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Watashi? Boku? What’s the Difference? Are There Other Ways to Say ‘I’ or ‘Me’ in Japanese?

There are many ways to say ‘I’ or ‘me’ in Japanese, depending on social status, gender, and situation. Usually, the Japanese learning textbook only shows the usage of Watashi (私).

It doesn’t show you how to change the first person pronoun due to different situations in daily life. This blog will show you 10 common ways to say ‘I’ or ‘me’ in Japanese.

We’ve also made a more in-depth guide on Japanese first-person pronouns. Check them out here. After that, don’t forget to check out our other guide on how to say ‘you’ in Japanese. 

1. Watashi (わたし/私)

The frequent word to say is ‘I/me.’ It’s a modest way to express yourself in any situation. Also, it’s used on a formal occasion or to speak to someone superior.

2. Watakushi (わたくし/私)

It’s a more polite way than Watashi. It’s used on official occasions. The Imperial Family uses Watakushi when they make a speech.

3. Atashi (あたし)

A feminine variant. For informal occasions, the person you are speaking to is a friend or junior.

4. Atakushi (あたくし)

It’s a female variant that is more polite than Atashi.

5. Uchi (うち)

It’s the first pronoun for females in the Kansai dialect on informal occasions.

6. Washi (わし/儂)

It’s used in the Kansai area for older men. It is commonly used for old-man characters in games or animation.

7. Boku (ぼく/僕)

A semi-humble pronoun for young men. Common use on boys.

8. Ore (おれ/俺)

Men use it on informal occasions. A casual way to say ‘I’ is usually be paired with ‘Omae (お前, you.)’

9. Jibun (じぶん/自分)

A gender-neutral word often adopted by military personnel or athletes.

10. Ware (われ/我)

Formal, used in the article as self-proclaimed. People use it for speech, meetings, or discussion. Often used in the plural as Wareware (我々, we.)

Also, there are more ways to say ‘I’ and ‘me.’ The pronoun is related to whom you are speaking to and the occasion. Learning the Japanese language gives you the opportunity to practice it and put it to use. It helps you to understand the nuances of Japanese culture.

Want to know more about Japanese culture? Feel free to check out our interesting blogs!

Learn to say ‘I’ and ‘Me’ more fluently by starting Japanese lessons at Coto Academy.

FAQ

The most common and polite way is 私 (watashi). For informal situations, men often use 僕 (boku) or 俺 (ore), while women might use あたし (atashi).

If you’re a man, you could use 僕 (boku) or 俺 (ore). If you’re a woman, you could use あたし (atashi) or 私 (watashi).

Yes, there are regional variations. For example, people in Kansai dialect might use different terms than those in Tokyo.