Sounds perfect! Fits right alongside "ware."

[@sashap.9232]

Literally subscribed after hearing that part lmao

[@Khaled.003]

Been there bro Accidentally said my name with san in a interview lmao 🌚

[@rotteegher39]

@@angeldude101 Now try to combine them in one sentence... xD

[@angeldude101]

@@rotteegher39 I'm personally curious how _chaotic_ trying to use "ware-chan" would be, and if it's actually grammatically valid.

[@Agent_Eli]

This really helped me understand something new about one of my favorite music groups. I used to think 俺スカバンド (Oreskaband) was kinda a boring name for an awesome band. It just means directly “we are a ska band”. But it turns out that the choice to use “ore” is a big deal, since they’re an all female group. I didn’t realize it had a typically male and rebellious connotation. They weren’t being boring. They were being punk rock.

[@danielantony1882]

Sukabando is also a pun and is referencing Sukeban, who are types of delinquent girls.

[@aloevera5206]

how interesting!

[@ThePhreakass]

Boring

[@Agent_Eli]

@@danielantony1882 holy moly, I didn’t even think about the Sukeban angle. Great catch!

[@Agent_Eli]

@@ThePhreakass cry some more

[@wehpudicabok6598]

I love that you switched to Comic Sans when translating the "Kaname-chan" sentences. Very funny and effective way of conveying the connotation!

[@deryckchan]

Same here, what a gem in subtitle design!

[@HaydenTheEeeeeeeeevilEukaryote]

i didnt even notice that, that’s beautiful

[@another-niko-pfp-holder]

what's the reference here?

[@HaydenTheEeeeeeeeevilEukaryote]

@@another-niko-pfp-holder “comic sans” is an annoying childish-looking font that is commonly misused for serious things. Additionally, the font has strange inconsistencies between being curvy and straight, fun and rigid, etc. The heights of certain features are inconsistent as well. Its overuse over time has led to it being seen as annoying.

[@albertroswell]

wow an awesome detail

[@Etai_Paina]

i like how he finds the exact words in english to describe the feelling a japanese word gives. a great way to educate, i'd say he's 100x better than the japanese teacher at my highschool who's just giving homework and doesn't know how to use kanji😅

[@dravenaddams8108]

how can you teach japanese without knowing kanji... that sounds like a goddamn disaster i'm so sorry for you dkjfghsjdfghsdkfjg

[@Zeke-0000]

Teaching Japanese without knowing kanji???

[@chanteshante]

Never seen something more sis than japanese teacher who doesn't know kanji, lol

[@Daelyah]

OOF, that's absurd, what level are they even teaching at? I'm going through beginner's lessons online, and even I have been learning kanji, here and there...

[@mrbanks456]

Was he a weeaboo?

[@ieruza]

Working in a Japanese-staffed and owned ramen restaurant, I learned the hard way that , while using "ore" to chat with other waiters or my friends is totally cool, you gotta use "boku" or "watashi" when talking to the boss.

[@racool911]

I never knew boku was formal enough to use with your boss lol

[@munchkinchalateo]

​@Racool depends with the organization, I believe

[@Kimmie6772]

This actually explains a lot with how a Japanese character's dialogue is written. I have never heard a sweet voiced character use ore and hardly hear a rough character use boku. I dont even know japanese and I can identify the pronouns discussed. It really is very interesting because I dont know of many other languages that have this many ways to refer to oneself in the first person. Having archetypes for them is really unique.

[@danielantony1882]

This is why I'm a sub elitist. Japanese is just too cool.

[@windhelmguard5295]

it may be difficult for some to learn, but i like how, in one word, you can learn something about the speaker.

[@NPP_1]

​@@danielantony1882 I am also a Sub Elitist. Japanese Sub, that is

[@danielantony1882]

@@NPP_1 Ey. Languages in general have a lot of things that don't translate.

[@Komatik_]

@@windhelmguard5295 The writing system is sadly one of the worst clusterfucks in the world. Would be a good bit easier if it was written phonetically.

[@artfulbadger3823]

Thank you for going over so many options for women. So often people explain male pronouns and I felt I didn’t have many options that suited me so I’ve stuck to わたし. I’ve always felt like I’d want to use ぼく, but wasn’t sure how weird people would think that is. Maybe in casual Japanese I will gain the courage to start using it!

[@gaobot]

Why try to stand out and not just stick to what other females usually use?

[@fenneko7]

​@@gaobot cause it feels nice :)

[@gaobot]

@@fenneko7 Woke gaijin answer.

[@shiix4951]

@@21Kikoshi ...i don't think thats meant to be a good thing culturally, in any society it is better to have a balance between collectivism and individualism and forcing people to fit in for the sake of respecting culture ...really ain't where it's at :| Respect is to meet in the middle between your environment and your identity, what harm is self respect going to cause?

[@vorpalchoppers]

​@@shiix4951As long as you do not disregard the culture, traditions, and "fitting in" I think we're cool. But if you make yourself comfortable first then you look like Jake Paul.

[@michaelschalk4718]

This channel is going to blow up. The audio quality is perfect, the speaking is clear and the explanations are fantastic.

[@ethanaurora9580]

Yea true

[@Pheelyp]

Indeed!

[@Primeminister7381]

Not really there is a dozen of these types of videos on youtube ,he is not doing anything new that another person hasn't already covered.😂

[@Pheelyp]

@@Primeminister7381 Would you care to provide some examples? 🙂

[@Primeminister7381]

@@Pheelyp yea check out game gengo channel and learn japanese from zero by george trombley and for the record i am fluent in japanese and i live in japan been studying this language for 7+ years.👍Have fun my friend.

[@goodbyetimehellodeath2545]

I have never laughed through a Japanese lesson before. Your humor and presentation style is at an S level. The way you give context to each part is absolutely outstanding. I am sure that you can make an entire career on teaching Japanese in any context, be it on KZbin, writing a book, Private Lessons, etcetera. Your style is just that much better than so many different mediums (books,videos,audiobooks) that I have tried over the years. I hope that you continue your KZbin tenure and I will be here watching all your videos. Keep it up!

[@Ailerom]

I actually heard about many of these nuances before but you are the first one to actually explain where the nuance comes from. Explaining the cultural background makes it a lot easier to understand the feeling behind these pronouns.

[@damienmonier4027]

Kaname-san, your videos and explanations of nuances in Japanese language are great. Easy to understand. Has been a helpful addition to the language course I'm doing. Thank you for your efforts!

[@kanamenaito]

Thanks!

[@s.z.x.01]

I never knew 我 is also used sometimes in Japanese. It is basically the 私‘s Chinese equivalent. It’s really fun to discover the history and connections between 汉字 (hanzi) and 漢字 (kanji) 😅.

[@Rocco_Kurokawa]

And opposed to 我 being outdated, 我々 (we) is still a somewhat common word.

[@DraconicA5]

In the past, Vietnamese also used 我 (ngã) as a formal pronoun. Today, there is still the word 本我 (bản ngã) as for "Ego". Most people don't know that Vietnamese has a lot of 漢字 (Hán tự), like 80% of the vocabulary. They only stop using Chinese characters and switch to the Latin alphabet.

[@danielantony1882]

Hanzi and Kanji are the same thing 😂

[@dahyimi2185]

@@Rocco_Kurokawa Is it? I've only heard ancient Digimon, like devas and sacred beasts, say 我々 😂.

[@danielantony1882]

@@dahyimi2185 Then you don't have enough input.

[@DefacedProductions]

Subscribed. Great content on the “why” of nihongo. Its rare to find a teacher so intent on the “why”. Mecchasugoi kanamesan.

[@Ookinachinchin]

Very underrated channel

[@alizzz255]

yeah @alizzz255-chan found this channel recently and it's absolutely goated!

[@achuuuooooosuu]

Found this channel too, it's great! Seems for intermediate Japanese learners since it talks about nuances of verbs and pronouns on a cultural scale. Plus the use of Japanese text in the thumbnails.

[@darknesswithin0]

Just wait for a month or so...

[@Anonymous-cn6zl]

For a new channel, this channel is growing fast.

[@JK-nh6jp]

@@achuuuooooosuu yeah I wish he had a bit more advanced content as well... he obviously is a great teacher and has spent a long time thinking about these linguistic descriptions.

[@mistingwolf]

The first time I really noticed a difference between who was saying what was during "Your Name," when the female protag's consciousness was in the guy's, and s/he was going down the list of "I" variants, much to the boy's friends' confusion. "Watashi...?" _head shakes from the boys, but looking particularly confused_ "Boku...?" _more head shakes with some concern_ "Ore...?" _nods all around_ Before this scene, I had never really paid attention to which pronouns were being used by whom, so I really appreciate this video breaking down the nuances.

[@May_Dream]

Is that a friggin RuneScape Gold Trimmed Wizard hat?? I give you all the respect bro. Your videos have answered so many of the specific questions I have about learning Japanese.

[@ZephirumUpload]

It's funny, Japanese seems to put heavy emphasis on letting other people know how to perceive you before they can make a guess. In most western languages you just have a word for "I", but very very many ways to address other people to the point where it becomes slang, and the differences are as subtle. In English I can call another person "dog" and it's, as of now, sort of a tearm of endearment, but also slightly disrespectful but it has a connotation of "other person who is of the same low status as I am", depending on certain subcultures it can be many different words that say the same but I won't mention those in polite company. But in the same way you have "dude" "man" "girl" "buddy" (buddy can also be highly aggressive if it's obvious the person is the exact opposite of that) and I know that Japanese also has things like "Sir" "Madam" "My liege" etc. It seems like for us it's more on the second person to announce what the first person is in relation to them than to immediately explain it from the start, with the one exception being the royal "we" but anyone who'd do that sounds like an absolute clown.

[@danielantony1882]

Fun fact, Japanese ALSO has many ways you can address someone. Most common ones being Anata, Anta, Omae, Kimi, Temee. Even more common among strangers is Onee-san, Onii-san or Onee-chan and Onii-chan for a more intimate one. Remove the O and it becomes even more informal and intimate. Omae is for close people, Anata is for your husband, poetic romance, and is also used in really formal sotuations to address someone. Kimi used to be intimate. Anta is casual. Temee is if you want to kill someone with words before killing them physically. These are the most common ones but there's more stuff that is used in fiction such as Onushi, Unu, Sokomoto, Nanji and some others, I think.

[@Winspur1982]

yeah ... about the use of "we" ... I've noticed some women and gay men use that pronoun as a polite avoidance of saying "you." For example, "Do we need a straw with that?" (I'm a gay man and I hate this) So English has plenty of nuances that are comparable with these Japanese ones.

[@neoqwerty]

@@danielantony1882 There's also the whole tangle of which suffix you give VS no suffix VS are you using last or first name or a nickname they've been given. (had to research all of those for a fanfic that takes place in high school in an unnamed Tokyo district, to give proper tone cohesion between two characters, to _then_ figure out how to translate all of that into an english narrative and get the personality and tone across without localization loss... a fun exercise, I love writing research so much)

[@neoqwerty]

@@Winspur1982 I think if someone asked me that that way I'd start royal we-ing all night and ham it up like a theatre kid. "Our eminent personage will accept the offering of a straw, yes."

[@angeldude101]

And then there are people who casually use "we" to seemingly refer to a single person (or "I" to seemingly refer to multiple people) without missing a beat because they legitimately see it as referring to multiple people (or a single person). What you should really watch out for is when they switch between "we" and "I" seemingly at random without changing who they're actually talking about.

[@Ostsol]

I love this nuance and expressiveness. There's really nothing analogous to it in English.

[@danielantony1882]

This is one of the reasons why Orthodox translation is not a good idea. Pointing out which pronoun is being used for casual people in translations should be common courtesy.

[@Ostsol]

@@danielantony1882 I remember a fan translation of a _Kino's Journey_ episode where the subtitle's colour was used to indicate the gender of pronoun: blue for "boku" and pink for "atashi." Not a bad idea. Now I just pay attention to the Japanese while reading subtitles and by listening absorb the nuance that the English text cannot provide. "Ano ne! Boku wa joshi!" Utena, from _Revolutionary Girl Utena_ 😆

[@Cine-grain]

Yeah it becomes really apparent what isn't translatable once you start learning Japanese. Translating must be very difficult. You have a group complaining about 1:1 translations over localization, but it's really not possible most of the time. So many people would be lost.

[@giuseppeagresta1425]

​@@Ostsolan Utena AND LoGH fan? (judging from the Yang Wen Li pfp) I'm crying

[@solj8904]

I’m currently learning Japanese and these videos are perfect! They’re challenging, but not so overwhelming that I’m lost. Would definitely love to see more

[@standard-carrier-wo-chan]

A Chinese person that is still in very beginning stage of learning Japanese might use "ware" just because they inputted the hanzi for "wǒ" into a kanji translator. Also, "ware" is common in older Japanese patriotic songs, like Battotai for example.

[@baibac6065]

Ware is old timey. Think maybe of though/thee but as a first person pronoun. Battotai is from the early Meiji period.

[@kuroitsukida]

Your burikko impression had me laughing so hard! Were you not cringing internally? Loving your vids. Please keep giving us your native impression of words, phrases, and grammar. It's invaluable stuff.

[@IcarusMK22]

10 years in Japan, asked numerous people, and never got a clear answer. Until now. Thank you, this needs to be in every 日本語101 class.

[@AmbiambiSinistrous]

Thank you for explaining the tonal difference between different types of "boku" - we're not usually taught to pay attention to tone in English, but once you pointed it out here I instantly got what you meant (from memory of how the different tones are used by characters in anime, etc.). Thank you also for your video explaining different pitch accent patterns 🙏

[@Zorba007]

I've been learning Japanese for the better half of last year till now, and can honestly say I appreciate this video immensely. As you mentioned, I had actually noticed the use of ぼく in a song by 中島美嘉 conveniently titled 僕が僕が死のうと思ったのは。So thank you for clarifying these nuances, I look forward to more content from you! 頑張てくどさい！

[@awawawawase]

I thought you had at least 50k subs at first, very useful information and examples. Really underrated content

[@EvilGuacamoleGaming]

I'm still nowhere near understanding Japanese but I do enjoy understanding how other languages work anyway. The nature of pronouns is very interesting in general. It's also very interesting how many first person pronouns there are in Japanese since many languages two at most and the split is most commonly over formality. Very interesting. Thank you for the very educational video.

[@jakubrogacz6829]

Japanese is pretty fun but kanji make it very difficult

[@danielantony1882]

​@@jakubrogacz6829 Kanji is truth and absolution. Knowing Kanji is just a Gigachad position.

[@dailytwitchcontentyt]

I hope to see many more videons from you Kaname, you explain things so well that I regret paying to study in Japan www, I like that you cover the basics that are needed for continuation while learning, henceforth I'd love to see more about grammar, since there is so much of it, knowing the proper usage and meaning in other videos really helped me, even though I already studied for four years, I feel like your videos really helped me truely understand :)

[@kanamenaito]

I’m making a grammar video that many people don’t get it right. The video will be out in less than a week I think you’ll like it! Thank you for your comment!

[@lyrakae]

You know I given up on learning to speak Japanese many years ago. I'm still a weeb but I prefer to focus my learning on my practical/ historical languages to me. But I just wanted to say, your channel is lovely! Wonderfully explained, good audio quality, it's slow so those whom want to take notes can. The infographic on the screen are simple and there is even subtitles? Wonderful! Truly one of the best channels on here! Hopefully you'll get some more subs cause you do deserve them my friend!

[@mordecaidl4630]

Great video, pretty helpful to understand this differences. I mostly use Ore in casual speech with my friends and sometime use "Wagahai" when i roleplay some character for a joke or smth

[@Maaad-maaan]

Very interesting video. I learned years ago that あたし was considered cute rather than strong and noticed many examples of this in Japanese media. It makes sense that it has a strong or rebellious feel but I haven’t see that in practice. I’ve also never heard of the flat and accented ぼく. As a woman who prefers boku in casual conversation this was interesting and helpful. Oh, and your comment about 自分 is also very interesting and helpful. I mostly watch shows that are meant for male audiences and never noticed that jibun was strictly male and hierarchical. I thought this might be a way of saying “myself”

[@TheKawaiifan]

I personally use あたし, I like how it’s both feminine and kinda edgy. I’m a very hyper feminine, upbeat and energetic person. Pretty much a genki girl. Love decora kei fashion. 私 feels too plain and わたくし feels very elegant and mature and almost untouchable. I’d prolly use those in certain contexts, but あたし has def been my default; it feels the most authentically me One bizarre pronoun I encountered was while I was listening to Japanese voice lines for the mobile game Pokémon Masters. When I got to Blue/Green, I heard him say 俺さま and I pretty much bursted out laughing on the spot. It was just so pompous and arrogant, it was perfect. I’m told apparently Guzma from Sun and Moon also uses that pronoun, but I think I prefer how that got interpreted in the English version. “It’s ya boi, Guzma!” Is just so iconic

[@gristen]

lmao of course he'd say 俺さま 😂

[@timmyturner327]

Jaian from Doraemon has said "oresama" on quite a few occasions as well. Really fits him perfectly.

[@raehik]

一人称以外でも日本語は”性格・キャラを示す”言葉遣いや文法が数多くある言語なので皆が自分の声を見つけてほしいです！！楽しいから！！！ there's a bunch more ways one can express themselves in Japanese (word choice, grammar etc.) and it's a blast to learn how to do so in a different language so best of luck to all you learners!

[@grav3yardshawty]

i’m not even learning japanese but this is so engaging and informative i somehow watched all of it

[@luxaeterna5281]

This was mind-opening, thank you very much! I always felt that there was a difference between adults and children when saying 「僕」、and finally I understand why! After watching the other videos on this channel, I found it to be extremely useful, I Hope to see more soon!

[@SoggyWetCheese]

I’m still a beginner to Japanese, so to be honest, I can’t even understand what you’re saying half the time, but I still find your video’s entertaining and informative 👍

[@nayu6121]

Omg that video was so good! I love how you explain the details and nuances between each type by showing many variations as examples :) I also liked you added the phrases in jp and eng! The editing, audio, subtitles are great! I'm not a native english speaker and the way you speak makes it very easy to understand ☺️🇧🇷

[@DrizzingSakuras]

I never knew i needed a grown man refer to himself as _kaname-chan!! :3_ This is the funniest thing ive seen all week

[@lyndiss.2017]

- I first came across the word 俺 in some 20th century Chinese texts (I'm Malaysian Chinese) and it was used by women, so I actually started using it as my first pronoun in casual text... And do so when playing around in Japanese text too. I haven't actually refer to myself in conversation with Ore yet, but you mentioned it's only common in certain dialects. What happens if I, who is okay with being a woman, use it as someone who isn't a native speaker? Will I just seem like a funny foreigner? 😂 - the "use name as first pronoun" thing is ALSO a thing in conversational Malay! Some of my friends and colleagues and classmates do that, and yes... They were all female! And used for cutesy effect. Some, though, use it emphatically. I've seen Malay celebrities use their own name as pronoun even in more serious interviews.

[@Daelyah]

This could just be because of both my western upbringing and introverted nature, but while I look for pronouns that imply a non-conforming identity (she/they are the english pronouns I use), using my given name in place of a pronoun would be weird for me.

[@blasianking4827]

If you're a woman using ore in a casual context where it would otherwise be accepted, I think it can give off a boisterous, boyish vibe since ore is really only used by dudes. Doesn't mean you can't use it, nobody's gonna be like 'you're a woman you can't use ore!' but it does give off that super casual dude bro vibe because those are the situations in which it is used. So if you're okay with that, use it if that's what you like.

[@haydonjp]

You make the best content ever. But, I was truly sold on the Wizard hat(g) in the thumbnail.

[@dlm4708]

This is the video I needed when taking first-year Japanese in university. I had three years in high school but university level is different. I need to see a "whole picture" and then I can understand what details go somewhere, like seeing a puzzle picture and then putting the puzzle together. The university wants a person to have only pieces of a puzzle but no final picture, so I do not know what I am supposed to do. Other students understood right away when taking tiny pieces of information. When there is a video like this, that tells me about one entire subject at one time, I can understand quickly. Thank you for your efforts.

[@karlsonmovies]

Great video, seems like my understanding of the pronouns are close enough to what you described. Personally, I like how “Uchi” sounds, but I haven’t really found an explanation on it. And I think there are two types, ウチ and 内 but I’m not really sure when or how they’re used. I’ve heard Uchi used to refer to oneself, but there are also sentences like “Uchi no musuko,” “our son”

[@kanamenaito]

You can use うち as “I”. うち、昨日新しい携帯買ったさー。It has a feeling of an outgoing extrovert type of girls. Feeling of 元気な女の子.

[@The_thief_chicken]

We don’t use the Kanji "内" in the first person. When we use "Uchi" for it, we use only “ウチ or うち”. The meaning of "内" in Kanji is "inside. The phrase "Uchi no musuko," means "son of our family”. The word "Uchi" also means "familly or home” and “a place to which one belongs and feel an affinity”.

[@krash1220]

Same here, I like how "うち" sounds but because of the confusion with the word for "inside" I just use "あたし" (even though I am quite reserved lol)

[@domiNATEion]

Really glad I was recommended your channel! Your examples are amazing, you make it easy to understand all of the different subtleties, and are just funny in general Keep it up! 僕の新しい一番好きなユーチューバは要ちゃん！

[@1stMilcom]

Hands down absolutely BEST video on KZbin explaining this unique aspect to Japanese language. Thank You!

[@gracgrac.17]

The way he explained the pronouns is very impressive. I am a slow learner but I absorb everything he said. I hope this channel receive the attention it needs!

[@ニキータ-u8g]

Wow, man, im shocked that I found gold among the stones. U know what I mean, so, I wanna thank you for ur effort and wish you keep doing it - it's really yours!

[@Well_away]

Indeed! Kaname-san giving us premium content for free😊

[@ニキータ-u8g]

@@Well_away !!

[@yurii_chynchyk]

先生, your pronunciation and facial expressions together with intonation make it a delight to observe 🙂 not only your explanations are deep and detailed but the way how you deliver the information is extremely comprehensive too !🔥 ありがとうございました！

[@arashickarened]

I've been using these variations from habit and it's the first time I see someone go into the detail of the nuances in each variation. This is an awesome video!

[@Aenik109.fangoo]

I was just playing an old videogame that had a character use the pronoun わし, and was wondering what nuances it had. Thank you for the well explained video!

[@aloysiusdevadanderabercrombie8]

Was it possibly Link's Awakening lol

[@ledojaeger7474]

Thank you for the explanation of the nuances of using 僕, I’ve been torn of how and when to use it versus 俺 or if 僕 was fine to use in polite speech - I had never heard the pitch accent explanation before that differentiates the childish 僕 and the neutral 僕.

[@lovelysakurapetalsyt]

Ooh thank you so much for uploading this! I've been slowly learning some Japanese out of curiosity and it's so hard to learn it because there's so few that actually explain it this well!

[@vinnae]

Wow. For some reason I had learned of あたし as being a very feminine, almost somewhat child-like pronoun, which is unlike how I am as a woman. Learning now that it is meant to convey a desire to not be seen as very humble and reserved is great and means I'm gonna use this more in casual settings when speaking to people who know Japanese because that idea conveys my personality way more. Thanks.

[@pfentcripps]

I’ve been speaking Japanese for years and don’t really struggle with communication anymore but this video gave SO much amazing information. This is amazing

[@pfentcripps]

I usually use うち when speaking casually haha

[@skywares]

I'm absolutely dying at the ending, at first I thought he was just staring, judging people using their name + chan 😂 really informative! You've gained a sub lol

[@Piper_____]

I hope to one day learn Japanese. I am currently learning Finnish, and speak French as well. English and Finnish have basically no politeness forms at all, and French only has tu/vous. I look forward to learning a language that allows me to more explicitly encode intention, personality, and politeness into my speech.

[@danielantony1882]

You're gonna have fun with Japanese then.

[@windhelmguard5295]

english does have politeness forms, it's just hard to tell because nobody uses the non-polite form any more unless they're reciting historical writings that were written in non-polite form or in works of fiction that are set in the past.

[@Piper_____]

@@windhelmguard5295 Ah, true! I do wish we still used “thou.” I miss it.

[@RZDraws]

As a native Finnish speaker, there are politeness forms, they're just built into the words themselves hence it seems like there aren't any. For example: *How are you?* = Kuinka voitte? (formal, very polite, you are now referring an individuals as if they were "multiple" (or like they were royal)) = Kuinka voit? (Not as formal, but still polite, person is referred to as a singular being) = Mitä kuuluu/Mikä meininki? (Informal, we are about to enter the local speech zones, it gets whacky from there on out) The different levels of politeness exist in here as well, they're just locked into certain situations. For example I use the middle formal speech politeness level to speak to cashiers, public transportation workers and elderly people The most formal/polite I use during important meetings And the casual ones when I'm speaking to friends or family As a sidenote, it's good to learn the middle level politeness speech just because casual speech varies wildly from town to town, and unless you use that level of politeness (which is also referred to as "Common Finnish" or "Book Finnish") there is a high chance of you having trouble being understood. Also if you ever visit the country and use public transportation such as a bus or a taxi, always, ALWAYS, remember to say "Kiitos" to the driver when you leave the vehicle. Also remember to greet the cashiers and drivers upon meeting them by saying "Hei" and try to give them a gentle smile, they go through a lot during the day and seeing a genuinely happy or at least kind person may just be what they need (also remember to wish them a good rest of the day or evening, that's just the right thing to do). For some important context about the greeting and thanking and wishing a good day afterwards: I come from South-Eastern parts of Finland where we have a lot of elderly people (and a high Karelian population), so politeness is expected. However, in large cities such as Helsinki or Tampere, where people are always busy, the level of politeness used may be different. I can only recommend the usage of the middle level politeness to make it easier to travel from place to place as the glossary between different areas is so apart from one another that everyone is practically speaking their own language due to the dialectical differences. Also be ready to ask people in certain places speak slower, heavens know that I've had to do that for a lot of people when receiving important information about things like meeting places, times and dates. Oh also you can make the sentences more formal/polite by separately addressing the person you're talking to: Kuinka TE voitte? Kuinka SINÄ voit? But this kind of speech is mainly used by people who work with law related things, everyday person doesn't want to emphasise things like that on such level as it is seen as intimidating by many.

[@Piper_____]

@@RZDraws woah! Thank you for all of the details! :D I humbly and happily accept being wrong here, and appreciate your help. :)

[@sjnok2905]

You make the BEST videos on youtube. Your deep understanding of both Japanese and english really shows in the way you teach.

[@_P2M_]

The Japanese language is so fascinating. The politeness, the position in the social hierarchy, and the overall "vibe" you give off can be easily understood just by the words you choose to use. Things like the お and ご prefixes, the ます form, the use of です, and the choices in pronouns, be it 1st person, 2nd person, or 3rd person. It must make it so much easier to get a read on someone than you would in English.

[@person8112]

I just love the thumbnail so much 👁👄👁💅

[@fayescarlet]

I've used "atashi" when speaking, but recently learned it sounds a bit childish for a woman in her early 30s. I don't want to sound childish to my friend in Japan, but I do agree "watashi" is indeed a bit boring! 😅 It can't be helped, though. Great video, I like seeing all these different perspectives on pronouns.

[@ec712]

I can’t help but feel that the options for older women are limited. 😔

[@LavenderYuki]

In the JP dub of the game Genshin Impact, Paimon used the pronouns "oira" to refer to Paimon and Traveler, and sometimes referring to only herself. In English it translated to "we". I was told it was equivalent of "orera" but more country/inaka-like. I don't know it was true.

[@darchelmacaroyo184]

She doesnt actually call herself in third person in the japanese dub?

[@VoxAsteri]

@@darchelmacaroyo184 Nope, she doen't refer to herself in third person in jpn dub, but she does in the chinese dub!

[@TakatoEndou]

From what I've heard "oira" is actually a gender-neutral pronoun, and so it can be used both by girls and boys. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[@yorgash2193]

Oira is very similar to the childish version of Boku, but used very rarely iirc

[@blasianking4827]

Genshin uses weird pronouns lmao, like I remember Kazuha refers to himself as 'sessha' which is a super archaic pronoun that's never used anymore.

[@davidmejia207]

Another nice video! Very interesting to learn about those tiny details that can make a big impact in the way you convey information. Thank you very much for this. Kind regards.

[@littlenamujoon628]

I really like this kinda way of language learning, I cannot find it in book. Great and clear explanation.

[@greggaines3482]

(This comment being the exception) I have kind of learned to simply use no first-person pronoun ever and if at all possible simply don't talk about myself... ever. That makes the choice of first-person pronoun easier. 😉 In spite of my grammar books having 私は in nearly every sentence or (even worse) the second-person pronoun あなた all over the examples, I try to avoid the use of either. Also... habitually referring to one's self by using one's own name instead of a first-person pronoun in English is known as Illeism. It is also called "referring to oneself in the third person".

[@Daelyah]

And even my favorite mad jester from Skyrim still unsettles people with that mannerism. It's all the more why I'd feel uncomfortable using my name in conversation beyond introductions.

[@rodsmade]

came for the Blue wizard hat (g), stayed for the content! great job!

[@TheAnjelHarte]

I've seen a few other educators talk about this topic a little bit, but this is by far the most comprehensive overview I've found! It's interesting to me how many of these connotations I've picked up just from music and other entertainment. I'm nonbinary and switched from 私 to 僕 to convey that people shouldn't be reading me as a woman without any second thoughts about it, which fits with what you said about not having "learned how to be a woman" lmao. Is it uncommon for people to switch first-person pronouns in casual form? Like if someone refers to themselves with 僕 and 俺 interchangeably throughout the same conversation, is that super weird?

[@b.lightyear3455]

(Disclaimer: not an expert) In my understanding, that would be very unusual. I have noticed that some people will use different pronouns in different kinds of casual contexts (e.g., using one pronoun when speaking with friends and a different one with family), but switching between pronouns in the exact same casual context I have not heard of.

[@danielantony1882]

Well, 僕(ぼく) is also used by tomboyish girls so that as well.

[@val9344]

i see 自分 used a lot by nonbinary people as well

[@taoretakitsune]

>I'm nonbinary dont learn my language. Dont speak in it. Dont write in it. Please, can you forget how to breath for an hour?

[@youdonotcare]

​@@taoretakitsune ????

[@siginotmylastname3969]

Your videos are absolutely incredible!!! I don't know how you write such concise and dense scripts for videos but it's hard not to pause every 30 seconds while studying.

[@Rudolphhhhhh]

Indeed, there are so many other pronouns, especially in fictions. For example, there is a famous novel written by 夏目漱石 (Natsume Souseki) : 吾輩は猫である ("I am a cat", with an arrogant tone). Or if there are samurais, it is quite common to hear something like: 拙者は侍でござる ("I am a samurai"). I also played some video games when some characters refer to themselves with 余 (よ), e.g. Zora's King in Zelda Ocarina of Time. Speaking of 我, is 我々 more used than just 我 in real life?

[@lana-ana-ana]

it sounds literary, not like something you would use in conversation

[@CreatrixTiara]

Wagahai: you are a cat

[@naoyahikoshima]

会話の中で使う一人称と二人称は、 実は日本人にとってもしばしば悩みの種になるんですよね。 I と You だけ覚えればよい英語は、その点で合理的で、羨ましいと思うときがあります。

[@MaestroKytes]

I love how the english translation changes font to Comic Sans when referring to Own name + ちゃん. Absolutely hilarious!

[@ConLogosz]

Your videos have been extremely informative! Thanks a ton--keep it coming, and I'll keep watching!

[@kingtokkii]

Are you a teacher? You're so good at explaining things, and in such am engaging way! I love the little impressions you do when you're talking for one of the pronouns

[@leti9130]

Thank you for making me interested in the japanese language again. So glad youtube recommended me your video.

[@alantremonti1381]

Great video, very informational from the veiwpoint of a beginner learning Japanese, but who is also looking for a little more context. Subscribed!

[@moonythespoonie9551]

I've been really fascinated by the little nuances between Japanese pronouns for a while now. (They got my attention when I learned there was a pronoun specifically used by cats, and I've been hooked ever since.) Thank you so much for the great explanation! I'd love to see a video on second-person and/or unusual pronouns!

[@Kittyintheraiyn]

I'm super curious what pronoun is specifically used for cats. I've never heard of this before. (Like in anime?)

[@moonythespoonie9551]

@@Kittyintheraiyn That would be wagahai! It started off as a kind of haughty first-person, and nowadays it's got kind of an archaic feel that bumps the haughtiness up further. Nowadays, though, it's mostly used by talking cats in fiction, referencing this really famous novel that's narrated by a wagahai-using cat.

[@Kittyintheraiyn]

@@moonythespoonie9551 OH! I am a Cat. I know of that book. I just didn't know how common it's use was for other cats. Thanks

[@katiekawaii]

Your videos are so good! You explain things fully but you don't throw in any filler or draw things out longer than necessary. I'm a fan!

[@foobiedoobiedoobar]

Glad there's helpful videos like this explaining the very nuances that go into learning Japanese. I'm teaching myself before going and these segments are great! Tons of thanks! 😅

[@rumned]

I don't think I have ever taken such an engaging language lesson before. Subscribed

[@Bryggyth]

In anime I've heard 吾輩 (wagahai) which seems to be used similar to 我 but with a sense of haughtiness or confidence. I've always assumed it was outdated and no longer in use anywhere, but for some reason it's always been my favorite sounding first person pronoun. I'd of course never use it myself though haha.

[@aut1stickid]

Well then you might like watching Laplus Darkness, give her a try

[@daliblue_]

Yes, there's this really famous story on Japan called "吾輩は猫である" where the main character (a cat) speaks in that way about humans haha. My favorite one is 妾 (わらわ), anciently used by females in a humble way I think, I just love sm how it sounds and would use it if it wasn't old-fashioned xD

[@silpheedTandy]

i loved the use of Comic Sans at the end of the video, haha. (for what it's worth, i think Comic Sans is a beautiful font, but it certainly not a serious one!)

[@Omni0404]

0:16 I can't stop laughing at how you deepened your voice for われ 😆

[@blackwaterwolf]

I didn't know about the tone differences for boku, thanks for explaining. also ty for not using romaji

[@ArkRiley]

You can use 我輩 (wagahai) if you want to sound like a cat or a weird witch. But most JP folks will just be reminded of that one book about a cat, I think.

[@Shiromochimochi]

Bowser in the Super Mario Bros Series also uses wagahai A good example might be a king or a general or weird witch (Impression that a high-ranking person uses it with self-respect)

[@Default78334]

And if you want to sound like the villain from a shonen manga, there's always この俺様.

[@CelestiaLily]

ahaha omg yeah i remember the Natsumi Sōseki book being referenced in video games like Ace Attorney (the historical prequel one where we even meet him) and Persona 5 (Morgana the braggadocious cat, who uses "wagahai" while being very insistent on *not* being called a cat) xD

[@asdabir]

The way you explain things is very easy to put in context for foreigners.

[@DrRyan82994]

i kind of like watashi because it’s boring and i sort of like that it’s a little feminine too. it sort of reflects how i present myself normally. i don’t really go out of my way to be masculine, i sort of feel secure. maybe because i’ve always been tall or something

[@QoheletMentorship]

Wow, I didn’t know that the impression from using 僕 (which I usually use, though sometimes I’ll say ダ君, short for 「ダビデ君」) changed depending on the pitch, I’ve been doing it the “childish” way. This will take a little adjustment, but I’m glad you told us! I would have never figured that out on my own.

[@eyesack5824]

last one made me chuckle, but overall this is a very VERY helpful video. You managed to explain these pronouns in such great words that it's possible to imagine a person that uses one of these. I swear I imagined an old man when you used the われ 😂

[@marshallhill2283]

Great video! Also, I loved the Old School RuneScape hat on the thumbnail 😅

[@sophovot5079]

Loved the video! Are you going to make one about second person Pronouns as well?

[@kanamenaito]

Yeah I think I will!

[@Default78334]

TL;DR if you have to ask, you should just try to avoid using them altogether.

[@McC0n0r]

Neat video, I didn't even know Ora and Atai were options! I'll be sure to refer to myself as "wagahai" from now on!

[@t3hsis324]

I wish English had this. Edit: I love your channel. You really are doing an excellent job helping me understand small nuances that have been missed previous.

[@Yujidesu021]

I finally found an underrated channel.I learned a lot.thanks so much!.keep it up.

[@MaulLerGamer]

I didn't know that there are difference between boku and boku XD

[@researcher7578]

I like it very much that you refer also to particular dialects, it helps a lot a person with linguistic interests like me!

[@sophovot5079]

The gold rimmed runescape wizard hat lmao legend

[@bastiantellius]

If Teaching was one of the new skills being considered for OSRS, he'd be the first to 99.

[@coolbrotherf127]

These videos are amazing. I've been learning for about a year now and I've already learned so much from your videos. I'll definitely be watching all your videos.

[@hey-qi6ko]

私は驚いています！私はブラジル人です、あなたはこれを理解していますしたがって、それはすべてとても完璧です。あなたの多大な努力を祝福します！

[@frozenheartzzz]

Thank for uploading such a good video, easy for understanding. As a Japanese learner, I'm rooting for you.

[@juanki8350]

Hello! I found your channel and it’s very useful, I haven’t found other channels that dive deep into the Japanese language. I was wondering if you could help me with the difference and usage of 気分、気持ち and 感じ since they are confusing and I haven’t seen anyone explain them next to one another.

[@kanamenaito]

「気分」refers to a temporal feeling you get from inside, like “I don’t feel like studying now””I feel like eating sushi now”. 「気持ち」is usually about what you think/feel about something. “You don’t understand my feeling at all””we all have same feeling about the incident.” When you say 気分がいい(I’m feeling good)、気分が悪い(I feel bad), 気持ちがいい(feel good(like when someone is giving you a massage)), 気持ちがわるい(feel bad like want to vomit).

[@kanamenaito]

「感じ」is about sensation, what you feel through your sensation. When you say someone gives you a feeling/vibe, you can use 「感じ」, like 「彼は危ない感じがする」he gives me a dangerous feeling.

[@Leffydht]

Bro your explanation is 完璧!