Coversation

5-minute Japanese Class by Hitomi Hirayama

会 話 kai wa

In the past, the word "anata" was considered a polite

I am going on a trip with a friend and his family, and I went to his home
expression, but the nuance has changed recently. Be very A) Pole-san : Are you going to have a party
to make plans with them. I heard his mother saying: "anata wa itsu ga
- - careful as to when you use the word "anata." In Japan, it is tomorrow night?
i desu ka? anata wa hotel to ryokan to dochira ga i desu ka?" I
often used toward someone who is subordinate (employee, 明日 の 飲み会 どう します か？  
Design : Masako Ban

didn't know who she was talking to, so I didn't say anything. Then I ashita no nomikai do- shimasu ka
junior and so on). You might cause someone discomfort if
noticed that she was staring at me, and she said, "Pole-san anata desu
you use "anata" in the same way as you use "you" in English. Friend: It's up to you.
yo!" I finally realized that she was asking me! I couldn't decide, so I used
The best way to avoid unexpected trouble is to use the family 次第 です よ。
a phase from "Icebreaker" and said, "anata ni omakase shimasu" (I'll you
name or first name when addressing Japanese people, shidai desu yo
let you decide). To my surprise, she gave me an unpleasant look. Why is
instead of saying "anata." Please keep that in mind! And it
that? Does it mean she doesn't want to go on a trip with me? B) Pole-san : How are your parents doing?
might be best never to use "anata" in business situations.
は お元気 です か。
your parents
wa ogenki desu ka
If you use "anata" even though you know the other My own group or another group
Causing discomfort by person's name, you might discomfort him. If you do In the Japanese language, when one refers to oneself (first person) and members Friend: They're fine—thanks for asking.
using "anata" incorrectly: know the person by name, it is best to use his name, of one's own group, one uses different expressions than when referring to
ええ （はい）おかげさまで
rather than calling him "anata." someone else (second person / third person) or the people of another group.
ee (hai) okagesama de
My own group (my relatives, my colleagues and so on)
山田さん 明さん Another group (someone else's relatives, colleagues and so on)
あなた Yamada-san あなた Akira-san In the Japanese language, the possessive pronoun (my... "watashi no" or your ... C) Pole-san : How many are there in your family?
anata anata "anata no") is usually omitted when describing the members of a family group,
except for a few specialized cases. It is important to remember these words your family は 何人 です か。
describing the family relationship in order to avoid confusion. wa nan-nin desu ka
superior subordinate friend e.g., This is (my) 私の 妻 です。 e.g., Is this あなた の 奥さんですか。
watashi no tsuma desu your wife? anata no okusan desu ka Friend: There are five of us.
wife.
If you are referring to someone you do not know by は 5人 です。
Using "anata" the same This is Yamada- 山田さん の 奥さん です。 my family
way "you" is used in name, it will not discomfort him to be called "anata." e.g., 奥さんですか。 wa go-nin desu
san's wife. Yamada-san no okusan desu okusan desu ka
English:
my group another group my group another group D) Pole-san : How old are your children?
Speaker
e.g., Police officer father 父 お父さん parents 両親   御両親 は おいくつ です か。
e.g., your child
to participants あなた asking questions あなた chichi oto- -san ryo-shin go-ryo-shin wa oikutsu desu ka
at a conference anata anata family 家族   御家族
mother 母 お母さん
haha oka- -san kazoku go-kazoku Friend: The oldest is 5, and the youngest is
grandfather おじいさん 3 years old.
husband 主人 御主人 -
an organizer a participant a police officer a driver shujin go-shujin oji -san おじいさん 上 が 5歳 で 下 が 3歳 です。
祖父       -
Practice wife 妻 奥さん sofu
oji -san ue ga go-sai de shita ga san-sai desu
tsuma oku-san E) At a job interview:
1. (At a conference) 3. (Talking to a friend) grandmother おばあさん
child
Speaker: Recently, the number of the unemployed has increased Mr. Pole : How are you ?
子供 お子さん oba- -san おばあさん Interviewer: Would the next person please come in?
in Japan, but how critical is it in your country? kodomo oko-san oba- -san
お元気ですか。 祖母     次の方 どうぞ。
daughter 娘  お嬢さん
日本 は 失業者 が 増えています が、 ogenki desu ka musume ojo- -san
sobo tsugi no kata do-zo
Nihon wa shitsugyo- -sha ga fuete-imasu ga I'm fine, thank you.
uncle おじ   おじさん A person sitting You're next!
friend : son 息子 息子さん oji oji-san on your side:
you の 国では どう です か。 ええ おかげさまで musuko musuko-san の 番 です よ。
no kuni dewa do- desu ka ee, okagesamade older(elder)
aunt おば   おばさん your
no ban desu yo
兄   お兄さん oba oba-san
brother -
anata
2. ( A police officer) And you ? ani oni -san nephew F) A wife who is complaining to her husband: It's all your fault!
older(elder) おい   おいごさん
you は sister 姉  お姉さん oi oigo-san ダメだった のは      の your せい です。
Police officer: Is this your car? wa ane one- -san dame-datta nowa no se- desu
この車 は の です か。 younger niece めい   めいごさん
you brother 弟   弟さん mei meigo-san
kono kuruma wa no desu ka Answers oto- to oto- to-san
younger cousin いとこ  いとこ の かた Answers
You're parked in a no parking zone. 1. anata sister 妹   妹さん itoko itoko no kata A) Pole-san B) go-ryo- shin C) go-kazoku
2. anata
imo- to imo- to-san C) kazoku D) oko-san E) anata F) anata
ここ は 駐車禁止 です よ。 brothers and きょうだい ごきょうだい relative 親戚   御親戚
koko wa chu- sha-kinshi desu yo
3. Pole-san
sisters kyodai go-kyo- dai shinseki go-shinseki
With cooperation from Yasuhiro Koga

Copyright 2002 The Yomiuri Shimbun