General Vocabulary

[Social/Job Position] ~

A very common way of addressing people in Japanese. Common titles include 先生 (sensei) for teachers and doctors, 部長 (buchou) for department managers, 課長 (kachou) for sectional managers, 社長 (shachou) for company presidents, and so on.

Anime often has titles rarely seen in modern times outside of fiction. For instance, 王様 (ou-sama) and 国王 (kokuou) refer to kings, 皇帝 (koutei) is an emperor, 陛下 (heika) is equivalent to "Your Majesty", お姫様 (o-hime-sama) is a princess or other young woman of the nobility, and 将軍 (shougun) is equivalent to a general. Incidentally, both 王妃 (ouhi) and 女王 (joou) mean "queen", but the first refers to a king's wife while the second refers to a queen who actually runs the government.

It's not uncommon to tack rank onto family name, especially for teachers, such as 田中先生 (Tanaka-sensei). However, the title alone suffices, unless it's unclear otherwise who is being referred to.

[Family Name]

How respectful this is depends largely on what name suffix is put on it. Regardless, family name, with an appropriate respectful suffix, is one of the most common ways of addressing someone in Japanese. It's also not uncommon to combine a family name with a title, such as 田中先生 (Tanaka-sensei).

[Given Name (other's)]

Given names should generally be used only when speaking to people you know well, or to children. As such, if a person gives someone—particularly someone of the opposite gender—permission to call that person by his or her given name, it's a fairly Big Deal. Even when using someone's given name, it's not uncommon to attach a respectful suffix to the name. Using just the name (or worse, adding ～ちゃん (-chan)) should be avoided except when addressing someone such as a close friend or younger family member, or when taunting enemies. Assuming that sort of familarity can be extremely rude.

[Given Name (own)]

Young children, especially girls, may refer to themselves by their own name. This is sometimes used symbolically as an indication of childish innocence and optimism. If a character switches from referring to herself by her given name to using a pronoun, that's generally an indication that she's had some kind of maturing experience or loss of innocence. Conversely, an adult referring to herself in third person usually indicates an affected childishness, or perhaps a childlike simplicity.

あたい （私） Atai

While this is a feminine way to say "I", it's a thuggish feminine with a "mess with me and I'll rip your head off" sort of connotation. It's rarely used outside of anime, and is uncommon even there. According to goo, it was used mostly by women and children in places like the Tokyo slums. Ayla from Chrono Trigger uses あたい (before switching to her name), as does Mayonnay (Flea), who probably isn't even really female. The female rogue in the Ragnarok Online anime (whose name I can't remember) is an excellent example of the sort of person who would talk like this.

あたし （私） Atashi

A common way for women, particularly young women, and especially in anime, to say 'I' in casual speech. More formal pronouns are of course more appropriate for more formal situations. Men should avoid using あたし, unless it's clearly as a joke. あたし is derived from わたし (watashi), and is usually written in hiragana to distinguish it. People who use あたし for "I" are likely to use あんた (anta) or あなた (anata) for "you". Too many female anime characters to list use あたし.

あっし （私） Asshi

A variant on あたし. I've seen this once, in an unusual setting in Ar Tonelico II. While the character using it there is female, I can't tell whether that's necessarily the case or merely incidental.

あなた （貴方） Anata

The textbook way to say "you", あなた is actually fairly uncommon in spoken Japanese. People are usually addressed by name or title, especially higher-ups. あなた is most often used either in a generic sense, such as in general messages or instructions (such as "write your name in this box"), or in more relaxed speech. The kanji is rarely used, but I have seen it several times, as well as the alternate kanji 彼方. Another alternate, 貴女, is at least as rare, and is used only when the "you" in question is female.

あなた （貴方） Anata

Sometimes used by females in casual speech. It also can be used like "darling" to a husband or boyfriend, though I've been told this usage is relatively uncommon in real life.

あなたがた （貴方々） Anatagata

A respectful way to address a group of people. The kanji literally mean "esteemed persons".

あんた Anta

An informal way of saying "you", and probably derived from あなた (anata). This is a common way for women (at least in anime) to say "you" in casual speech, when speaking to friends or lower-downs, anyway. It's also used by some males, though most prefer 君 (kimi) or お前 (omae), which seem to be somewhat less polite or at least more assertive. Many female anime characters use あんた, as do some males, including Bear from .hack//SIGN.

内 （うち） Uchi

Used as "we" when speaking on behalf of a group or organization, such as a family, class in school, or company. The kanji means "interior", which (to me anyway) suggests the idea of things internal to the group.

うち （内?） Uchi

Used as "I" by some women in western Japanese dialects, or so I've heard. Kitsune from Love Hina is one character who uses うち to refer to herself.

うぬ （汝 or 己） Unu

An archaic "you" pronoun. The only place I've heard this one so far is in Atelier Iris: Grand Phantasm (which, like every other game that allows it, I play with the Japanese voices). Going by context (ancient impersonal entity speaking to a mere human) and what information I've been able to find online, it is, if not insulting, at least patronizing.

おいら （己等） Oira

This is an uncommon way to say "I", derived (or so I've heard) from 俺ら (ore-ra), which actually means "we". Relatively few characters use it, including Chichiri from Fushigi Yuugi (who also ends almost every sentence with のだ (no da) ) and the Sprite from Seiken Densetsu 2 (Secret of Mana). Actually, it seems to be fairly popular for (male) little magical creatures like sprites and fairies. Popo from Atelier Iris is another one who talks like this.

お宅 （おたく） Otaku

Probably the closest thing Japanese has to a respectful but generic "you". It's more polite than using あなた (anata), but is generally only used when the speaker doesn't know of any better way to address someone. And yes, it's turned into something similar to "fanboy" as well.

おぬし （お主） Onushi

An archaic way of saying "you". The kanji literally mean "honored master". It's used by both men and women, and generally to someone of approximately equal standing. Kaede from Inuyasha and Cayenne (Cyan) from Final Fantasy VI both use おぬし.

おのれ （己） Onore

An insulting way of saying "you", but rarely used outside of anime. Choosing this word rather than other insults may be a way of making a villain sound ancient. The kanji literally means "snake".

おのれ （己） Onore

A self-depreciating humble way of saying "I", and rather outdated. And yes, it is the same word as the insult above. This seems to be a result of Japanese pronouns having their origin in ordinary nouns; anything that's humbling when applied to yourself is likely to be insulting when applied to another.

お前 （おまえ） Omae

A common male way to say "you". It's less neutral that あんた (anta), but it's also less in-your-face macho than おめー (omee). The 前 kanji literally means "in front", and the お is an honorific, so it seems, literally, to be a reference to the person in front of the speaker. Some women may use this and other masculine pronouns to sound tough. People who use お前 for "you" are likely to use 俺 (ore) for "I". Many anime males, even those who aren't completely full of themselves, use お前, including Keitaro from Love Hina.

お前さん （おまえさん） Omae-san

Much like お前 (omae), but somewhat more respectful. Also outdated. The only character I can recall using it is Hash (Gaspar) in Chrono Trigger.

おめー （お前） Omee

A slurring of お前 (omae), and also written a variety of other ways including おめえ and おめェ. It's the macho way for a guy to say "you". Some women may use this and other masculine pronouns if they're trying (perhaps a bit too hard?) to sound tough. Most anime males who are full of themselves use おめー, including Ranma and Inuyasha.

おら （己） Ora

Similar to おれ (ore), and used in at least one dialect. Mousse from Ranma 1/2 and Shippou from Inuyasha both use it.

俺 （おれ） Ore

A common male way to say "I". It has kind of an "I'm the man" connotation, though the exact impression depends a lot more on how you say it. People who use 俺 for "I" are likely to use お前 (omae) or おめー (omee) for "you". Some women may use this and other masculine pronouns if they're trying to sound tough. The title character of Naruto is who uses the full extent of the "yes I'm awesome" connotation through tone of voice, but Keitaro from Love Hina manages to use the same word in a way that sounds almost modest.

俺様 （おれさま） Ore-sama

This is the way to sound extremely arrogant and full of yourself when saying "I". Not only is there 俺 (ore), which is fairly boastful to begin with, the extremely respectful name-suffix 様 (-sama) is tacked on. In case you didn't know, you simply don't use honorifics when referring to yourself in Japanese. I think I've heard a few egotistical bandits use this in anime... usually right before the good guys come along and beat some humility into them.

彼女 （かのじょ） Kanojo

A relatively new pronoun meaning "she". It can also mean "girlfriend", so be careful about the context, m'kay?

彼 （かれ） Kare

A pronoun meaning "he". It can also mean "boyfriend", so make sure of the context to avoid confusion. Incidentally, 彼氏 (kareshi) is an unambiguous word for "boyfriend".

貴様 （きさま） Kisama

One way of saying "you", but it's extremely rude. Normally reserved for addressing people you hate with a passion, it's therefore a fairly common term in anime. Oddly, the first kanji means "valued" or "honored", and the second is a respectful suffix... maybe sarcasm is involved. 貴様 was, I think, originally used by (military, etc.) commanding officers speaking to subordinates, and is occasionally still used (at least in anime) in that sense without the oozing hatred. I can't comment on usage in real life, though.

君 （きみ） Kimi

A fairly common, usually male, way of saying "you". Though not as disrespectful as お前 (omae), it should still never be used to address higher-ups. Males who use 君 for "you" are likely to use 僕 (boku) for "I". Females may also use 君, especially when speaking to children, subordinates, or other people who are (at least perceived as) lower socially. A female using 君 seems to indicate a take-charge attitude. As two examples, Shinji from Evangelion and the girl from Seiken Densetsu 2 (Secret of Mana) use 君.

自分 （じぶん） Jibun

Self. Myself, yourself, ourselves, themselves, himself, herself, oneself.... Use context to figure out which one applies. Some characters will use this as their standard first-person pronoun, but that's rather uncommon.

自己 （じこ） Jiko

Self. Normally used as part of longer terms, such as 自己紹介 (jikoshoukai), which means "self-introduction".

小職 （しょうしょく） Shoushoku

A first-person pronoun used mainly by humble government servants. At least, that's what the Internet tells me.

せっしゃ （拙者） Sessha

A self-humbling pronoun for "I". It was used by young men, usually samurai. The kanji literally mean "bungling one". Cyan from Final Fantasy VI uses せっしゃ, along with other odd mannerisms in speaking.

そなた （其方） Sonata

An old term for "you". It was slightly honorific around the 1300-1500s, but gradually shifted to being used only for people of lesser standing since then. Kings in anime will often address people this way. Related to あなた (anata) in the same way terms like この, その, あの, and どの are related, but I don't believe I've ever seen or heard こなた (konata) used, though it should exist by extrapolation.

当方 （とうほう） Touhou

"We" in a formal corporate sort of sense.

てめー （手前） Temee

Derived from 手前 (temae), and also written てめぇ and てめェ. It's frequently shouted an anime when someone with a macho attitude gets mad. More useful when looking to pick a fight than for anything else. Many anime males use it, including Ranma from Ranma 1/2. Interestingly, 手前 (temae) never seems to be used this way.

汝 （なんじ） Nanji ~

An archaic and respectful way to say "you". Even in anime, 汝 is uncommon, and I've only heard it in a few magical incantations, like Lina Inverse's favorite spell in Slayers... …我と汝が力もて、等しく滅びを与えんことを！

僕 （ぼく） Boku

A fairly common male (usually) way to say "I". This is a more humble or boyish term than 俺 (ore), and (at least in anime) isn't quite as common. Some women may use this and other masculine pronouns depending on their personalities, and 僕 actually seems to be fairly common among tomboys. The kanji also means "servant". People who use 僕 for "I" are likely to use 君 (kimi) for "you". Shinji from Evangelion uses 僕, and Ayu Tsukimiya from Kanon is known for it (among other things).

僕 may also be used as a second-person pronoun, typically when addressing young boys. This can be either endearing or insulting, depending on the situation.

やつ （奴） Yatsu

A rather rude way to say "he" or "she" (or occasionally "you"). I don't think it's quite as rude as "bastard", but it has a similar connotation. In manga and video games, it's frequently written in hiragana (ヤツ), probably to suggest the disdainful tone of voice the speaker is using.

余 or 予 （よ） Yo

Another outdated first-person pronoun. Goo's dictionary indicates that it's rather haughty or ceremonial and used by young men. I can't remember which characters I've heard using it, but I'm pretty sure most or all were female... Either way, it's no longer in common use.

わい （私） Wai

One of many dialectic variants of わたし (watashi). I can't recall any specific character who use it, but it's out there.

我が （わが） Waga

"My" or "our". Rather archaic, and unusual in that it has the possessive sense built-in, thanks to an outdated usage of the が (ga) particle. Other than that, I know little about it.

吾輩 （わがはい） Wagahai

A pompous term for "I". This is of interest mostly because it appears in the title of a classic Japanese novel, 吾輩は猫である (Wagahai wa Neko de aru). The English rendition, "I Am a Cat", is technically accurate but completely loses the air of arrogance that the original title conveys, and that cats are so well known for.

わし （私 or 儂） Washi

A way to say "I" sometimes used by older people, or ancient entities, especially in anime. It seems to carry the implication that the speaker is wise and knowledgeable, or at least ancient and powerful, and should be heeded. The word is probably a shortening of わたし (watashi). Genma from Ranma 1/2 and Kaede from Inuyasha both use わし, as do all sorts of (often self-styled) god-like beings.

私 （わたくし） Watakushi

The highly formal way to say "I". This is more humble than normal conversation calls for, and is normally reserved for speaking to respected people. Good to use during a job interview, when speaking to an important personage, and so on. Kodachi from Ranma 1/2 and Mint from Galaxy Angel use わたくし consistently, since this is also supposed to be the proper personal pronoun for cultured young women.

私 （わたし） Watashi

The way to say "I" that's in all the textbooks. This is appropriate for talking to people that you don't know too well, or who are somewhat higher socially. Most people use 私 when speaking to teachers, police, relative strangers, and so on. The kanji also means "private".

私 （わたし） Watashi

Though it's formal, it's often used by females even in casual speech, though you'll probably never catch a man using it in such a situation. あたし (atashi) seems to be at least as commonly used, especially by younger women, at least in anime.

わたち Watachi

One little girl in Chrono Trigger uses this, but it probably just means she's missing her front teeth. I've seen it elsewhere as well, and it the intention seems to be cutesy.

わっし （私） Wasshi

Listed in Goo's dictionary as a variant of わっち, below.

わっち （私） Watchi

Thank MegaTokyo for this one. One of Fred's rants mentions an anime series called 狼と香辛料 (Ookami to Koushinryou), literally "Wolf and Spice". One main character, Holo (ホロ), is a "wolf harvest deity" who appears as a fifteen-year-old girl with wolf ears and tail. Anyhow, she has a rather unusual manner of speech, and (from a quick glance at the show's website) this is how she refers to herself. Goo's dictionary lists it as a first-person pronoun that both men and women of low social standing use. Wikipedia suggests that her speech is modelled after high-class courtesans.

わらわ （妾） Warawa

A self-depreciating female pronoun for "I". It's rarely used outside of anime. The kanji literally means "concubine". Queen Zeal in Chrono Trigger is one of a relatively few characters to refer to herself this way.

我 （われ） Ware

Yet another way to say "I". 我 shows up fairly often in anime in ancient texts and magical incantations. The only character I can remember offhand who uses it regularly is Gades in Estpolis Denki II (Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals), but it's fairly popular among the ancient entity demographic. From what little Chinese I know, this kanji is the usual one for "I" in that language.

我々 （われわれ） Wareware

A way of saying "we". Unlike 我 (ware), it's still used in normal Japanese, though I'm not sure what the distinction is between it and the other ways of saying "we". Probably it's somewhat humble.