how to say casual speech in japanese

Formal vs Informal Speech in Japanese

Formal and casual situations often call for different ways of speaking. While in English we may change the words and phrases we use in formal vs. casual situations, Japanese has rules to define formal and casual modes of speech.

When people learn that there are different modes of Japanese they often have some questions. What are the differences? Do I need to learn both? When do you use them? How serious is it if you use the wrong one? This article will address these questions and others.

An overview of Japanese modes of speech

In the Japanese language, there are four main modes of speech:

Simple formal speech

Simple formal speech is mainly used when speaking to people you don’t know well. It’s also an appropriate level when speaking to most teachers or coworkers. If you’re unsure which level of formality to use, simple formal speech is a respectful and “safe” choice.

Casual speech

Casual speech is used when speaking to good friends. In fact, you may be able to tell when you’ve officially become friends by whether someone has switched to using casual speech and/or casual honorifics with you.

Honorific speech

Honorific speech is used to show utmost respect to someone. It is most often used when talking with customers and work superiors, but you may also be expected to use it with some teachers or people older than you (depending on the person). It has its own unique vocabulary and grammar forms. You would also be expected to consistently apply honorific prefixes.

Humble speech

Humble speech is used to communicate that your position is lower than someone else. Being humble is an important virtue in Japanese culture. Humble speech and honorific speech work together, and you may hear someone use both within the same conversation. The difference is that honorific speech is used to describe someone else and humble speech is used to describe oneself .

How important are the different modes of speech?

For Japanese people, these modes hold a lot of cultural importance. If you’re casual with someone you don’t know, you may come off as rude. If you’re formal with a friend, they would wonder if something happened to make you become distant. And if you’re unable to correctly use honorific and humble speech, it may greatly impact your chances of getting hired at a company.

All this said, don’t be paranoid about offending someone by using the wrong Japanese! Japanese people on average are extremely forgiving of linguistic mistakes made by foreigners because they know that Japanese is not your native language. Rather, they are usually happy to find out that someone made the effort to learn.

If you’re still a beginner, the most important thing is to just try speaking. If you can do so while consistently using either simple formal or casual Japanese, that’s great! However even if you can’t and your Japanese ends up being “mixed”, being understood and communicating effectively should be your priority.

Mastering the “modes” becomes more important the more you spend time among Japanese people, especially if you’re repeatedly interacting with the same people. If you are going to make Japanese friends or work with Japanese people, using the wrong level can put a discrete barrier between you and others.

This doesn’t mean you won’t be able to communicate sufficiently, but there will be a sense that something is “off” in your relationship. If your goal is to make those relationships more natural, then you may want to focus on your “mode of speech”.

Verbs are the main focus

In order to identify the mode of a sentence, look at the verb. Although other words in a sentence may also change, the verbs will be the biggest giveaway. The difference can simply be the conjugation, or the word choice may be completely different.

If you learn Japanese through formal education or textbooks, you will most likely start with simple formal speech or “teineigo” (literally “formal language”). This mode is characterized by using verbs in their “V-masu” form (V stands for verb). For example:

りんごを食べます ringo wo tabemasu = I eat apples / I will eat an apple

公園に行きます kouen ni ikimasu = I go to the park / I will go to the park

The past tense conjugation “V-mashita”, the negative form “V-masen”, and the continuous form “V-teimasu” are also used in simple formal speech:

日本に行きました nihon ni ikimashita = I went to Japan

たばこを吸いません tabako wo suimasen = I don’t smoke cigarettes

本を読んでいます hon wo yondeimasu = I’m reading a book

In the absence of another verb, a sentence using simple formal speech will end with “desu” or its past form “deshita”.

ケーキはおいしいです (present tense i-adjective) keeki ha oishii desu = Cake is delicious

猫が好きです (present tense na-adjective) neko ga suki desu = I like cats

昨日はあつかったです (past tense i-adjective) kinou ha atsukatta desu = It was hot yesterday

いい休みでした (past tense noun) ii yasumi deshita = It was a good vacation

Honorifics with simple formal speech

Honorifics are words attached to the end of names to show respect or imply a certain relationship. You can read more about them in the article “A Beginner-Friendly Japanese Phrasebook”.

With simple formal speech, the honorific you will use is “ (name)-san ”. To be more formal, use it together with someone’s last name.

For example, if someone’s last name is “Yamada”, you’d say “Yamada-san”. You can also use it with someone’s first name, but that would imply a closer or more friendly relationship.

Fun fact: Japanese people will often refer to a foreigner by their first name + san. This may be in order to encourage a more friendly relationship, or may be a way to meet foreigners on their terms. For many foreigners (including Americans) it may feel strange to only be referred to by their last name, and Japanese people recognize that. It may also sometimes be the case that they’re not sure which is someone’s first or last name!

Casual speech is called “tameguchi” (the origin of “tame” is unclear, but “guchi” refers to your mouth). It includes slang and other casual expressions that you may not learn in a textbook, but is still commonly used in the real world.

If you know about the dictionary form or other short-forms for verbs (such as V-ru, V-ta, V-nai, and V-teiru), these are the forms you’ll use for casual speech. For example:

りんごを食べる ringo wo taberu = I eat apples / I will eat an apple

日本に行った nihon ni itta = I went to Japan

たばこを吸わない tabako wo suwanai = I don’t smoke cigarettes

本を読んでいる hon wo yondeiru = I’m reading a book

In the absence of another verb, the ending of a sentence will depend on the last word of the phrase. If the last word is an i-adjective, either past or present, nothing is added. The sentence ends on the i-adjective:

ケーキはおいしい (present tense i-adjective) keeki ha oishii = Cake is delicious

昨日はあつかった (past tense i-adjective) kinou ha atsukatta = It was hot yesterday

When the last word is a na-adjective or a noun, add “da” for present tense or “datta” for past tense:

猫が好き (だ) (present tense na-adjective) neko ga suki (da) = I like cats

いい休みだった (past tense noun) ii yasumi datta = It was a good vacation

Although present tense sentences that end in na-adjectives or nouns should end with “da” by proper rules, you may often hear people drop the “da”.

Honorifics with casual speech

You can also use either someone’s first or last name with casual speech, although using their first name would demonstrate a more casual/friendly relationship. With casual speech there is more variation in the honorifics commonly used:

(name)-kun : Usually used to refer to a male friend, especially if they’re the same age or younger. More common with children and teenagers.

(name)-chan : Usually used to refer to a female friend, especially if they’re the same age or younger. More common with children and teenagers. This is the most “cutesy” sounding of the common honorifics.

No honorific : Dropping an honorific entirely implies a rather close relationship.This is the most common choice for adult friendships, since “kun” and “chan” can come off as childish.

Honorific and humble speech

Honorific speech is “sonkeigo” (literally “respect language”) and humble speech is “kensongo” (literally “humble language”). As previously alluded to, honorific and humble speech are used for very formal situations. They’re typically used in workplace settings, such as for interviews and talking with your customers or boss.

If you’re only planning to travel in Japan or make Japanese friends, it’s unlikely you’d ever need to use honorific or humble speech yourself. However, it is still useful to learn for the purpose of listening; after all, as a tourist you would typically be a “customer”. And if you’re planning to work or go to higher education in Japan, depending on your boss or teacher you may be expected to use them.

What sticks out about these modes is the unique verbs. Many of the most common verbs have an honorific or humble speech equivalent that is completely different than the V-masu or V-ru forms. The charts in the following sections should help you get started on learning them.

For less common verbs there are special grammar constructions, but those follow relatively set rules.

For jobs that often employ young people and immigrants, such as restaurants and convenience stores, employers sometimes put a list of standard formal phrases behind the counter for workers to reference. This is because they understand that honorific and humble speech are a common point of struggle for these groups.

Honorific verbs

Remember that these verbs are used when referring to someone else :

Here are some real life examples:

いらっしゃいませ! irasshaimase! = Welcome! (said when you enter a store or restaurant; more literally “come in!”)

ご注文は何になさいますか? go-chuumon ha nani ni nasaimasu ka? = What would you like to order? (more literally “what will you do for your order?”)

ご覧ください go-ran kudasai = Please take a look (around)

Humble Verbs

Remember that these are used when referring to oneself :

Here are some more real life examples:

電車がまいります densha ga mairimasu = The train is coming

いただきます! itadakimasu! = Let’s eat! (said before you eat; more literally “I humbly receive this meal”)

リディアと申します Ridia to moushimasu = My name is Lydia (more literally “I am called Lydia”; never use honorifics with your own name!)

Honorifics with humble speech

When speaking to customers or special guests, the honorific you will use is “ (name)-sama ”. Since this mode is used to show utmost respect, you will use it together with someone’s last name (or full name). Customers are also commonly referred to as “o-kyaku-sama” (kyaku = customer).

For people in special positions such as teachers and bosses, you will refer to them by their title. You can either just call a teacher “sensei” or “(name)-sensei”. A department head will be called “buchou” or “(name)-buchou”, and a company president will be called “shachou” or “(name)-shachou”.

Formal prefixes

The two formal prefixes are “o” and “go”. Their purpose is simply to make a word more formal.

Some nouns often take a formal prefix, such as “o-namae” (name), “o-hashi” (chopsticks), and “go-chuumon” (food order). “O” is the more common prefix with nouns. There is not a set rule for which nouns accept a formal prefix, however, so if you’re unsure it’s safer to not include it. For the sake of consistency they are more important to try to include when speaking formally, but can be used when speaking at any level of formality.

Formal prefixes are also part of some special grammar constructions for honorific speech. One construction is “(formal prefix) + (verb stem) + ください”. Which formal prefix you use depends on the following word. Although there are exceptions, the general rule is that verbs made by combining two kanji will take “go”, and the others will take “o”. For example:

お使いください o-tsukai kudasai = Please use it

ご注意ください go-chuui kudasai = Please be careful

Real-world application

It bears repeating that, since Japanese is not your native language, you wouldn’t be expected to speak it perfectly. This includes correctly and consistently using the “modes”. Nevertheless, it’s definitely beneficial to be exposed to the different modes of Japanese to increase your understanding and flexibility with the language. In a classroom you typically focus on simple formal Japanese, but if you go to Japan or watch Japanese media you’ll frequently hear casual, honorific, and humble speech.

If you’d like to make Japanese friends, I would highly recommend practicing casual speech. Unfortunately that may be difficult in a formal school environment since that’s not the correct “mode” for that setting. However, with a one-on-one tutor you can customize your learning to suit your specific goals. Look on Wyzant to find a tutor who will be a good match for you!

Lydia Thron is a private tutor with teaching experience in Japan and China. She’s been interested in Japan since childhood, and fulfilled her dream by living in Tokyo for four years. While there, she achieved N2 Japanese language proficiency. Request Tutoring from Lydia.

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Japanese Formality: Your Guide to Using Formal and Informal Japanese

Japan is famous for its formality and politeness, and Japanese people have earned a reputation for having excellent manners .

So how is a newcomer to the language supposed to navigate Japanese formality?

Fortunately, if you’re not Japanese, you’re not expected to know every little detail of how formal Japanese works.

However, knowing the basics of Japanese politeness will earn you points with your Japanese friends and colleagues.

With a little digging and a lot of hard work, you’ll be able to master Japanese formality in no time!

Formal Japanese

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Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Formal Japanese can be divided up into three major categories: 丁寧語 (ていねいご, polite language), 尊敬語 (そんけいご, honorific language) and 謙譲語 (けんじょうご, humble language).

Depending on the situation and the statuses of those involved, the type of formal Japanese you use will be different:

For everyday interactions with strangers, standard 丁寧語, teinuigo will do just fine.
When speaking to a boss or a teacher, 尊敬語, sonkeigo is used to exalt them and their actions.
And if you’re talking about yourself, 謙譲語, keigo will knock you down a few pegs, making you sound modest.

Like it or not, formal Japanese is important to understanding Japanese. It’s used to show respect to someone of a different social rank. Using formal and polite speech when speaking to someone older or socially superior to yourself, such as teachers, bosses, elders and upperclassmen, is considered good manners in Japan. Even if you don’t have to use them personally, these expressions are common in everyday Japan , and without a basic grasp of them, some confusion is going to take place.

Learning formal Japanese will help you:

Navigate Japan more easily: These expressions are heard everywhere. If you’re only used to the common verb and suddenly encounter that verb’s formal form, suddenly you’re left lost as to what exactly is going on! With a basic understanding of formal Japanese under your belt, you’ll be able to order from a coffee shop or understand announcements more easily.

When determining which level of formality to use, social hierarchy, or social rank, needs to be kept in mind at all times. Where you stand in your relationship with someone else determines how you speak to them.

The basic pecking order puts parents above children, teachers above students, bosses above employees and elders above younger people. When Japanese people speak to each other, they consider the rank of the other person and adjust their language accordingly. For instance, you wouldn’t talk to your teacher in the same way you’d talk to your little sister.

How well you know the other person also plays a part in politeness. Families tend to speak more casually with one another, while strangers will use more formal terms. Good friends will drop the formalities entirely and throw all kinds of slang around.

Behavior and mannerisms are important in showing politeness, too. However, what two people think of as polite may be very different!

If you grew up like me, you were told not to slurp your soup or noodles, since making noise while eating is rude. On the other hand, slurping is considered normal in Japan! Japanese people will slurp bowls of miso soup as well as noodles, which can be a bit surprising if you’re not used to it. But don’t take this as a sign that you should eat noisily—loud chewing is just as impolite in Japan as it is in the West.

Bowing is perhaps the most famous polite gesture done in Japan. But did you know that the type of bow used actually affects how polite it is? A short bow at about 15° is appropriate for a casual greeting. A 30° bow is used for greeting strangers and bosses, and a 45° angle conveys deep respect or an apology.

These physical elements are as much a part of polite speech as the actual words, so it’s important to learn them!

After you’ve introduced yourself, it’s time to make a good impression by speaking politely. The standard desu / masu form is appropriate regardless of the status of the person you’re speaking to. If you’re asking directions from a stranger on the street, this form is your safest bet.

When your Japanese friend introduces you to their friends, it’s also appropriate to use polite forms. You don’t know these people, after all! However, they may switch to casual form after a bit, in which case you might want to change gears as well.

In the office, usage of polite forms is standard. No matter how well you may get along with Mr. Tanaka from accounting, so long as you’re at work, you two will be using polite forms with each other. Save the informalities for the nomikai after work !

You can’t talk about Japanese without coming across honorifics. From the standard さん, (san, Mr./Ms.) and 先生 (sensei, せんせい, teacher) to the more unfamiliar 部長 (buchyou, ぶちょう, department manager) and 閣下 (kakka, かっか, your excellency), there’s an honorific for every position in Japanese society. When speaking about someone, knowing what honorific to use is a must.

So how do you figure it out? You’ll need to cover all the standard Japanese honorifics !

However, if you’re in a casual situation with a friend, or if someone wants to get closer to you, they may bring up 呼び捨て (yobisute, よびすて, dropping the suffix). This means that the person you’re hanging out with really likes you and wants to do away with the formalities of honorifics.

If you’re in a business situation, the rules will be a little different. The Japanese business world is extremely strict and has rules for every single social interaction, from bosses to upper management to speaking to representatives of other companies. So you’ll need to brush up on specific business Japanese vocabulary .

Regardless of the level of formality, an easily overlooked yet crucial part of Japanese conversation is あいづち ( aizuchi, conversational noises). Employing aizuchi lets the other person know you’re listening, and they’re much more frequent than the similar “uh-huh, yeah” in English.

In fact, its lack of usage among Japanese learners (especially English speakers) is more frustrating to Japanese people than any slip in formality! So do your future Japanese conversation partner a favor and get familiar with aizuchi .

By mastering Japanese keigo , you’ll not only have greater success navigating the office, but perhaps you’ll have a bit of a one-up on your Japanese colleagues!

Keigo is used in a variety of settings, but most commonly you’ll hear it in:

Train stations
Department stores
Restaurants
Convenience stores

In these situations, it’s the customer or the viewer that’s being spoken to. Flyers, clerks and broadcasters are are all addressing the person who will be receiving their service, and in Japan, the customer is king. That’s why, when you hear a clerk using one of these expressions on you, you don’t need to reply in kind. In fact, you shouldn’t! If you want to be polite, all you need to do is thank them or give a little nod of the head.

The best way to practice your formal Japanese is to listen to it. Even if you don’t live in Japan, thanks to the internet, there are all sorts of resources right at your fingertips to get on track to grasping the sounds of Japanese!

TV: Television is a great way to learn Japanese while entertaining yourself. While it can be difficult to access these networks outside of Japan, NHK World and News24 can be accessed in the US.
YouTube: YouTube is a wonderful tool for learning, and there are a wide variety of Japanese YouTube channels available to watch!
FluentU: You can find authentic media clips on FluentU . Since these are presented with dual-language subtitles (as well as optional furigana), you’ll be able to keep up with the videos easily, and pick up on the kind of language being used.

1. いらっしゃいます (irasshaimasu)/ 参ります (mairimasu, まいります)

Meaning: To go/come; to be

Irasshaimasu is respectful songeigo, while mairimasu is humble kenjuougo. Every store you enter will greet customers, either personally or over an intercom, with いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimaise), which literally means “someone honorable is here.” It’s important to note that it’s not necessary to reply, and you definitely shouldn’t repeat it back to the clerk!

Mairimasu is often heard in train stations when the train is arriving, you will encounter まもなく電車が参ります (mamonaku denshya ga mairimasu, まもなくでんしゃがまいります) over the intercom or on a signboard, and translates to “the train is now humbly arriving.” This just means that your train is pulling in now, so it’s time to hop on board.

2. 召し上がります (meshi agarimasu, めしあがります)/ いただきます ( itadakimasu)

Meaning: To eat/drink, to receive

Meshi agarimasu is the respectful form, and itadakimasu is humble. When you’re at a cafe or a fast food restaurant, the cashier may ask こちらでお召し上がりですか？ (kochira de omeshi agarimasu ka?) meaning, “Will you be eating here?” You’ll also encounter the phrase on food packaging, as well as if someone gifts you food.

You may have heard that Japanese people always say itadakimasu before eating . It’s a simple, polite expression to show your gratitude for the food. But did you know it can also be used in other situations? When receiving an object, people will say itadakimasu as well, to show gratitude to the giver for receiving food, a gift or even their time.

3. ご存知ですか（ gozonji desu ka, ごぞんじですか）

Meaning: Did you know~?

This is used to ask questions to someone in a polite way. When watching TV interviews, you’ll hear this word a lot when the anchor is asking the audience a question, or during commercials. You can also use this phrase with superiors or strangers, which is sure to earn you some bonus points for being so well-mannered.

4. ご覧ください（goran kudasai, ごらんください）

Meaning: Please take a look.

Shopkeepers will use this phrase frequently, saying どうぞご覧ください！ (douzo goran kudasai) or “Have a look around!” when you enter the store. Signs will also use this to try and get your attention. And if you’re on a guided tour, your guide may use this phrase to point out something that’s worth seeing, so keep your ears perked if you don’t want to miss the best part of the tour!

5. なさいます (nasaimasu) / いたします (itashimasu)

Meaning: to do

Cashiers and hotel concierge will use this form when speaking of services they’ll be doing for you. If you made a reservation at a hotel, the concierge may ask ご予約はいつなさいましたか (goyoyaku ha itsuna saiimashita ka, ごよやくはいつなさいましたか, When did you make your reservation?), using the polite form to ask when you, the guest, made this reservation.

When your turn comes up after you’ve been waiting in line, the clerk or attendant will say お待たせいたしました (omatase itashimashita, おまたせいたしました, I’m sorry to keep you waiting). Train stations will also use まもなく到着いたします (mamonaku tou chyaku itashimasu. まもなくとうちゃくいたします).

6. いかがですか (ikaga desu ka)

Meaning: “How about~?”/ “How is~?”/ “How do you like it?”

This phrase is useful in a variety of shopping situations. When you’re trying on clothes or testing products, a clerk may ask this in order to check in on you. For instance, if you tell the clerk you’re looking for some sneakers, they may offer a pair and ask これはいかがですか？ (kore wa ikaga desu ka?), which means “How do you like these?” If you like them, you can say それにします (sore ni shimasu), “I’ll take it,” but if not, you can ask for another option by using すみませんが、他のがありますか (sumimasen, hona no ga arimasu ka, すみません、ほかのがありますか), “I’m sorry, but do you have something else?”

Now that the formalities are out of the way, it’s time to relax! When you’re with friends or out bar hopping with coworkers, it’s time to drop the polite talk and speak casually.

Japanese casual forms are not often taught until later on in classroom lessons, but you’ll see them just as often as formal forms. Comics, social media and even some ads use casual forms—not to mention people hanging out in downtown Tokyo—so they’re a must-learn! Getting familiar with informal Japanese is crucial to obtaining fluency, as well as being able to interact with people on a more personal level.

Every language has its own slang, and Japanese is no different. If you’re hanging out with friends, you’ll hear countless exclamations like やべー (yabee) , and you’ll need to know what they mean! Like English, wide varieties of slang words are used to describe things in everyday life, and some of the unique Japanese slang phrases will give you an insight into casual social interactions.

The Japanese language has a huge presence online, with an internet-exclusive speech style exclusive to boot. From Japanese emails to Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and beyond, you’ll encounter dozens of unique phrases. Make sure you brush up on your Japanese internet slang before navigating the online world.

Onomatopoeia comes up all the time in casual speech. There are countless types to describe all kinds of sounds, feelings, and situations. Many of them don’t translate well into English —they’d need a whole sentence to describe their meaning!

But don’t panic. Learning Japanese onomatopoeia is a whole new adventure, and a great way to find descriptions for feelings or sensations you never could put a word to. You may even find the perfect word to express the feeling of blood draining from your face when confronted with all those kanji.

All across Japan, you’ll find different dialects of Japanese. Some of the vocabulary and grammar used within them differ from standard Japanese, and this includes formal forms. Though most formal ways of speaking are similar to standard Japanese, simply combining the local dialect with desu/masu, some special formal forms do exist.

This friendly, lighthearted dialect is often associated with comedians. Compared to standard Japanese, the Osaka Dialect contains more ん (n) and え (e) sounds, with softer consonants and clearly pronounced vowels.

It also has some unique forms of formal Japanese. For instance:

For example: 飲みはる (nomiharu, のみはる)
~ないでください (~naide kusdasai) → ~んといてください (~ntoite kudasai)

Given Kyoto’s association with traditional Japan, people who speak the Kyoto Dialect are seen as refined and lovely. You’ll hear more う (u), お (o), しゃ (shya), は (ha) sounds compared to standard Japanese.

Kyoto Dialict is similar to Osaka Dialect in formal language, but some uses are slightly different:

Example: 書かはる (kakaharu, かかはる)
くださいませ (kudasaimase) → おくれやす (okureyasu) / おくりゃす (okuriyasu)
Ｖでしょうか (V-de shyou ka) → Ｖっしゃろか (V-sshyaroka)

Other dialects have different sounds as well. For the Hakata dialect, listen for あ (a), か (ka), と (to), よ (yo), and ば (ba) sounds. In Hiroshima, あ (a), お (o), and え (e) will greet your ears.

As you can see, there are many layers to Japanese formality. How you speak depends on the situation, the status of the people talking to you, how close you are with your conversation partners and even what region of Japan you’re in.

While it’s easy to be intimidated, once you break down the different aspects of formality, it becomes much easier to study. And as a foreigner, you’ll be given a break on the minute details. Japanese people won’t expect you to master the precise angle of bow to give to the manager of one of your company’s branch stores. However, any sincere attempt to be polite is extremely welcome!

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and explore all that Japanese formality has to offer!

If you love learning Japanese with authentic materials, then I should also tell you more about FluentU .

FluentU naturally and gradually eases you into learning Japanese language and culture. You'll learn real Japanese as it's spoken in real life.

FluentU has a broad range of contemporary videos as you'll see below:

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Yo, what up with the slang?

Casual patterns and slang.

While comprehensively covering slang and relevant vocabulary would require a book in and of itself (a book that would soon become out of date), I'll instead cover some broad patterns and common phenomenon which will at least help you get started in understanding the most common aspects of Japanese slang. There is no particular order in the material presented here and I expect this page to grow continuously as I find different things to cover.

Please note that slang is also heavily influenced by local dialects. Although all the material presented here is valid for the greater Tokyo area, your mileage may vary depending on where you are located.

Basic Principles of Slang

In the world of slang, anything goes and rules that apply to written Japanese are often broken. The most difficult part is that, of course, you can't just say whatever you want. When you break the rules, you have to break it the correct way. Taking what you learned from textbooks or Japanese classes and applying it to the real world is not so easy because it is impossible to teach all the possible ways things can get jumbled up in the spoken language. Learning how to speak naturally with all the correct idiosyncrasies and inconsistencies in a language is something that requires practice with real people in real-world situations. In this section, we'll look at some common patterns and themes that will at least help you get an idea of where the majority of slang originates from.

One thing you'll soon realize when you first start talking to Japanese people in real life is that many sounds are slurred together. This is especially true for males. The fact is voices in instructional material such as language tapes often exaggerate the pronunciation of each letter in order to make aural comprehension easier. In reality, not all the sounds are pronounced as clearly as it should be and things end up sounding different from how it's written on paper.

There is one major driving factor behind the majority of slang in Japanese. The primary goal of most slang is to make things easier to say. In other words, the goal is to reduce or simplify the movement of your mouth. There are two primary ways in which this is accomplished, 1) By making things shorter or, 2) By slurring the sounds together. We have already seen many examples of the first method such as shortening 「かもしれない」 to 「かも」 or preferring 「と」 to the longer conditional forms. The second method makes things easier to say usually by substituting parts of words with sounds that fit better with the sounds surrounding it or by merging two or more sounds together. For example, the same 「かもしれない」 might be pronounced 「かもしんない」 since 「しん」 requires less movement than 「しれ」.

Let's see some more examples of words that get shortened or slurred. Try saying both versions to get a feel for how the slang saves space and some calories for your mouth.

（A）　ここはつまらないから私の家に行こう。（B）　ここつまんないから、私んち行こう。

（A）　まったく、いつまでこんなところで、ぐずぐずするんだよ。（B）　ったく、いつまでこんなとこで、ぐずぐずすんだよ。

You'll see that a great deal of slang in Japanese stems from this single principle of making things easier to say. It's very natural because it's guided by how your mouth moves. With a fair amount of practice, you should be able to naturally pick up shorter, alternative pronunciations and incorporate them into your own speech.

Sentence ordering and particles (or the lack thereof)

Conversations are sporadic and chaotic in any language and it's common for people to say the first thing that pops into their head without thinking out the whole proper sentence.

（A）それは何？ - What is that?

（B）何それ？ - What? That. (Two sentences lumped into one)

Sometimes, the first thing that pops into your head might be main verb. But if the main verb has already slipped out of your mouth, you're now left with the rest of the sentence without a verb to complete the thought. In conversational Japanese, it's perfectly acceptable to have the verb come first using the same technique we just saw by breaking them into two sentences. The second sentence is incomplete of course, but that kind of thing is common in the speech of any language.

（１）見た？あの人？ - Did you see? That guy?

（２）もう食べた？昨日買ったアイス。 - You ate it already? The ice cream I bought yesterday.

Using 「じゃん」 instead of 「じゃない」 to confirm

「じゃん」 is an abbreviation of 「じゃない」, the negative conjugation for nouns and na-adjectives. However, this only applies to 「じゃない」 used in the following fashion.

（１）サラリーマンだから、残業はたくさんするんじゃない？ -Because he’s a salaryman, doesn’t he do a lot of overtime?

The important thing to note about the example above is that 「じゃない」 here is actually confirming the positive. In fact, a closer translation is, “Because he’s a salaryman, he probably does a lot of overtime.” But it’s still a question so there’s a slight nuance that you are seeking confirmation even though you are relatively sure.

「じゃん」 is a shorter slang for expressing the same type of thing except it doesn’t even bother to ask a question to confirm. It’s completely affirmative in tone.

In fact, the closest equivalent to 「じゃん」 is 「じゃない」 used in the following fashion.

（２）まあ、いいじゃない。 - Well, it’s probably fine (don’t you think?).

This type of expression is the only case where you can attach 「じゃない」 directly to i-adjectives and verbs. Once you actually hear this expression in real life, you’ll see that it has a distinct pronunciation that is different from simply using the negative. Plus, you have to realize that this type of 「じゃない」 sounds rather mature and feminine, unlike 「じゃん」, which is gender-neutral.

Like the above, specialized use of 「じゃない」, you can also attach 「じゃん」 directly to verbs and i-adjectives as well as the usual nouns and na-adjectives. Because slang is usually created to make things easier, it’s not surprising that the rules for using 「じゃん」 are so lax and easy.

Though derived from 「じゃない」, 「じゃん」 is always used to confirm the positive.
It can be attached to the end of any sentence regardless of whether it ends in a noun, adjective, verb, or adverb.

Finally, let’s get to the examples. Hopefully, you can see that 「じゃん」 is basically saying something along the lines of, “See, I’m right, aren’t I?”

（１）ほら、やっぱりレポートを書かないとだめじゃん。 -See, as I thought, you have to write the report.

（２）誰もいないからここで着替えてもいいじゃん。 -Since there’s nobody, it’s probably fine to change here.

（A）たかし君は、ここにいる？ - Is Takashi here? （B）知らない。- Dunno. （A) あっ！やっぱ、いるじゃん！- Ah! See, he is here!

There’s also another variation, which attaches the question marker as well. The meaning is mostly the same but it adds more to the questioning, confirming tone.

（A) 駅の近くにカラオケがあるじゃんか。- There’s a karaoke place near the station, right? （B) うん。- Yeah. （A) あそこのすぐ隣だ。- It’s right next to there.

Using 「つ」 for 「という」

This may sound hard to believe but if you really slur 「という」 together, it becomes something resembling 「つ」. Or least, that's what somebody thought when he or she began replacing 「という」 with 「つ」 or in some case 「つう」.

Now, in my opinion, 「つ」 is a lot harder to say than 「という」 so using it like a native might take a bit of practice. Rather than making things easier to say, as is usually the case, the real purpose of this substitution is to sound rougher because 「つ」 has a harder, hissing sound. This is ideal for when you're pissed or for that young and rough image you've always wanted. As you might expect, this type of speech is usually used by males or very tough females.

（１）つうか、なんでお前がここにいんのよ！ -Or rather, why are you here?!

（２）宿題で時間がないつってんのに、みきちゃんとデートしにいったらしい。 -Although he's saying he doesn't have time due to homework, I hear he went on a date with Miki-chan.

（３）明日は試験だぞ。つっても、勉強はしてないだろうな。 -Yo, tomorrow's the test. Even if I say that, you probably didn't study anyway, huh?

（４）だから、違うんだつうの！ -Like I said, you're wrong!

If you want even more emphasis, you can even add a small 「つ」. This usually means you are really at the brink of your patience.

（４）だから、違うんだっつうの！ -Like I said, you're wrong!

Using 「ってば」 and 「ったら」to show exasperation

１）もう行くってば！ -I told you I'm going already!

２）あなたったら、いつも忘れるんだから。 -You're always forgetting.

Using 「なんか」 just about everywhere

（A）なにか食べる？ -Eat something?

（B）なんか食べる？ -Eat something?

１）今日は、なんか忙しいみたいよ。 -I guess he's like busy today.

While 「なんか」 is a shorter version of 「なにか」, only 「なんか」 can be used in this way as a filler.

誤）今日は、なにか忙しいみたいよ。 -（「なにか」 cannot be used as a filler word.）

Let's take a look at a few more examples.

１）なんかね。お風呂って超気持ちいいよね！ -Like, baths feel really good, huh?

２）お母さんが、なんか明日まで戻らないんだってよ。 -Mom said she's not coming back until like tomorrow.

３）なんかさ。ボブは、私のことなんか本当に好きかな？ -Hey like, do you really think that Bob likes somebody like me?

Showing contempt for an action with 「～やがる」

In order to use 「やがる」, you simply attach it to the stem of the verb. After that, 「やがる」 conjugated just like a regular u-verb.

１）あんなやつに負けやがって。じゃ、どうすんだよ？ -Losing to a guy like that. Well, what are you going to do?

２）やる気か？だったらさっさと来やがれ！ -You want to fight? If so, then hurry up and come on!

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Multilingual Pages

Informal and casual Japanese language

by Jake Hallows

If you’ve started learning Japanese, one thing you might have noticed is that the phrases you’re learning are pretty formal. Of course, a lot of language learning journeys start like that. You learn the polite, basic terms before you start moving on to the more relaxed language that you can use with friends and family. However, Japanese is a little different. Formality is a key pillar of Japanese society.

So, what about くだけた (Kudaketa – Casual) language? Surely you get to use it once in a while, right? Well rest assured; くだけた language absolutely has its place in Japan. Whether it’s talking with friends or family, even close colleagues, the more casual side of the Japanese language gets its time in the sun too. Today, I’ll be taking you through some of the more common ways to make your speech sound friendly and casual.

What exactly isくだけた Japanese?

To put it in simple terms, くだけた Japanese is the Japanese you use in informal situations, such as with friends, family or those younger than you. Generally, くだけた Japanese phrases are shorter and easier to say than their formal equivalents. Unlike 敬語 (Keigo – Formal language) and 丁寧語 (Teineigo – Polite language), くだけた Japanese uses the base form of verbs in their shorter conjugation forms. Confused? Let’s walk through some of the more common forms of verbs that come up in くだけた Japanese.

For this section, we’ll use the verb 行く (Iku – To go) as our example.

行く (I go)

This is the dictionary form of 行く, which also happens to be the form that verbs take in present tense くだけた Japanese. This one’s easy enough, right? You can use the base form of any verb and it will be くだけた language.

行った (Itta - I went)

This time we have the くだけた past tense form. Compared to the 丁寧語 version of the verb 行きました (Ikimashita), 行った is considerably shorter. This highlights one of the reasons people use くだけた Japanese; It’s easier to say!

行かない (Ikanai – I don’t go)

Here is the くだけた negative present tense form. In 丁寧語, this would be 行きません (Ikimasen). Once again, this shows how much time you can save using the more casual conjugations of verbs.

行かなかった (Ikanakatta – I didn’t go)

This is the くだけた negative past tense. The 丁寧語 for this would be 行きませんでした (Ikimasen deshita). As you can see, the くだけた version is definitely less of a mouthful.

You might be wondering why we haven’t covered the future tense. Well that’s because it doesn’t exist in the Japanese language! Of course, there are ways to discuss the future in the language, but generally the present tense can be used for the future tense as well (in the right context).

So, you just need to use shorter verbs for perfect くだけた Japanese?

If that’s what you’re thinking, then I’m sorry but I’ve got to inform you that that isn’t the case. Not only do the verbs get shorter, but other parts of the sentence can be removed altogether! What I’m talking about are ‘Particles’.

“What are particles?” I hear you ask. Well, particles in Japanese are characters that mark certain parts of the sentence to give you information about it. It’s easier to explain with an example, so here’s the vocab we’ll be using.

· あなた (Anata – You)
· 店 (Mise – Shop)

あなたは店に行きますか (Are you going to the shop?)

Here’s our example sentence. There are three particles being used here. The first is は (wa). This is used to mark the subject of a sentence. It’s very commonly used.

The second is に (Ni). This particle has many uses, and is often used to show the location of an action. In this context, it follows a location.

And the last is か (Ka). か is used to mark a question, or to show a lack of information. This normally comes at the end of the sentence, just like a question mark.

As I mentioned earlier, in くだけた Japanese we can get rid of most particles. So, what does our example sentence look like now?

あなた店いく？

That got a lot shorter, didn’t it? Not only is it quicker and easier to say, it’s also considerably easier to type or text this way. The benefits of using this kind of language are clear to see.

I’ve mastered it all now, right?

Again, I’m afraid to inform you that there’s still more to learn. Not only do you take words away in くだけた Japanese, but you can add words too! These phrases are used to emphasize your feelings about a certain topic.

なんて (Nante) is a term often used to express one’s surprise or emotion at something unexpected or that you just learnt about. Let’s look at an example.

試合に行くなんて嬉しい (Shiai ni iku nante ureshii - I’m so happy I get to go to the game!)

Here, なんて is used to emphasize just how happy the speaker is to be able to go to the game. Just adding this single word can make a big difference to what your Japanese sounds like!

The second is もんか (Monka – I won’t). It can be used in a few ways, but we’re going to look at how it’s used to show a strong determination. It’s normally used at the end of a sentence, following a verb in its plain form. Here’s an example:

負けるもんか (I won’t give in!)

Sounds pretty cool right? It’s a term that’s used a lot in ドラマ (Dorama – TV dramas) and アニメ (Anime).

Is there more…?

No need to worry, today’s lesson is over. Whilst there’s a lot to learn about くだけた Japanese, we covered a lot of the fundamentals today which will help you out a lot in the future, so make sure you don’t forget them! If you’re looking for opportunities to see some くだけた Japanese in action, my recommendation is to try read some 漫画 (Manga – Japanese comics) or watch a ドラマ. Best of luck!

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Japanese has too many rules to define formal and casual modes of speech. Those rules usually make Japanese learners confused. So, today TODAI Japanese will give you some common words, and sentences in formal and informal speech in Japanese!

Let’s go!

1. An overview of Japanese modes of speech

In the Japanese language, there are four main modes of speech:

Simple formal speech: is mainly used when speaking to people you don’t know well. It’s also an appropriate level when speaking to most teachers or coworkers. If you’re unsure which level of formality to use, simple formal speech is a respectful and “safe” choice.

Casual speech: is used when speaking to good friends. In fact, you may be able to tell when you’ve officially become friends by whether someone has switched to using casual speech and/or casual honorifics with you.

Honorific speech: is used to show utmost respect to someone. It is most often used when talking with customers and work superiors, but you may also be expected to use it with some teachers or people older than you (depending on the person). It has its own unique vocabulary and grammar forms. You would also be expected to consistently apply honorific prefixes.

Humble speech : is used to communicate that your position is lower than someone else. Being humble is an important virtue in Japanese culture. Humble speech and honorific speech work together, and you may hear someone use both within the same conversation. The difference is that honorific speech is used to describe someone else and humble speech is used to describe oneself.

2. Some examples in real life

2.1. Simple formal speech

りんごを食べます。(Ringo wo tabemasu) = I eat apples / I will eat an apple

公園に行きます。(Kouen ni ikimasu) = I go to the park / I will go to the park

The past tense conjugation “V-mashita”, the negative form “V-masen”, and the continuous form “V-teimasu” are also used in simple formal speech:

日本に行きました。(Nihon ni ikimashita) = I went to Japan

たばこを吸いません。(Tabako wo suimasen) = I don’t smoke cigarettes

本を読んでいます。(Hon wo yondeimasu) = I’m reading a book

In the absence of another verb, a sentence using simple formal speech will end with “desu” or its past form “deshita”.

ケーキはおいしいです。(Present tense i-adjective) (Keeki ha oishii desu) = Cake is delicious

猫が好きです。(Present tense na-adjective) (Neko ga suki desu) = I like cats

昨日はあつかったです。(Past tense i-adjective) (Kinou ha atsukatta desu) = It was hot yesterday

いい休みでした。(past tense noun) (Ii yasumi deshita) = It was a good vacation.

2.2. Casual speech

If you know about the dictionary form or other short-forms for verbs (such as V-ru, V-ta, V-nai, and V-teiru), these are the forms you’ll use for casual speech. For example:

りんごを食べる(Ringo wo taberu) = I eat apples/I will eat an apple

日本に行った。(Nihon ni itta) = I went to Japan

たばこを吸わない。(Tabako wo suwanai) = I don’t smoke cigarettes

本を読んでいる。(Hon wo yondeiru) = I’m reading a book

ケーキはおいしい。(present tense i-adjective) (keeki ha oishii) = Cake is delicious

昨日はあつかった。(past tense i-adjective) (Kinou ha atsukatta) = It was hot yesterday

When the last word is a na-adjective or a noun, add “da” for present tense or “datta” for past tense:

猫が好き (だ)。(present tense na-adjective) (Neko ga suki (da)) = I like cats

いい休みだった。(past tense noun) (Ii yasumi datta) = It was a good vacation

Although present tense sentences that end in na-adjectives or nouns should end with “da” by proper rules, you may often hear people drop the “da”.

2.3. Honorific and humble speech

いらっしゃいませ! (Irasshaimase!) = Welcome! (said when you enter a store or restaurant; more literally “come in!”)

ご注文は何になさいますか? (Go-chuumon ha nani ni nasaimasu ka?) = What would you like to order? (more literally “what will you do for your order?”)

ご覧ください。(Go-ran kudasai) = Please take a look (around)

電車がまいります。(Densha ga mairimasu) = The train is coming

いただきます! (Itadakimasu!) = Let’s eat! (said before you eat; more literally “I humbly receive this meal”)

リディアと申します。(Ridia to moushimasu) = My name is Lydia (more literally “I am called Lydia”; never use honorifics with your own name!)

Hope that help! If you want to know more about some common Japanese words, click here !

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How to have an informal conversation in Japanese: Phrases to use

Test Your Ability! Japanese Informal Phrases

1. What does “おはよう” (Ohayou) mean in English?

B. Good morning
C. Thank you

2. How would you say “How are you?” in Japanese?

A. こんにちは (Konnichiwa)
B. ごめんね (Gomen ne)
C. 元気？ (Genki?)

3. What’s the English translation of “ウケル～” (Ukeru~)?

A. Seriously?
B. LOL / That’s hilarious!

4. When might you use the expression “いいよ！” (Ii yo!)?

A. To apologize
B. To express agreement or enthusiasm
C. To say goodbye

5. Which phrase can be used to express disbelief or excitement?

A. すごい (Sugoi)
B. ありがとう (Arigatou)
C. なんで (Nande)

6. What does “やば(い)” (Yabai) mean?

B. Risky / Dangerous / Awesome / Woah

7. How would you apologize for something in Japanese?

A. ありがとう (Arigatou)
C. なんでやねん (Nande yane)

8. What’s the romaji for “いや～” (Iya~)?

9. Translate “ほんと” (Honto) to English.

A. Seriously
B. Good job

10. Which phrase is used to acknowledge someone’s effort or work?

B. お疲れ (Otsukare)
C. すごい (Sugoi)

Answers For The Quiz

Remember that the appropriateness of slang and casual phrases depends on the context and your relationship with the person you’re talking to. It’s generally best to use these in informal settings and with friends. Additionally, the pronunciation and nuance of slang can vary by region, so some expressions might be more commonly used in certain areas of Japan.

Now armed with these phrases, go ahead and dive into the world of casual Japanese conversations! Whether you’re navigating karaoke mishaps or planning your next hangout, these expressions will add a touch of authenticity to your language exchange.

Now try out this conversation practice video:

@cotoacademy don’t go too cray cray at the karaokayy👌🔥🎤 #cotoacademy #japanese #learnjapanese #fyp #fypシ #survivaljapanese #practicejapaneseconversation #japaneseconversation #kanji #karaoke #karaokeinjapan #learningjapanese🇯🇵 #learningjapanese ♬ Fun and happy whistling and ukulele(930822) – yutaka.T

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The Ultimate Guide to Learning to Speak Formal and Informal Japanese for Beginners

Elaina Robbins

If you are learning to speak Japanese, get ready to start minding your manners! Much like Spanish and French, Japanese requires that you adjust your language based on whether you’re addressing peers, coworkers, strangers, etc. This is called register, and those who are learning to speak Japanese must recognize several registers ranging from formal (or polite) language to informal (or casual) language.

This article is an overview of formal and informal Japanese for students learning as beginners. It won’t teach you all the basics, but it’ll give you a birds-eye view of the subject that will lend some perspective as you are learning to speak Japanese. Whether you're learning in a classroom or using tools like Speechling.com , this perspective will help you as you continue studying. So let’s put on our proverbial business suits and get ready to blow ‘em away with our manners!

Formal Japanese

It’s logical that those learning to speak Japanese would learn the formal register first. If you aren’t sure of a person’s rank or how familiar is appropriate in a situation, err on the side of caution. It’s better to make a mistake by showing too much respect than not enough, especially in a first introduction. You can adjust your speech as you come to know the person better or as you gather more information about them.

As further proof of how important respect and rank are to the Japanese, there are multiple levels of formality in the Japanese language.

くだけた日本, or kudaketa nihongo: A more casual but still formal version with more colloquialisms and contractions. ていねいご, or teineigo: More polite and uses fewer contracted forms of words. けいご, or keigo: This is used when speaking to someone who holds a much higher rank or position of respect and sentences are much longer than in more direct speech.

Honorifics are extremely important in a business setting but aren’t taught in school or university. Instead, companies train their employees in how they are to speak to customers and superiors.

We’ll get into more specifics on how formal Japanese works in a moment. For now, just know that once a student of Japanese learns the basics of more formal Japanese, informal Japanese incorporates those concepts and then adjusts when speaking with those who are more familiar or equal in rank.

cheerful young girlfriends working on laptop

Informal Japanese

Japanese builds deference and respect into the language, as we saw with the formal register. Informal Japanese , on the other hand, is used with friends, family, and children, always keeping in mind that elders and those of higher rank are still shown more respect. If the choice is made to speak in an informal way, this is no more evident than in the choice of pronouns, much like with Spanish and French.

Use of Pronouns

In English, the same pronoun is used for everyone. “You” doesn’t change based on who we are speaking to in English. But if you’ve ever taken Spanish (as many in the US have), you may remember that “tú” is the familiar version of singular “you” and “usted” is the formal version.

Your conversation in Japanese with a cousin your own age uses the Japanese equivalent of “tú.” Japanese gets even more complicated, but you see the built-in aspect of respect and rank with this example of the informal “you” in Japanese:

(kimi): Used by men toward people of lower status. Typically not rude; not either formal or informal, but this makes the status hierarchy explicit and is better suited to formal situations. (omae): Used in very informal situations or toward people of lower status. This word feels very abrupt and can easily seem rude. (anta): A shortened version of the more polite anata, it is highly informal and generally considered rude or admonishing in nature.

Formal or informal Japanese might seem a complicated choice for the student of the language, but it gets easier once the basics of formal Japanese are mastered along with a few mental shifts about respect and rank. Let’s look at how all of this works in real situations and examples.

Basic Differences of Formal and Informal Japanese

Some languages differentiate between formal and informal pronouns and even between male and female subjects. Japanese does both at times, plus a strong dose of honorifics showing deference in more ways than one, with social rank and social relationship being two of the most important. Honorific speech also uses longer sentences, and that is a similarity English-language speakers can identify with. We use more words and fewer contractions when speaking to our boss or an older adult than we would with our friends and peers at work. We eliminate slang phrases and short-hand speech that our friends understand right away, but which an older adult might view as disrespectful.

To master Japanese registers in conversation, you’ll need to get used to making that mental shift. Practicing using online learning tools like Speechling.com can help, but first let's cover a few basic concepts.

How It Works

Here are some Japanese honorific examples. In both cases, we see the longer polite phrasing in the formal version of each message. The informal version is equivalent to a short-hand way of saying the same thing. There are also changes in verbs depending on the situation and relationships.

When asking a question: The first is casually between friends, the second is a junior person asking a superior in a formal meeting:

Kiite ii? Is it okay to ask (a question)?
Kikasete-itadakeru to ureshii no desu ga. I would, however, be delighted if I may be permitted to ask (a question).

When asking for cooperation: The first is usual and polite. The latter is very formal and often found in writing, especially in posters or flyers.

Go-kyōryoku-kudasai. Your cooperation, please.
Go-kyōryoku no hodo o-negai mōshiagemasu. We respectfully request the favor of a measure of your cooperation.

Verb Endings (desu, masu endings)

Not only are pronouns different when used in formal and informal Japanese; verb endings are adjusted too , including for tense. Desu (です) is the Japanese copula, a verb meaning “to be” in the simple present, and –masu is a verb suffix placing verbs in the simple present tense. There is no future tense in Japanese; it is referred to as non-present and simply covers anything not in the past.

The Japanese “to be” has several forms, the most important of which are the plain form だ "da" and the polite form です "desu.” Because the verb comes last in Japanese grammar, it would look like this:

"I am John" -- "John desu" "It is big" -- "Okii desu" "That is correct" -- "Sō desu"

Because there is no future tense in Japanese, the non-past form is used for habitual action and future tense. The polite form of verbs is known as the masu (ます) form of verbs. Here are some examples:

shimasu means do (informal version is suru ) kimasu means come (informal version is kuru ) kaerimasu means go home (informal version is kaeru )

Prefixes “O” and “Go”

The prefixes “o” (お) and “go” (ご) are used to add a feeling of politeness or respect to a word, especially about a stranger or social superior's family, belongings, or actions. Known as bikago (美化語 embellishment words or beautification), it’s a relatively simple trick that works with the ornamental character 御 and its two main readings, o and go . These prefixes are used as another way to speak respectfully.

Japanese incorporated many words from Chinese, and one rule about these prefixes turns on a word’s origin. In general , o pairs with indigenous Japanese words, and words with foreign roots use go . Here are a few examples:

o-kome ( rice)
o-kane ( money)
o-sake (sake)
go-kazoku ( family)
go-kyōryoku (cooperation)
go-shinsetsu ni (friendly).

In each of these instances, simply removing the o or go makes the word less formal.

For students learning as beginners, how are you to know which words are native to the language and which ones are not? To be safe, use these prefixes only after hearing or seeing a native speaker use them. Using these prefixes with a word where they are not typically used will sound unnatural, and that’s not a situation you want to find yourself in as a beginner. Also, keep in mind that speakers never use either prefix when referring to themselves.

Learning to speak Japanese also involves paying special attention to etiquette. Is the person you’re speaking to of higher rank? Are they a valued customer? Those learning as beginnings realize quickly that the differences between formal and informal Japanese matter in real conversational situations like these, and they must be learned along with simple vocabulary. You can also find a lot of online resources learning Japanese yourself. Along with using an online course like Speeching, cultural tools like Japanese movies that take place in formal settings (like offices) can provide real-world applications of the differences between formal and informal speech.

Speechling is a nonprofit app and website that combines human coaching with technology to improve your foreign language speaking.

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How To Speak Casual Japanese ~7 slang expressions

When you speak casual English to friends, you don’t use perfect grammar and full sentences like you would when writing a paper, correct? Japanese is the same way. When speaking conversational Japanese, people rarely use the exact words and long phrases that you’d find in a textbook. Here is a 5-minute mini lesson to help you speak Casual Japanese.

Common Phrases

When speaking casual Japanese, normal phrases are made much shorter! When friends talk to each other, they won’t use the long polite phrases, but rather the shorter chattier versions:

Konnichiwa –> Konchiwa こんにちは　ーー＞　こんちは Hello/Good afternoon –> Hi

O genki desu ka? –> Genki? おげんきですか。ーー＞げんき？ How are you?

Ohayou gozaimasu –> Ohayou おはようございます　ーー＞　おはよう Good morning –> Morning!

Gomennasai –> Gomen ごめんなさい　ーー＞　ごめん I’m so sorry. –> Sorry.

Douitashimashite –> I i yo どういたしまして　ーー＞　いいよ You’re welcome. –> It’s all good!

Sayounara –> Jyaa ne! さようなら　ーー＞　じゃあね Goodbye. –> See ya!

If you master these casual phrases, you will sound like a true native speaker when you’re chatting with your friends!

Casual Verbs

An easy way to turn formal Japanese into more natural conversational Japanese is to just use the short forms of verbs. Japanese verb for “to do” is “ shimasu” (します), and its casual Japanese (plain form) is suru (する). Casual Japanese just sticks to the basic short forms of verbs, and particles are omitted sometimes in simple sentences. Here are the examples:

Formal: Nani o shimasu ka? なにをしますか？ What will you do?

Casual: Nani suru? なにする？ What you gonna do?

As you can see, the casual version is much shorter and simpler than the properly conjugated textbook version! Here’s some more examples:

Nani taberu ? なに食べる？ What’cha eat ?

Nani miru ? なに見る？ What’cha watch ?

Doko iku ? どこ行く？ Where you gonna go ?

And just like that, you can speak natural, casual Japanese!

Words With Friends – Japanese Slang Words!

There are certain “trendy” Japanese words that you often hear on the streets, and yet won’t typically find in a textbook. Here are some examples of common Japanese slang words that are especially popular with young Japanese people!

1. Sugoi (すごい)

Sugoi means “wow” in English and the Japanese heavily use this slang word. Its corresponding formal word is subarashii (すばらしい). The word can also be shortened to sugee (すげー）to convey extra emphasis. This is very often heard in Japanese anime as well. In English there are so many expressions like wonderful, fantastic, marvelous, fascinating, fabulous, amazing..etc. but all these words can be expressed as sugoi in Japanese. wow!

Example: watching an incredible summer fireworks display

Ryuta: Sugoi!! （すごい！）Wow, amazing!

Takeru: Su-ge-!! （すげー！）AMAZING!

2. Meccha (めっちゃ)

Meccha is a slang word commonly used in the Kansai region (west side of Japan). It has the same meaning as totemo (とても), which means “very” in Japanese.

Example conversation:

Shion: Kono ke-ki, meccha oishi! (このケーキ、めっちゃおいしい！) This cake is so delicious!

Takashi: Deshou? Meccha umai. (でしょう？めっちゃうまい。) I know, right? It’s so yummy.

Shion: Kore tsukutta hito, tensai dane. Meccha sugoi . (これ作った人、天才だね。めっちゃすごい。) The person who made this is genius. Super amazing.

3. Yabai (やばい)

Yabai is also heavily used slang word in Japan. It has multiple meanings, and can be compared to the English “Oh my god!” It can be used in a good way, as a response to something happy/exciting, but can also be used in a negative way, as a response to bad news or a scary situation. In that sense, it’s a lot like the English slang word “crazy”, as things can either be “crazy” good, or “crazy” bad.

Example: at an amusement park

Chihiro: Yabai! Ano jettokoosutaa, meccha takai! (やばい！あのジェットコースター、めっちゃたかい。）Oh my god! That roller coaster is super tall.

Risa: Hayasou!! Yabai . （はやそう！やばい。）It looks fast! That’s crazy.

Chihiro: Noru? （のる？）Wanna ride it?

4. Maji ( マジ）

The Japanese word majime means “serious”, so when people shorten it to maji and cry out “ maji?! ” or “ majide?! ” it means “seriously?!” or “are you serious??”

Ruriko: Wao!! Takarakuji, 1,000 man-en atatta! (わぉ！宝くじ、1,000万円当たった！) Wow! I won a lottery of 10,000,000 yen!

Ayaka: Meccha s ugee ! Majide ? (めっちゃすげー！まじで？）Wow, amazing! Seriously?!

5. Ikemen (イケメン)

This very common Japanese slang word is used to describe handsome men! It comes from the full-length phrase iketeru menzu (イケてるメンズ), which describes “extremely good men”.

Yuri: Nee, ano otoko, mite! (ねぇあの男、見て！）Hey, look at that guy!

　　　 Chou ikemen jyanai? (ちょうイケメンじゃない？）Isn’t he such a handsome guy?

Mizuki: Un, hontoda. maji yabai. (うん、ほんとだ。まじやばい。) Yep, indeed. Oh my god.

6. Kimoi ( キモい）

This adjective is used to describe something gross or creepy. When something grosses or creeps you out, just yell this exclamation to voice your discomfort!

Example: ***at a Halloween party***

Kazuya: uwa, ano zombi, chi ga yabai yo! （うわ、あのゾンビ、ちがやばいよ。）Look at the zombie, there’s so much blood on him!

Nana: Kimoi ! （キモい！）So creepy!

7. Dasai （ダサい）

This word means “lame” or “uncool”. Japanese people say this word when they see or hear something/someone that’s unstylish or out of fashion.

Example: ***at a shopping mall***

Okaasan (Mom): Kono kutsu wa dou? kakko ii? （このくつはどう？かっこいい？）How are these shoes? Do you like them?

Ami: Iya, dasai!!! （いや、ダサい！）Nope, they’re lame!!

*NOTE: When speaking adjectives out loud, sometimes drop the “~i” to adding stronger expressions! For example, “Kimoi” is often said as “kimo!” and “Yabai” is often said as “Yaba!”.

Casual Japanese Course

This high-quality and quick-to-go-through audio course will teach you the casual and “naughty” words and phrases in Japanese in a solid 40 minutes of teaching. You’ll enjoy watching Japanese anime and drama 10 times more after going through this Casual Japanese course !

Most of the chapters in this course include incredibly realistic conversation between two native Japanese speakers for realistic learning! Here are the features of our Casual Japanese course:

Introducing Real Japanese spoken on the street
40 mins of audio lessons + a guided textbook
You can practice speaking casual Japanese as you listen to the audio
13 Chapters in total. You can learn casual Japanese spoken in different situations

Access the ENTIRE Online Japanese Course Curriculum

From the very basic Japanese to JLPT N5 including above mentioned Casual Japanese, you can access to all 13 online courses with affordable monthly subscription. Join my Premium Online Japanese Course now! For more information about the membership site, click here .

How to use polite language in Japanese

Unlike most European languages, Japanese has 3 main formalized levels of formality when it comes to language. That means learners have a lot of options for how polite to be—and how formal and informal people will be to you! Politeness in Japanese also impacts more than just pronouns . Here's how politeness and formality work in Japanese!

The different levels of politeness in Japanese

There are three "levels" of politeness in Japanese: casual, polite, and very polite. Who you use each style with depends on a combination of age and social standing for both yourself and the person you're talking to (or talking about). Here are the basics for the 3 levels of politeness:

Casual speech Casual speech is used between family and close friends or if people agree to switch to casual speech (and in your head, when talking to yourself!). It can also be used when older people or people with higher status speak to younger people or someone with lower social standing. (In this case, the older/higher status person has the choice between casual or polite speech.)

Who uses it: A teacher uses casual speech with their students, and siblings use casual speech with each other.
How it sounds: In casual speech, you'll use contractions, slang , and plain verb endings (like -u or -ru instead of -masu ).

Polite speech Polite speech is generally used between people who are not very close, like colleagues or acquaintances. It's also used by younger people to talk to older people or those in authority. Often, strangers of the same age or social standing start off with the polite register and might shift to casual speech once they're more comfortable with each other. Normally one person explicitly says it's ok to switch to casual or asks the other person if it’s okay to switch.

Who uses it: An employee uses polite speech to talk to their manager, and a student uses polite speech to talk to a teacher. (Note: The older person or one in an authority position can use either polite or casual speech in response!)
How it sounds: In polite speech, you'll use です (desu) and ます (masu) endings and their respective conjugations attached to nouns, adjectives, and verbs.

Very polite speech Very polite speech is used in business contexts, the service industry, and other formal environments.

Who uses it: A restaurant server talking to a customer.
How it sounds: In very polite speech you'll use special verb endings like -gozaimasu, -orimasu, and itadakimasu (which means that very polite speech has really long verbs!). There are also some special words used in very polite speech, including nouns that begin with politeness-enhancing prefixes お (o-) or ご (go-).

Ways of addressing people in Japanese

As you can see, the level of politeness you use with someone affects verb endings, sentence particles, and even sometimes which word you use! There are also different ways of addressing someone depending on your relationship to them:

Honorifics Japanese honorifics are special endings attached to names to show respect or indicate the nature of the person's relationship. Honorifics can be added to a last name, first name, or full name. The most common are:

さん (-san). This is the most common honorific, and it's safe and polite to use with most people. It has a similar feel to "Mr." and "Mrs." in English, but it's also often used in everyday situations—even classmates might use it with each other in casual speech!
様/さま (-sama). This is a respectful honorific used with clients, customers, esteemed guests, or anyone else you're showing special respect towards. (It can also be used sarcastically!)
ちゃん (-chan). This is an affectionate and casual honorific often used for girls and women. Someone who’s very close to a boy or man might use -chan for him, too!
くん (-kun). This casual honorific is often used with male names to show closeness or between a mentor and mentee (regardless of gender).

Names and titles In general you'll always use an honorific or title to refer to someone, instead of using their first name alone. Using first names is pretty rare outside of family or very close friends and romantic partners! (In fact, it's a common cliché in romance fiction to have a moment where a couple begins calling each other by their first names 💘)

One way to address someone directly is to use a title instead of their name, and these can also be attached to the end of a name as an honorific! Here are 2 common titles:

先輩 (senpai). This title is for peers and is very common in school and work environments for people who have been there longer than you (like students in a higher grade or someone with more work experience who isn't your boss). It can also be used outside of school and work contexts, like if someone has been battling monsters longer than you have!
先生 (sensei). This title is for teachers, doctors, and artistic professions, like manga artists!

Pronouns Most people use names or titles instead of a second person pronoun for talking directly to someone. (In English, our second person pronoun is "you.") Generally, second person pronouns can be interpreted as rude, and if it's very clear who you are talking to, you don't need to use any pronoun at all! But Japanese also has different pronouns you can use in certain scenarios, and they give a glimpse into the relationships at play:

あなた (anata). While a common translation for the English “you,” it’s much less common to use because you are basically referring to someone without using their name or title—which can be almost as rude as going “Hey, you!” in English. There may be specific situations where it’s more okay to use, but that’s a story for another time! (Interested in learning more? Email us at [email protected] )
お前/オマエ (omae). This is a word you might use to speak directly to a close friend (like saying "dude"), but it sounds rude when said to strangers, people older than you, or people in authority. Think of how in English we can say "buddy" in a condescending way to someone we're not close to! You’ll often see this “rudeness” used in film, television, or real life arguments.
君 (kimi). This pronoun is a gentler way to say "you," and it can be used in polite speech. However, it can sound condescending if it's said by someone who isn't older or an authority figure. Kimi is often used to mean “you” in the titles of fiction or songs, like in the anime film *Your Name* 君の名は( Kimi no Na wa ).
⚠️⚔️⚠️ てめえ (temee) and 貴様/キサマ (kisama). These are rude pronouns only for use with your arch nemesis in a sword battle!

Where to find politeness examples in anime

Watching anime is a great way to practice Japanese because the relationships between characters are so important to storylines—so you'll find lots of examples of different levels of formality! Here are just a few:

Spy x Family. In this anime, a spy (Loid), an assassin (Yor), and a psychic (Anya) disguise themselves as a family, so how they talk to each other in public is very different from their private conversations! Loid speaks casually in public with Yor to pretend they’re married but keeps some distance in private by using polite language. Yor takes politeness to the extreme by speaking politely not only to her fake daughter Anya (who is much younger than Yor), but even to her own younger brother and when she talks in monologues.
Bocchi the Rock. There are lots of politeness dynamics to look for in the main rock band in Bocchi the Rock! Hitori and Kita are schoolmates the same age, and so Kita uses casual language towards Hitori to be friendly—but Hitori still uses polite language to keep some distance because she is extremely socially anxious and would be uncomfortable speaking casually. Nijika and Ryou are already close friends and are older than both Hitori and Kita, so Nijika and Ryou use casual language with everyone.
Kaguya-sama: Love is War. In this anime, Kaguya is the vice president of the student council at a fancy private school and always addresses the student council president, Miyuki, with the title 会長 (kaichou), meaning "President." She generally uses polite language even with friends who are younger than her, giving an air of cold distance or elegance.

Show some respect—with the right level of politeness!

Learners can use the different kinds of formality in Japanese as a way to learn more about Japanese culture and relationships between people, and watching Japanese TV and movies is a fun way to see the politeness levels in action!

Casual Speech in Japanese

It is never too much to emphasize that being polite is very important in Japanese culture, and before you really understand the difference and implication of casual speech, you will almost always want to use polite speech in your conversation. This is the disclaimer before I talk about casual speech in Japanese.

There are 2 basic rules. First, use plain forms (or so-called dictionary forms) for verbs and adjectives . Second, particles such as は(wa), を(o), に(ni), が(ga) are omitted when there is no confusion caused.

The following examples show the contrast between polite speech and casual speech. Note that ですか(desu ka) is omitted in the first question and a rising tone is used instead.

学生 is a noun, but the same idea applies to verbs and adjectives . You just need to use the plain form in each case for casual speech.

The use of particle よ(yo) at the end of the 2nd and 3rd examples is to make the sentences smoother and express a certain kind of emotion. Particle ね(ne) is also often used.

Particle は(wa) is dropped in the examples. Do not drop the particle (or any other particles) when it carries additional functions other than a “marker.” For instance, when は is used to contrast or compare two things, do not drop the particle in casual speech. A similar example is to drop を(o) when it is a purely object marker .

You may notice that “Yes” and “No” in the examples above have different forms for casual speech. In fact, there are a few special forms for casual speech, as listed in the following table:

Related Grammar Points

Casual Speech and Honorific Speech in Japanese
Word Order of Japanese Sentences
Introduction to Japanese Particles
Polite Form of Japanese Verbs and ます-Stem
Introduction to Japanese Adjectives
Negative Form of Japanese Adjectives
Japanese て-form and Action Verbs
Modifying Japanese Adjectives to Adverbs

« Resyllabification and Pronunciations of Korean Consonants

Nasal Assimilation and Pronunciations of Korean Consonants »

Politeness and Formality in Japanese

This lesson is a brief introduction to an important cultural issue that pervades all of Japanese speech: that of politeness and formality . These English words are basically interchangeable in this context, so don't be confused when I switch between them.

Levels of Politeness

It's often emphasized that Japanese has some number of distinct "levels of politeness" (I was first taught that there were four, personally). This isn't entirely accurate; as you might expect, it's more of a spectrum than a rigid scale. What makes Japanese different from many other languages is that "politeness" or "formality" is explicitly coded into the grammar. If you think about English, in formal speech we change our choice of words and use more complete (or even excessively long) ways of phrasing what we want to say. This is true in Japanese too, but here there are also different verb forms for different levels of formality.

Alright, you say, but how many? This is where things get sticky, because there are actually two separable grammatical components of politeness in Japanese. So rather than get into that, let's first look at the factors affecting choice of level of politeness.

Linguistics Tidbit: In Introduction to the Japanese Language , we talked about dialects , which are primarily geographic in nature. The language used by a speaker of any particular dialect also varies by situation–who you are talking to, where, and so on. We call these different varieties of speech registers . Level of formality, then, is primarily a difference in register.

Factors Influencing Politeness

One such factor is the speaker's psychological distance from the listener; in other words, their familiarity with the other person. In general, informal , or casual speech is used among family and close friends, while more formal , or polite speech is used when talking to people you are less close to (basically everyone else). Speech directed at the general public, such as radio and TV broadcasts, is also formal.

The other factor is rank , which is exactly what it sounds like. Each person in Japanese society has a relative rank to every other person, depending on the relationship between them.

*This last relationship is the most general. As in other East Asian cultures, the young are expected to respect the old, even if the difference in age is rather small.

If both speakers have equal rank, such as between two friends or two strangers, degree of familiarity determines speech style. In the case where two speakers have different ranks, one might use informal language while the other uses formal speech. Or, depending on the relationship, the speaker with higher rank might use formal speech, and the the speaker with the lower rank might even more polite speech, typically known as honorific speech.

The combination of familiarity and rank, then, determines the basic level of politeness.

So how do we make speech more polite, anyway? One method you'll start using right away is with honorifics .

The honorific prefix お "o" (not to be confused with the particle を "o") is used to show towards items related to the listener. So while you might tell someone your own namae (name), you would almost certainly ask for their o-namae instead. "O" is also used with general nouns, typically those with cultural significance, like o-sake (rice wine) and o-tera (temple), and in some cases becomes almost inseparable from the root word, as in ocha (tea).

Equivalent to "o" is another prefix, ご "go", as found in gohan (cooked rice), another case where the honorific basically part of the word itself. So what's the difference? Basically, "o" is typically used for words of Japanese origin, while "go" is preferred for words of Chinese origin.

Use of "o" and "go" is a little tricky. In the case of words that always include the prefix, I'll simply treat them as if they're a part of the word. You'll get a feel for when to use them with words that sometimes include the prefix. Really, you can stick them on to basically any noun, but the result can be unnatural, so I'd advise against this. You can safely use "o" and "go" with words you hear them used with, but otherwise assume that they shouldn't be.

Basic Speech Styles: Formal, Informal, and Keigo

At this point, it's time to introduce the Japanese terms for the rough levels of politeness that I've hinted at above.

The first is ていねいご (teineigo), literally "polite language", which I will sometimes call "formal". This is style you will be learning first, since it's the default used by two adults with no particular relationship to each other. It's also used when speaking to someone higher in rank.

Formal speech is marked by the use of the polite copula (to-be word) "desu" and the polite verb suffix "-masu" (you'll learn more about these very soon), and generally uses complete sentences with a minimum of contracted forms. The honorifics "o" and "go", which you learned above, are also frequently used.

Next is くだけた　にほんご (kudaketa nihongo), or "casual language", which you can also call "informal". It uses plain verb endings, and allows abundant contractions, colloquialisms, and the like. Informal speech is by definition less formal than formal speech, and therefor is less predictable. Because of this, you'll start to learn the casual style a bit later on.

Naturally, the informal speech used by close friends (who would have an equal rank) will be different from that used by someone who is higher in rank than their listener. Also, plain language without the distinctly casual elements is often used in writing; this is an example of an intermediary style.

Finally, けいご (keigo) is "honorific language", which is a step higher than teineigo in politeness. This is the style used when speaking to someone significantly higher in rank.

Keigo also makes an extra distinction as to who the speaker is talking about ; this is the second grammatical distinction of politeness. One form, そんけいご (sonkeigo), or respectful language , is used when talking about the exalted listener, or people or things related to them, while the other, けんじょうご (kenjougo), or humble language , is used when talking about things related to oneself.

The basics of keigo are not as hard as some people make them out to be (it basically amounts to a couple extra verb conjugations, which are easy, and some irregular forms, which are not so easy), but being the most complex speech style and less necessary in the beginning stages, this is the style you'll learn last.

Note: I've heard teineigo referred to as "formal" and keigo as "polite", but this is unnecessarily confusing seeing as how we use those words interchangeably otherwise. I've also heard teineigo, keigo, and sonkeigo translated various other ways since their literal meanings are similar. This sort of naming confusion is common when trying to translate culture-specific terminology.

In summary…

So, if you still want my answer, there are three basic levels of politeness in Japanese.

It's important to remember, though, that there is a lot of variability within these levels, and arguably some notable sub-levels. For example, I'd say that there's a somewhat distinct "polite(+)" level that includes some keigo and a "polite(-)" level that is somewhat less formal (in the sense of being complete and proper). And perhaps more obviously, there's usually room to make keigo even more excessively polite and move kudaketa speech towards being extremely casual, or just plain rude.

Learning the Spoken Language

In this section we looked at the basics of language variation within interpersonal communication. It goes without saying that other forms, such as the presentational style and the written style, have their own rules as well. In the remainder of this introduction as well as the Beginning Lessons, you'll learn the basics of teineigo, the polite style, and the rest you'll learn over the course of your studies.

There's also a dirty little secret as to why Japanese learners are taught formal language first: its verb conjugation is the easiest. I'm dead serious. Almost all Japanese verbs fall into one of two conjugation patterns, but once you get them into masu form (the polite form), they all conjugate the same way for simple changes like past tense and negation. This makes one part of your job super easy while you worry about your other main task, which is learning how to string together a coherent Japanese sentence.

With that, it's time to start learning grammar.

The Structure of a Japanese Sentence

Names and Introductions

Back to Beginning Lessons

Having trouble understanding something? Anything I've missed? Please send your feedback using the contact form and help me improve this site. All questions, comments, and corrections are welcome.

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だ and です : Venturing Beyond Textbook Rules into Real-Life Use Learn how style choice matters in authentic communication

September 24, 2019 • words written by Cameron Lombardo , Jenny Stainton , Mami Suzuki , and Moeko Norota • Art by Aya Francisco

Viewing under What's The Difference? Common Japanese Beginner Questions

だ and です are everywhere in Japanese, and getting to grips with them is essential for any Japanese learner. Despite being such basic building blocks, their use in real-life Japanese can be frustratingly different from their textbook explanations. For example, you may have learned that だ and です are two variants of the same word and that we choose between them based on whether the person we're talking to has a higher or lower status than us. In other words, です is used when we want to be polite and だ is used to be casual. But real-life Japanese significantly deviates from this often-taught standard.

Textbook rules for です and だ can leave us scratching our heads when we hear native speakers of Japanese breaking the rules left, right, and center. This is a huge problem for language learners; how can you learn to use a grammar structure if the rules you study are full of holes and exceptions?

In order to get to the bottom of です and だ, we spent a good chunk of time diving into dense linguistics research and discovered some pretty interesting ways of looking at these words. As it turns out, the conceptual distinction between です and だ comes down to the direction of the message. In other words, if the message is self-directed and your main purpose is expressing your thoughts or feelings, then だ is your ticket. If your message is directed toward others and you intend to present information in a socially aware manner, then です is probably preferred.

Think of this article as a roadmap to navigate your way around all the intricate nuances that です and だ convey in real-life contexts. To help you understand, we're going to take a bold step away from traditional grammar-rule-type explanations you'll find in textbooks. Instead, we will lay out the conceptual meanings of です and だ, so you can use them to better express yourself in Japanese and add flavor to both your spoken and written communication.

Conceptualizing です and だ in Speech

だ for emphatic self-expression, だ for sounding the alarm, だ for invading personal space, だ in casual conversation, です for creating distance, です for emphasizing sarcasm, です for stepping into a different social role, trying out the concepts in action, conceptualizing です and だ in writing, the rule of consistency, academic writing, laws, regulations and other official documents, creative writing, social media posts, text messages.

Prerequisites: This article assumes you already know hiragana and katakana. If you need to brush up, have a look at our Ultimate Hiragana Guide and Ultimate Katakana Guide . This article will talk about the nuances of だ and です, so beginners can read it too, but to get the most out of it, you'll need an intermediate understanding of Japanese.

Before you read on: we recorded a two-part podcast series about だ and です. In it, we answered questions about だ and です from Japanese learners. Make sure to check it out after reading this article!

And if you haven't, you can subscribe to the Tofugu podcast . After subscribing, you can save the episode for later to review what you're about to read.

We'll begin our learning journey by comparing how です and だ add meaning to a spoken statement in Japanese. This section will feel very abstract, so we'll use images to make the ideas we introduce clearer. To start, take a look at the image of だ below.

As you can see, the speaker is surrounded by a bubble, which we will call "personal space." When a speaker makes a statement ending in だ, the statement stays within their personal space and thus is made without (much) attention paid to the larger, social world. In other words, だ statements allow a speaker to step outside of social expectations and focus on self-expression.

Now let's turn our attention to the concept that です represents. In the image above, you can see that the speaker's statement leaves their personal space bubble and reaches toward another person. This shows that the speaker's focus is on the listener and the social situation that they are in when they are speaking. The fact that the statement travels beyond the speaker's personal space emphasizes the line that separates the speaker and the listener—the distance between them. This distance raises the level of politeness, which is why we think of です as being more polite.

At this point, our concepts of です and だ might feel a bit fuzzy or vague, but not to worry! We want the framework to be applicable across all contexts, so that as you encounter individual instances of です or だ, you'll be able to apply the concept and understand how it affects the meaning of the sentence overall. Throughout this article, we will refer back to these concepts as we walk you through a range of contexts. As you read, your concept of です and だ will begin to sharpen and, by the end of this article, it should serve as a great tool to aid you in your ability to understand and use Japanese.

Nuances of だ in Spoken Japanese

When we make だ statements, we are stepping away from the need to perform in a socially calculated way, and instead we emphasize our personal thoughts and feelings. In other words, だ statements allow us to avoid considering our relative social status compared to our listeners' because the statement is conceptually staying inside our personal space. In the safety of our bubble, だ statements do not necessarily require a response. This enables us to devote all of our attention to self-expression.

だ statements are made with more attention paid to what we have to say rather than our relationship with the listener.

That said, statements made in our personal space are not heard only by ourselves; there are plenty of reasons why a listener might be considered to be inside your bubble, or people who are outside of your personal space might hear your だ statement. The major takeaway here is that だ statements are made with more attention paid to what we have to say rather than our relationship with the listener. To show you what we mean by this, in the following sections we will take a look at the various ways in which だ adds an expressive feeling to statements in various contexts.

Statements that end in だ can be used to express thoughts and feelings that arise suddenly or powerfully within us. These kinds of statements are self-directed, and thus we can imagine that they remain inside our personal space bubbles when we say them. Contrary to what you may have learned in textbooks, だ is commonly used to express your inner state when speaking in the presence of someone to whom you'd usually use a more polite speech style like です and ます . This is because your use of だ communicates that the purpose of the statement is self-expression and not actually directed at the listener, even if they are within earshot. Let's examine a few variations on this concept.

Imagine you are sitting in your favorite ramen shop. You just finished your meal and are happily patting your noodle-filled belly. As you stand up to leave, you see a mouse skitter across the floor into the kitchen. Filled with a sense of sudden surprise, and perhaps disgust, you might say:

Ew, a mouse!

Whether you're eating with your boss (whom you usually address with the polite です・ます speech style) or you're eating all by yourself, this would be an appropriate expression. More than anything, the intention of such an utterance is to express the feeling of surprise that rises up within you at the sight of the mouse.

However, self-expressive だ statements do not necessarily need to be triggered by a surprising event, such as a mouse sighting. Imagine you are happily skipping along on your way to school, when it suddenly dawns on you that you have a kanji test that afternoon. To express your feeling about this sudden remembrance, you could say:

Oh no! There's a test!

The previous two examples carried a sense of sudden recollection or surprise, but だ statements are just as effectively used to express strong emotional reactions to events or situations, even if they are expected.

Since you forgot to study for your kanji test, it's no surprise that you got a lower score than you wanted. When your teacher hands you back your test, and you see your failing grade, you might mutter to yourself:

ああ、また失敗した。私ほんとバカだ。
Ah, I failed again. I'm so stupid!

Don't be so hard on yourself! At least you formed an appropriate statement to emphasize your disappointment using だ! Next time, after studying harder, you might ace your kanji test and express a positive emotion instead:

Yay! I'm a genius!

To wrap up this section, take a look at the following examples. Can you tell if the だ emphasizes surprise, sudden remembrance, or strong emotions? Make sure to consider the context and listen to the audio to hear the intonation as well.

You're on a golf course, and you almost have your ball in the hole, but every time you putt, you just narrowly miss the hole.

I can't do this anymore.

Hover or tap

You're on a long drive and have gotten a bit lost. You pass the top of a hill and see the ocean spread out in front of you.

You're at home, getting ready for bed. You catch a glimpse of your calendar and say:

あ、今日お母さんの誕生日だ！
Oh, today is my mom's birthday!

There are some cases where it is not clear whether a だ statement should be considered self-directed or directed at others. For these examples, we think it is useful to imagine that the speaker's personal space bubble has expanded to include the listeners inside of it. Let's take a look at an example to clarify this point.

In the event of a fire, it's more important to alert the people around you of the danger than it is to construct sentences with appropriate politeness levels. With its emotional, forceful feeling, だ catches people's attention and alerts them to the urgency of the statement. Of course, the speaker's tone of voice plays a huge role in this too! While the statement is intended to alert others of danger, it is still not an interactional statement. In other words, the speaker isn't trying to strike up a polite conversation about the fire, they just want everyone to get the heck out of there!

At its core, this use of だ to warn others is just a variation of the same concept we discussed before. Remember the mouse in the ramen shop? If we reimagine the context in a very slightly different way, it could be considered an example of "sounding the alarm" as well:

If we imagine that you had muttered this statement to yourself when we described it as self-expressive, you could also have shouted it out to alert others of the rodent infestation. Or perhaps it is a blend of the two—in a moment of sudden terror, you might have unintentionally shouted the statement, which of course would also alert the other patrons. You can see how context-specific and dynamic language is, yet the basic concept that だ is more expressive than interactional remains the same.

However, this type of だ statement is not necessarily always used for good, it can also be used for evil. Imagine you are at the bank, minding your own business, when an armed robber enters the building. Just like in the movies, he announces to everyone in the bank:

This is a stick up!

In this case, the speaker (i.e., the robber) clearly is not concerned with being socially aware in how he forms his statement. I mean, he's robbing a bank! Just like in the previous example, the speaker is only interested in disseminating information to everyone in the bank, and he couldn't care less what anyone has to say or think about it. In this way, the statement is directed at others but intended only to meet the speaker's own purposes. In addition to "sounding the alarm," so to speak, this statement is also menacing; due to the fact that the message implies danger to the listeners, だ emphasizes this threatening tone. This brings us to our next conceptual meaning of だ statements: to indicate an invasion of personal space.

When だ statements that carry a negative emotion or message are directed at a specific listener, だ adds an aggressive and assertive feeling. In this case, the listener may feel surprised, affronted, or threatened by the statement. For this reason, we refer to this use of だ as "invasive." That is, the statement invades the personal space of the listener, as you can see represented in the image above by the boxing-glove speech bubble.

This will probably be much clearer after an example. If someone has told me something that is not true, I might cry out:

That's a lie!

While this statement is clearly motivated by the actions of a particular person, the use of だ suggests that the statement is not intended to engage the listener in discussion. While it is directed at the speaker in the sense that it is intended to have an impact, it is stripped of all feelings of social responsibility or concern for the other person's point of view. The purpose is to express the speaker's outrage, not to start a conversation. The one-sided nature of this statement is what gives it an assertive, or even confrontational, feeling.

Although the statement is one-sided, it clearly still has an effect on the listener. Invasive だ statements can be used to invade a listener's personal space, similar to the way someone might stand intimidatingly close to another during an argument. This idea is illustrated above with the boxing-glove speech bubble entering the listener's personal space bubble. This use of だ is quite confrontational, so if you choose to use it, remember that it could create quite a stir. It is often associated with masculine speech but is used across the gender spectrum when someone is enraged.

Let's examine a few more examples of invasive だ.

俺たちはもうおしまいだ！
We are done! (Our relationship is over.)
なんだこの点数は？よし、今から勉強だ！
What the heck is this score? You must study starting right now!
Who's the culprit?

Based on what we've discussed up to this point, you might wonder if だ always carries an emotional, alarming, or assertive nuance when used in conversation. In the next section, we will introduce a way to use だ as a communicative tool to help you talk with your friends in a more friendly and interactive way.

While the uses of だ we've discussed thus far seem to be directed at the speaker themselves, there are also cases where we use だ statements that are clearly directed at others. In these cases, だ is used because the listener is considered close enough to the speaker that their relative social statuses are not relevant or worth paying attention to by using です. Perhaps you are speaking to a friend, family member, or a friendly first-name-basis type of acquaintance. In these cases, we can imagine that the speaker and listener's personal space bubbles overlap like a Venn diagram, and an entire conversation can take place within their shared personal space.

When だ is used in casual conversations, it is frequently paired with conversational particles like よ and ね. Remember that when だ is used alone it can convey a feeling of strong emotion? Well, our particle friends help to make the statement sound softer and more interactional. Let's look at one real life situation where these particles are used in conversations. Imagine a situation where your friend is reading a comic book after school in your classroom, and you kindly inform him that there will be an exam tomorrow.

A: 明日テストだよ。
A: Hey, we have an exam tomorrow.
A: 今日は徹夜だね。
A: It's gonna be an all-nighter for you.

In the sentences above, the inclusion of particles helps the listeners know that the speaker is directing the statement toward them, and it is appropriate to respond. For example, by saying 明日テストだよ, you are reminding the listener of the test. If this is stated without the particle よ, this would sound more like a だ statement intended to express the speaker's sudden remembrance of the test. Similarly, saying 徹夜だね allows the speaker to show her empathy while suggesting the listener should study all night. Without the ね, this sentence would sound more like a strong command.

Nuances of です in Spoken Japanese

Now that we've covered the ins and outs of だ, let's switch our focus back to です. To begin, let's summarize what we have learned so far. だ statements are directed at the speaker rather than the listener and serve to communicate self-expression. They are used to convey emotions, among other things. On the other hand, です is used to direct a statement at a listener, showing the speaker's awareness of them.

Remember the conceptual image of です we introduced in the beginning of this article? In the picture, the speaker's statement is shaped like an arrow, which points directly at the listener. This represents the speaker's awareness of the listener, and the fact that it reaches out of the speaker's personal space bubble toward the listener emphasizes the line that separates the speaker and listener, which consequently raises the feeling of politeness.

This is why we almost always use です to talk to strangers or people we've just met, regardless of their age or social status. When there is distance between the speaker and the listener, we tend to use polite forms, like です. When it comes to conversations with acquaintances, however, the choice of speech style can be more than a simple decision because of the different nuances it creates. In the following sections, we will examine how distance plays a role in these different nuanced uses of です.

As you already know, using です increases the distance between people, which results in their relationship feeling more formal. です is part of the "polite speech style" in Japanese, along with the ます form of verbs. This stands in opposition to the "casual speech style," which だ is considered to be a part of. Let's dig into the cultural side of people's choice of speech style. Even though using polite speech style, such as です, with someone older than you or in a higher social position than you is a rule of thumb in Japanese society, you will see people shift their speech style from polite to casual, even while in conversation with the same person. So why do people break the rules? Let's examine some situations in which this shift in speech style occurs.

Imagine that you are talking with your senpai at work. He might offer you permission to use タメ口（　　ぐち） . The word タメ口（　　ぐち） consists of ため (equal) and くち (mouth), and is pronounced as ためぐち. As the word suggests, using it indicates that the speaker and listener have equal status.

We wanted to know how common this kind of invitation to use タメ口（　　ぐち） really is, so we asked around to find out. More than two-thirds of the people we talked to said they have been asked to use casual speech by their senpai at school or in their workplace. Many of them also said that they gradually shift from polite speech to casual speech rather than changing their speech style right away.

If someone you know suggests you use casual speech, you might want to respond by saying something polite, such as「そうですか」or「いいんですか?」before you start using タメ口（　　ぐち） . This will make you sound humble and probably endear you to the other person.

マミあの、これなんの書類（しょるい）ですか？ Mami Excuse me. Could you tell me what these documents are for?

コウイチ敬語（けいご）じゃなくていいよ。堅苦（かたくる）しいしタメ口（　　ぐち）で話そう。 Koichi Mami, you don't have to speak so politely. It feels too formal. Let's talk more casually.

マミそうですか？わかりました。じゃあ…そうするね。 Mami Oh, really? I see. Okay…I'll do that then.

If someone asks you to use タメ口（　　ぐち） , it is likely that the person wants to be friends with you. Or タメ口（　　ぐち） can also be a sign of romantic interest. Depending on the situation and the person who is asking you to be more casual with them, you have the choice whether or not to reduce your social distance with them. In fact, more than half of the people we asked about their タメ口（　　ぐち） experiences said that they tend to reject this kind of offer. This shows some people believe using タメ口（　　ぐち） is one way to get closer with people, while other people feel uncomfortable about reducing the social distance.

Between people who are roughly the same age, it is common to gradually shift from polite style to タメ口（　　ぐち） without asking one another for permission. There are also situations where people mix casual and polite speech styles from the very first time they meet. Good examples of this are 合（ごう）コン (group dating parties), 新歓（しんかん） (welcome parties for college freshmen), or other situations where there is an underlying consensus that people are there to get closer with one another. If the goal of the relationship is to be friends, it makes sense to start off on more casual footing.

As you can see, the way Japanese people use polite speech is closely related to their desire to regulate social distance.

So far, we have talked about situations where you use casual speech styles with someone who is older than you or in a higher social position than you. When you use polite speech style with your close friends or family members, what impact do you think this has on your communication with them? Remember that using です creates distance between the speaker and the listener. When doing this with someone who is usually in your personal space bubble, the listener will feel ejected from the bubble, which can have a comedic, sarcastic effect but can also be perceived as rude or hurtful. Let's explore how this works in real life situations.

Imagine a situation where you have a boyfriend who is bragging about getting a whole lot of chocolates from his colleagues on Valentine's Day. Instead of using your energy to complain about his lack of sensitivity, you can say the following sentence, keeping the tone of your voice low for effect.

へー、良かったですねー。
Oh, good for you.

Saying this in a casual speech form would still communicate your true thoughts, which is that you're not happy about what he told you, if you manipulate the tone of your voice and facial expressions to show sarcasm. But the addition of です, makes your boyfriend feel you are creating distance between the two of you, and this makes your statement sound even colder. Remember, です emphasizes distance and creates certain nuances only when you use it with someone who you normally talk to in casual speech style.

Let's look at another example. Say your friend tapped you on the shoulder to show you a tall tower of Cheerios that they just made. They want you to share in their glory, but you are underwhelmed.

見て、できた！チェリオタワー！ Look! I built a Cheerio tower!

はいはい、すごいですね〜。
Okay, okay. That's great.

Again, you can create a sarcastic tone by changing your voice quality and facial expression. Saying this with です, emphasizes the fact that you are actually not impressed by the tower. This can also be a friendly joke since you sound like you're imitating an elementary school teacher giving a compliment to a child. This point will be discussed more in the next section.

If you're not careful, however, this sarcasm can be interpreted as being condescending and rude. For example, imagine you are in a heated tennis match and your opponent says to you:

あれ、疲れた？さっきまでの元気はどこですか？
Ah, tired? What happened to all that energy you had just now?

Saying this without ですか is still mean, but including ですか emphasizes the fact that there is suddenly distance between you and your opponent. This distance makes the listener feel they are looked down upon.

This kind of statement might remind you of anime characters that use polite speech during a battle or sports match. For example, Frieza from Dragon Ball uses polite speech on a regular basis, even during battles, so as to present himself as superior to his opponent. He changes his speech style to plain form, however, when he gets into trouble or loses a battle. In this way, the manga writer effectively shows a shift in the character's energy and mental state, simply by switching between だ and です.

By now, we hope you can see that your choice of speech style is associated with how you want to present yourself in relation to the person you're speaking to. In the following section, we will take this even further by showing you how you can present a different "version" of yourself by switching speech style.

We've talked about how です creates distance between speakers and listeners, resulting in different nuances in communication. Another way this distance affects our communication is that it allows speakers to step into a different social role. What do we mean by a "different social role?" Well, in life we wear many different "hats," and we can use the way we speak to indicate which hat we are wearing at a given moment.

Let's use the example of elementary school teachers to clarify this point. In Japanese schools, teachers typically use polite speech style to address their classes as a whole. By emphasizing their role as a teacher using polite speech, they can keep their students aware of the fact that they are in school where kids have to learn certain social rules and manners.

There are conditions, however, where teachers change their speech style in the middle of what they are saying. What motivates their choice of one speech style over the other is how they want to present themselves within the narrative of a given moment. Let's examine an example conversation between a teacher and his students.

先生今日の日直誰ですか。 Teacher Who's on duty today?

森佐藤くんです。 Mori It's Satō.

先生黒板に名前書き忘れてるぞ、佐藤。ちゃんと書いとけよ。 Teacher You didn't write your name down on the blackboard, Satō. Do it later.

佐藤あ。はい。 Satō Oh, okay.

先生忘れんなよ。はい、じゃあ、朝の会始めましょう。 Teacher Don't forget. Okay, anyway, let's start the morning meeting.

As you can see, teachers use polite speech style to address the whole class when talking about something that is relevant to everyone. When they talk to a specific student about something that is relevant only to that student, they are more likely to use casual speech. This is because what they say is more or less personal when they address particular students. When they address the whole class however, teachers tend to use です to show that they are now engaged in a social activity they are responsible for. In other words, teachers use です to signal that their focus is on the class, and they are well aware of their role as a teacher.

Taking everything you've learned so far about how です and だ affect the meaning of spoken Japanese, let's look at one final example and see how the concepts apply. We'll be drawing from all the previous sections, so think of this as a mini-review. Here goes!

Imagine you're watching the Nichihamu baseball team play a game at the Sapporo Dome. Now that you've read this article, you're becoming more aware of how だ and です are used in real life, and you notice that the announcer keeps switching between these casual and polite forms throughout the game. Why does she make these changes in her speech? Check out the dialogue below, and see if you can apply the concepts you learned to account for her language choices. Once you've had a chance to think about the effects of だ and です in this dialogue, hover or tap the blurred text below to reveal our analysis and compare it with your own.

バッターは４番中田です。いい打球ですが...ファウルです。２球目...いい打球だ！
The next batter is number 4, Nakata. A good hit, but it's a foul. The second pitch... he knocks it out of the park!

In the next section on how です and だ are used in writing, you'll see how writers can also play with this system to add character and finesse to their writing.

Now that you have been initiated into the secrets of だ and です, let's turn our attention to how they are used in different types of writing. Along the way, you will see how the general concepts of だ and です we've seen in speaking can also be applied to writing, albeit with sometimes differing effects. You will also get a feel for the differences between written and spoken Japanese, as well as their ever-increasing similarities.

We'll begin with the conceptual difference between です and だ in Japanese writing. This section will also feel very abstract, so we'll rely on images for help. Take a look at the image below to get a visual sense of how です feels in writing.

Remember how です is used in speech for communication that is consciously directed toward other people? This same idea applies to written Japanese.

In the image, the writer is directly addressing the readers. Just like spoken です, the writer's focus is on the audience. They are thinking about the reader as they write, and the intention is to produce polite, socially-aware communication. Writing with です therefore carries a soft tone and gives the impression that the writer is speaking to the reader.

So what about だ? Remember, だ statements in spoken Japanese allow a speaker to focus on self-expression. In other words, these statements are not overtly interactional because they stay within the speaker's personal space.

In writing, the theory remains the same. Unlike です, だ is used in formal written communication to take on an informative and objective tone. In the image above, the writer is focused on what they want to express in their writing, and the readers are interested in the information being relayed.

In more casual writing, such as chat or social media posts between friends, だ works in just about the same way as it does in spoken Japanese.

In other words, the underlying principle of だ for self-expression holds, but has a differing effect according to the context.

Again, our concepts might feel a bit hazy at this point, but this is because they are applicable across all contexts. In order to make these concepts more concrete, in a moment we'll be taking a look at various different media, from formal to informal and everything in between.

Before diving into that, however, let's see how this conceptual understanding of だ and です can be applied to traditional Japanese writing styles.

Traditional Writing Styles and Rules

Japanese writing can be divided into two major styles, often called です・ます style and だ・である style.

The term です・ます style is simply another way to refer to the polite style with です that we have already looked at in the speaking section. This style follows the same broad concept that です represents in speaking. In other words, です shows engagement with social rules and therefore directs the writing specifically toward the reader.

The だ・である style can be equated with that of だ in speaking, though its impact varies dramatically according to the level of formality. This fits in with the idea that だ is "raw" and can therefore be used to show naked emotions and bare facts alike, without the sense of social etiquette that is part and parcel of です・ます style.

If we delve a little deeper, だ・である style can also be broken down further into two distinct styles. With impeccable logic, these two styles are known as だ style and—you guessed it—である style. They are often treated as one and the same because they come under the umbrella of だ for self-expression, implying a lack of focus on the audience.

When it comes to actual writing styles, however, だ style and である style are usually considered separate as they carry different nuances. To put it simply, だ is plain and である is a bit more authoritative and formal.

For that reason, だ style is usually referred to as plain style, and である style is referred to variously in textbooks as plain-formal, literary, or expository style. です・ます style remains one set, referred to as polite style.

This rule of consistency is particularly important when it comes to academic papers, school essays, newspaper reports, and other types of "informative" writing.

With all these different writing styles, it will come as no surprise that there are some set rules of thumb that writers are expected to follow. One such rule is to stick to the same style within one piece of writing. This rule of consistency is particularly important when it comes to academic papers, school essays, newspaper reports, and other types of "informative" writing. Going against this rule could make the writing seem of lower quality and is generally frowned upon.

In many genres of writing, however, the styles may be mixed. The rules tend to be bent, or outright broken, when it comes to blogs, novels, or any other more "expressive" form of writing. In such writing, this mixing is used as a clever device to convey complex nuances.

Mastering this concoction is the key to fully understanding Japanese writing. By the end of this section, we hope you will have a thorough understanding of how だ and です function in Japanese writing. To get you there, we're going to take a look at writing style across a range of different genres, starting with the ones that follow the rules. Just like Picasso, let's learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.

Genres with Consistent Style

As we just learned above, a basic rule of Japanese writing is to stick with one style. So if you start with です・ます style, don't switch to だ style or である style halfway through your composition. In this section, we will walk you through a variety of genres that tend to uphold this rule.

We're going to start with the formal end of written Japanese and gradually work our way through various media to finish with the most casual. This means that we will begin with である. While texts that use である style are the same in other ways to texts with だ, the simple fact of switching out だ with である can change the feeling the reader has when they read the text.

である style is overwhelmingly employed in academic writing, particularly in published research papers, theses, and dissertations. This is because the information under discussion is objective, rigorous, and intended to be persuasive, making the authoritative and formal tone of である fitting in this kind of writing.

Lighter academic writing exercises such as high school essays, on the other hand, tend to use だ style instead. This is because である style is a bit too assertive and authoritative, and generally feels inappropriate for not-so-authoritative writing. In fact, one of our writers, Mami, was laughed at by her literature teacher back in high school for writing an essay in である style. The である style can have a high-and-mighty connotation, so its use as base form is generally limited.

So the choice of writing style is more about the text's content and intended audience. である style is often used when the text is issued by some sort of authority, whereas plain old だ style is for more neutral and lighter texts.

As we've discussed above, である is primarily used in formal contexts, and conveys a certain authority in a stern, official sounding manner. The image above shows the first part of the Japanese Constitution. Needless to say, this is a very formal document, and である is the obvious choice to convey this formality.

The writing is not aimed at communicating with the reader but stating information that is "set in stone" and not up for discussion.

While です・ます style is obviously inappropriate, the formal だ style would not be too far off the mark. However, である style is favored in these contexts in order to convey the gravity of the subject matter.

Official documents, such as government reports and policy documents, are also primarily written in である style, like this document below.

However, to make these kinds of documents more user-friendly and easier to read, they sometimes make use of other writing styles. The following image is a page from a government-issued information packet , and three different styles are mixed in here.

In the image, the main, "informative" part of the document is written in である style, conveying facts in an authoritative manner. However, です style appears inside the speech bubble. Just like in actual speech, です・ます style shows that the writer is trying to make their message more accessible to the readers by creating the feeling that they are talking to their audience.

です・ます style is often associated with simple, easy-to-read instructions or guidelines addressing the reader directly. So even in formal writing, if information is portrayed as being directed toward the reader, です・ます style will almost always be favored.

Finally, you'll notice in this text that there are quite a few sentences that end with neither です・ます style nor である style, but simply with a noun or na-adjective. We won't go into this in detail in this article, but suffice it to say that this sort of ending is generally reserved for situations when clever use of space is paramount, such as captions, bullet points, and newspaper headlines. It can also be used to add some variety to a text and make it feel less monotonous.

We should point out that, even though styles are mixed within the document, the style within each section remains consistent, so it is still following the rules.

The purpose of news media is to convey information in a purely objective manner without the sense that this information carries authority. Here, だ style is usually preferred over である style to reflect the ideal that journalists should maintain a neutral voice in their writing, rather than trying to persuade the reader of their point of view.

As we mentioned earlier, headlines and photo captions omit です, だ, or である to conserve space, and this can even be seen within the body of articles to add a bit of variety to the text. Some news magazines also mix だ and である styles to give more flavor to their writing.

Within the same newspaper, the style can also vary depending on the type of writing. In editorials and other pieces that are addressing the reader directly, です・ます style can be used. Other styles, including である or very casual styles, can also be mixed in strategically to spice up writing and convey various nuances and different personas.

Not all news media outlets follow these general principles, however. While most online newspapers use だ style for fact reporting, NHK News Web has opted for です・ます style.

There are two possible reasons for this choice. Unlike newspapers, NHK doesn't have a print edition, and so it doesn't have to work within a limited space. That means they can freely address readers directly and politely by using です・ます to make their articles more accessible and sound friendly.

Another explanation could be that NHK is first and foremost a broadcaster, which might have influenced their choice of a more "spoken" style. We sent out a question to NHK, asking why they chose です・ます style, but the answer hasn't come in yet. We'll update this article with the reason once we hear from them. NHKさん、おねがいしま〜す！

Genres with Mixed Writing Style

Good stories are full of fascinating writing techniques, and in Japanese, the mixture of writing styles is one such technique.

So far we've examined genres of writing that are stylistically consistent, but there are plenty of situations where writers can depart from convention and rules can be bent or broken. When's the last time a novel moved you to tears? Or made you feel excited, sad, or scared? Novelists have a whole host of tricks up their sleeves to make their writing jump off the page and under our skin.

Good stories are full of fascinating writing techniques, and in Japanese, the mixture of writing styles is one such technique. This intentional breaking of the style consistency rule has become increasingly commonplace in contemporary Japanese writing, from novels and essays to everyday casual messages or social media posts.

This article isn't a course on Japanese literary techniques, so we'll only provide a glimpse here. Still, you'll come away with a good grip of how to manipulate readers by the strings of です and だ, according to the underlying concepts of each.

Creative writers tend to select one style as the prominent voice in their writing. However, they can intentionally mix in other styles to add different effects. Let's look at two ways in which these writing techniques are applied.

The following is an excerpt from Banana Yoshimoto's critically acclaimed novel, Kitchen .

しんと暗く、なにも息づいていない。見慣れていたはずのすべてのものが、まるでそっぽをむいているではないですか。私はただいまと言うよりはお邪魔しますと告げて抜き足で入りたくなる。 Cold and dark, not a sigh to be heard. Everything there, which should have been so familiar, seemed to be turning away from me. I entered gingerly, on tiptoe, feeling as though I should ask permission. (Translation by Megan Backus.)

Yoshimoto mainly uses だ style in this novel, but she switches to です style in the second sentence to make the reader feel as though the character is stepping out of the story momentarily to directly address the reader. This adds a feeling of sudden interaction with the reader, which is nearly impossible to reflect in the English translation.

Now let's take a look at another way of mixing styles in this excerpt from Osamu Dazai's short story, Villon's Wife .

その夜、十時すぎ、私は中野の店をおいとまして、坊やを背負い、小金井の私たちの家にかえりました。やはり夫は帰って来ていませんでしたが、しかし私は、平気でした。あすまた、あのお店へ行けば、夫に逢えるかも知れない。どうして私はいままで、こんないい事に気づかなかったのかしら。きのうまでの私の苦労も、所詮は私が馬鹿で、こんな名案に思いつかなかったからなのだ。私だって昔は浅草の父の屋台で、客あしらいは決して下手ではなかったのだから、これからあの中野のお店できっと巧く立ちまわれるに違いない。現に今夜だって私は、チップを五百円ちかくもらったのだもの。 Sometime after ten, I strap the boy to my back and return to our home in Koganei. My husband isn't here, but I'm not bothered. Tomorrow I'll be back at the shop, and maybe I'll see him there. I wonder why I didn't think of this in the first place. I did all that agonizing only because I was too stupid to come up with this brilliant little plan. I was always good at dealing with customers when I was helping at my father's oden stand, and I know I'll get on well at the place in Nakano. Tonight, in fact, I earned almost five hundred yen in tips. (Translation by Ralph McCarthy.)

In this story, the main character uses です・ます style for general narration, but switches to だ style when she begins to share her inner thoughts. This gives the sense that the character is turning her awareness inward but is allowing the reader in on her internal monologue.

While our examples are limited to novels, authors use these style-mixing techniques in a range of creative writing genres, from essays and editorials to advertisements and newspaper columns. Even in expository writing such as textbooks, guide books, or blog posts, you may notice that style mixing is used to make the writing more impactful and engaging.

In fact, most native Japanese speakers use style mixture to some extent, and social media posts are a great example of this.

While official accounts—like those belonging to government authorities or the local police force—post formal messages that are consistent in style, casual posts tend to mix styles depending on what the writer wants to convey. This kind of writing is often close in style to spoken Japanese, and similar rules apply.

Let's have a look at a typical social media post to give you an idea:

Original: 昨日撮ったツツジの写真です満開の花はやっぱりきれいだー

Translation: Here's a picture of a rhododendron that I took yesterday. Flowers in full bloom really are beautiful!

The first sentence introduces the topic and tells the account's followers what is in the attached picture. Then, in the second sentence, the style switches to casual to express the writer's inner thoughts, admiring the beauty of the flowers in full bloom.

Social media posts are often loaded with style mixing, as people can freely weave their thoughts in a message to their followers.

Text messages are another good example of how people mix different writing styles in a similar way to when they are speaking.

The biggest difference from Twitter is that you are interacting with a specific person or a group of people when texting. This means that your writing style is affected by the relationship between you and the recipients of your texts.

Look at the text message on the LINE screen to the left. There are two people in this LINE chat, one lives in the US and the other in Japan. They are trying to set up a time for a phone call. You can see that they mostly use a casual writing style, which is a good sign that they are close friends. However, in the final message you can see that the writer switches to です when referring to her lunch break at work:

ちなみに今、こちらは13:07でお昼休みです。 By the way, it's 1:07 p.m. here (in Japan), and I'm on my lunch break.

So why does she suddenly use です here, even though she's texting with a close friend? If you recall what we talked about in the speaking section of this article, the use of です is all about distance. While this can result in heightened formality and politeness, it can also allow us to create distance between our personal self and the social roles that we play. In the case of this LINE text, the person is using です to place distance between herself as a friend and herself as an office worker. This strategy also adds variety to the writing while drawing attention to certain information.

In fact, writing style mixture happens almost as much in texting as it does in speech. In our technological age, texting is quickly becoming more common and more interactional, and is beginning to blur the lines between written and spoken language. You will see style mixing in text messages that has the same effects as in speech, but don't be alarmed. With your newly-found conceptual understanding of です and だ, have confidence that you'll be able to interpret its meaning.

Who would have thought that there is so much to learn about です and だ? While this article was long and winding, we hope you can see how the basic concepts of です as socially-oriented and だ as self-oriented have remained consistent throughout. The effect that these concepts have on communication can vary depending on context, but underneath it all, their basic meaning remains the same.

Now that you're familiar with these core concepts, try applying them as you come across です and だ in real life. What shade of meaning do they add to a sentence? Better yet, experiment with applying these concepts to your own Japanese. Rather than trying to memorize rules from your textbook, think of these concepts as a kind of toolkit you can use to express yourself in a way that is most appropriate to your personality, and to all the weird and wonderful situations you find yourself in.

これでおしまいです。

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Japanese Sentence Structure & Word Order

When learning a new language, the grammatical part is inevitable. Even if you have a large vocabulary and can communicate well enough with native speakers of that language (which is a great way to practice at first!), you need to know the correct word order and sentence structure to continue improving.

Japanese grammar is totally different from English grammar. However, once you get used to the Japanese sentence structure, it will be much easier for you to make sentences. This is because the Japanese language word order is more flexible than that of English. In this article, we’ll introduce the basics of Japanese word order, which will help you better understand Japanese sentence structure as a whole. Brush up on your Japanese here at JapanesePod101.com !

Overview of Word Order in Japanese
The Basic Word Order of Japanese
Word Order with Postpositional Phrases
Word Order with Modifiers
Asking Questions
Let’s Practice Making a Sentence in Japanese!
Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Overview of Word Order in Japanese

1. Japanese is SOV

Japanese is an SOV language , which means that the basic word order in a sentence is S (subject) – O (object) – V (verb) . English, on the other hand, is an SVO language with the order of S (subject) – V (verb) – O (object) .

　　　　　(S) (O) (V)

Japanese : 私は本を読みます。( Watashi wa hon o yomimasu . )

(S) (V) (O)

English : “ I read the book .”

2. Variable/Flexible Sentence Structure

The Japanese sentence structure is flexible:

[1] The subject can be omitted when it’s clear from the context/situation.

[2] The subject and object(s) can be placed in a variable order.

(S) (O) (V)

(私は) 本を読みます。 [ (Watashi wa) hon o yomimasu . ] = “ I read the book .”

The subject 私は ( watashi wa ) can be omitted.

(S) (V) (O)

English: “ I read the book .”

In English, the subject can’t be omitted and the verb comes before the object.

　　　　　　 (S) (O) (V)

Japanese: (私は) 本を読みます。 [ (Watashi wa) hon o yomimasu . ]

In Japanese, the subject can be omitted and the verb is always at the end of a sentence. The basic word order in Japanese is variable in that the subject can also appear after the object, and the order of the objects (if there are multiple) is flexible.

The postpositional particles are used in a Japanese sentence to modify words.

3. The Distinguishable Features of Word Order in Japanese Sentences

Compared to English, one of the distinguishable features of word order in Japanese is that Japanese has a 述語 ( Jyutsugo ), grammatically translated as “ predicate .”

The predicate is one of the two main parts of a sentence stating something about the subject. While an English predicate can appear in the middle of a sentence, a Japanese 述語 ( Jyutsugo ) is always placed at the end of a sentence. This applies to both the casual form and the polite form.

Japanese : 私は本を読みます。( Watashi wa hon o yomi masu . ) >> 読みます ( yomi masu ) is the predicate.

English : “I read the book.” >> “read the book” is the predicate.

2. The Basic Word Order of Japanese

1. SOV in Japanese

As we saw in the previous section, the basic sentence structure of Japanese is S (subject) – O (object) – V (verb).

Japanese parts of speech are usually followed by 助詞 ( Joshi ), or “particles,” that modify the word in front.

The subject is the person or thing that’s being discussed or described in a sentence, and the Japanese subject is usually followed by は ( wa ) or が ( ga ) , which are 格助詞 ( Kaku-Joshi ) meaning “case markers” or 係助詞 ( Kakari-Joshi ) meaning “binding particles.”

The object is usually a noun or pronoun that is acted upon by the subject. A Japanese object is followed by a particle, such as を ( o ) or に ( ni ) , which are 格助詞 ( Kaku-Joshi ). The verb conveys an action (eat, write, move, etc.), an occurrence (happen, change), or a state of being (be, seem, exist). Japanese verbs either end the sentence, or are followed by 丁寧体 ( Teinei-tai ) such as です ( desu ) or ます ( masu ) in the polite form.

2. Flexible Word Order

As we mentioned earlier, in Japanese grammar, word order is pretty flexible. Look at the diagram of the Japanese sentence structure in 1. 2. [2] above; the word order of the subject and object(s) is flexible. Even though the subject usually appears at the beginning of a sentence, the subject can also be placed in the middle or even be omitted.

Let’s take a look at the example.

S (subject) – O (object) – V (verb)

(私は)明日図書館で友達と本を読みます。

(Watashi wa) ashita toshokan de tomodachi to hon o yomimasu.

(I) (tomorrow) (at the library) (with a friend) (the book) (read).

“I will read the book with a friend at the library tomorrow.”

The subject and object(s) can be placed in a variable order.

For example, the sentence above can also be in the following orders:

(私は)図書館で明日友達と本を読みます。

(Watashi wa) toshokan de ashita tomodachi to hon o yomimasu .

(私は)友達と図書館で明日本を読みます。

(Watashi wa) tomodachi to toshokan de ashita hon o yomimasu . 　

明日図書館で(私は)友達と本を読みます。

Ashita toshokan de (watashi wa) tomodachi to hon o yomimasu.

3. Word Order with Postpositional Phrases

While English uses prepositions (such as “at,” “on,” and “for”) to express a relationship to another word, Japanese uses postpositional particles, or 助詞 ( Joshi ) . These particles come after the modified noun, verb, adjective, or at the end of a sentence.

There are several types of particles, categorized by function. However, we’ll only introduce the most essential particle: 格助詞 ( Kaku-Joshi ) or “case maker.”

When there are multiple objects, their order is flexible and variable as mentioned in the previous section.

彼は駅まで歩きました。( Kare wa eki made arukimashita. ), “He walked to the station.”

4. Word Order with Modifiers

With the basic Japanese word order rules in mind, let’s see how it works with modifiers to make more complex sentences.

A modifier is a word—such as an adjective, pronoun, or adverb—that expresses something about the word that follows it. Adjectives and pronouns modify nouns; adverbs modify verbs.

Here’s the Japanese word order with modifiers by function.

1. With Adjectives

In Japanese word order, adjectives come in front of nouns to describe them.

赤いりんご ( akai ringo ), “red apple”
分厚い本 ( buatsui hon ), “thick book”

In a sentence with a subject and verb, the format is: S (subject) – O (object) – V (verb).

彼は赤いりんごを食べました。 ( Kare wa akai ringo o tabemashita . ) , “He ate a red apple.”
私は分厚い本を読みます。 ( Watashi wa buatsui hon o yomimasu . ) , “I read the thick book.”

To learn more about Japanese adjectives, please visit our page on the Most Common Adjectives.

2. With Possessive Pronouns

Japanese possessive pronouns—such as 私の ( watashi no ) meaning “my” and 彼の ( kare no ) meaning “his”—come in front of nouns. The Japanese possessive case is の ( -no ) which is the postpositional particle marked after a person or thing.

私の車 ( Watashi no kuruma ), “my car”
彼女の家 ( Kanojo no ie ), “her house”

In a sentence with a subject and verb:

彼は私の車を使いました。( Kare wa watashi no kuruma o tsukaimashita . ), “He used my car.”
私は彼女の家へ行きました。( Watashi wa kanojo no ie e ikimashita . ), “I went to her house.”

3. With Adverbs

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Japanese adverbs come in front of the words they modify.

静かに話します ( shizuka ni hanashimasu ), “speak quietly”
ひどく疲れました ( hidoku tsukaremashita ), “terribly tired”

In a sentence with a subject and verb:

彼女は静かに話します。( Kanojo wa shizuka ni hanashimasu . ), “She speaks quietly.”
彼女はとても静かに話します。( Kanojo wa totemo shizuka ni hanashimasu . ), “She speaks very quietly.”
私はひどく疲れました。( Watashi wa hidoku tsukaremashita . ), “I got terribly tired.”

For more about Japanese adverbs, please check out our page on Must-Know Adverbs and Phrases for Connecting Thoughts.

4. With Numerals

When numerals modify a noun, they come before that noun. When numerals are used as an object, they come before verbs.

一冊の本 ( Issatsu no hon ), “one book”
二つのりんご ( Futatsu no ringo ), “two apples”
5匹います ( Go-hiki imasu ), “there are five (kinds of animals)”
私は１冊の本を読みます。( Watashi wa issatsu no hon o yomimasu . ), “I read one book.”
木から落ちたのは二つのりんごです。( Ki kara ochita no wa futatsu no ringo desu . ), “What fell from a tree are two apples.”
動物園にパンダが5頭います。( Dōbutsuen ni panda ga go-tō imasu . ), “There are five pandas in the zoo.”

There’s a great variety of Japanese counter words which are used when talking about things, actions, or events.

For more about the basics of Japanese numbers, please visit Numbers and Kanji for Numbers and Counters .

Dōbutsuen ni panda ga go- tō imasu . (“There are five pandas in the zoo.”)

5. Asking Questions

Making an interrogative sentence in Japanese is surprisingly easy! It doesn’t involve changing the word order or adding an auxiliary verb to form a question, like in English (e.g. You swim. >> Do you swim?).

In Japanese, you only have to add か ( ka ) , a question marker, to the end of a sentence and pronounce it with a rising intonation.

Polite / Basic Sentence

私は本を読みます。( Watashi wa hon o yomimasu . ), “I read the book.”

　　　 Question : 私は本を読みますか。 ( Watashi wa hon o yomimasu ka .), “Do I read the book?”

これは 100円です。( Kore wa hyaku-en desu . ), “This is 100 yen.”

Question : これは 100円ですか。 ( Kore wa hyaku-en desu ka. ), “Is this 100 yen?”

彼女は肉を食べません。( Kanojo wa niku o tabemasen . ), “She doesn’t eat meat.”

Question : 彼女は肉を食べませんか。( Kanojo wa niku o tabemasen ka . ), “Doesn’t she eat meat?”

Casual Sentence

In casual and colloquial speech, just change the pronunciation to have a rising intonation at the end of a sentence, without adding か ( ka ) .

今日は寒い。( Kyō wa samui. ), “Today is cold.”

　　　 Question : 今日は寒い ? ( Kyō wa samui ? ), “Is today cold?”

私に小包が届いた。( Watashi ni kozutsumi ga todoita. ), “The parcel was delivered to me.”

Question : 私に小包が届いた？ ( Watashi ni kozutsumi ga todoita ? ), “Was the parcel delivered to me?”

（あなたは）犬が好き。[ (Anata wa) inu ga suki. ], “You like dogs.”

Question :（あなたは）犬が好き？ [ (Anata wa) inu ga suki ? ], “Do you like dogs?”

6. Let’s Practice Making a Sentence in Japanese!

Learning by doing is the best way to master! Now, let’s practice making a Japanese sentence, step by step, with the Japanese word order rules you’ve learned today. If you don’t remember anything, feel free to review the sections above!

Try to translate the following sentences in Japanese.

1. “You went to the library.” : _________________

2. “You went to the library in the morning.” : _________________

3. “You went to the library in the morning at eight o’clock.” : _________________

4. “Did you go to the library in the morning?” : _________________

5. “She ate sushi today.” : _________________

6. “She ate sushi with Mariko today.” : _________________

7. “She ate sushi with Mariko for lunch today.” : _________________

8. “Did she eat sushi with Mariko for lunch today?” :_________________

If you don’t know certain vocabulary words, please check out our lists for the 50 Most Common Verbs and our School Vocabulary .

Little Girl Picking a Book at the Library

“Library” in Japanese is 図書館 ( toshokan ).

1. “You went to the library.”

　あなたは図書館へ行きました。( Anata wa toshokan e ikimashita. )

2. “You went to the library in the morning.”

　あなたは朝図書館へ行きました。( Anata wa asa toshokan e ikimashita. )

3. “You went to the library in the morning at eight o’clock.”

あなたは朝8時に図書館へ行きました。( Anata wa asa hachi-ji ni toshokan e ikimashita. )

4. “Did you go to the library in the morning?”

　あなたは朝図書館へ行きましたか。( Anata wa asa toshokan e ikimashita ka. )　

5. “She ate sushi today.”

彼女は今日寿司を食べました。( Kanojo wa kyō sushi o tabemashita. )

6. “She ate sushi with Mariko today.”

彼女は今日まりこと寿司を食べました。( Kanojo wa kyō Mariko to sushi o tabemashita. )

7. “She ate sushi with Mariko for lunch today.”

彼女は今日お昼ご飯にまりこと寿司を食べました。( Kanojo wa kyō o-hirugohan ni Mariko to sushi o tabemashita. )

8. “Did she eat sushi with Mariko for lunch today?” :

彼女は今日まりこと寿司を食べましたか。( Kanojo wa kyō Mariko to sushi o tabemashita ka. )

*The word order of objects can vary when there are many in a sentence.

7. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

In this article, we introduced you to Japanese word order. Now you understand how the Japanese sentence structure works. At first, you might feel confused about the flexibility of Japanese word order, but you’ll find it’s actually a lot easier to make complex sentences once you get used to it!

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language and practice other useful Japanese phrases for any situation, you’ll find a lot more helpful content on JapanesePod101.com . We provide a variety of free lessons to help you improve your Japanese language skills. Here’s some more information about the basics of Japanese with audio: Top 10 Sentence Patterns for Beginners and Most Useful Pronouns .

And there’s so much more we can offer you! Learn faster and enjoy studying Japanese at JapanesePod101.com !

Before you go, let us know in the comments if you still have questions about Japanese word order. We’d be glad to help.

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Useful Phrases for Meeting People in Japan

A group of young men and woman standing next to each other, giving a peace sign with their fingers and posing for the camera.

One of the best ways to learn the Japanese language and culture is to make Japanese friends.But for many of us, meeting someone new can be hard – and awkward – and it can take us out of our comfort zone.And if you’re still learning how to speak Japanese, it may seem intimidating or even impossible to reach out to new people.

The phrases in this article are very basic, but can help you a lot when you first starting learning Japanese. The main thing is to try and use what you learn. So be sure to challenge yourself and give these phrases a try!

To be Polite or Casual?

The phrases in this article are meant for making friends, not for meeting people in the business setting.

The language you use to meet new people is very different, depending on the setting and on who you are meeting.

This article focuses on meeting new people in a social, casual setting, where the language typically starts off in polite form but may (or may not) gradually shift over to casual form at any point in the conversation.

When to make the shift to casual speech depends on how the conversation is going, how old you and your new friend are, what kind of vibes you are both giving off – it’s really up to you to decide.

To be on the safe side, it’s always good to be more polite than too casual when it comes to speaking with someone new.

You can always switch later to casual form, to avoid offending anyone.

Where to Start: Greetings

To greet someone you’ve just met in Japan, you’ll use the phrase:

初めまして。 (Hajimemashite.) English: It’s nice to meet you.

If you want to be extra polite, you can add:

よろしくお願いします。(Yoroshiku onegaishimasu)

There really isn’t an equivalent phrase in English for this, but it kind of means, “Please treat me well.”

If you are introducing yourself, you can add your name in:

“初めまして、カンナです。(Hajimemashite, Kanna desu.) English: I’m Kanna, nice to meet you.

And again, if you want to be very polite, you can add: “よろしくお願いします.”

If it’s a casual conversation, adding “よろしくお願いします” might sound too formal and stiff, and wouldn’t feel very natural.

Sometimes people will simply say “よろしく” in a more casual conversation instead.

Check out this video lesson teaching you how to introduce yourself with basic Japanese sentences. You’ll have to put in your e-mail address, but there are tons of free audio and video lessons you can listen to. Or if you prefer audio, check out the basic introduction audio lesson .

What’s in a Name?

To ask someone what their name is, you can ask:

お名前はなんですか？ (Onamae wa nandesuka?)

The key word in this phrase is 名前 (namae), which means “name.”

If you hear this word when someone is asking you a question, it’s likely they are asking for your name.

In which case you can answer:

私の名前はカンナです。 (Watashi no namae wa Kanna desu.) English: My name is Kanna.

Or you can simply reply:

カンナです。(Kanna desu) “I’m Kanna.”

Where Are You From?

Another common question for when you’re meeting someone new is to ask where they are from.

Polite Version:

どちらのご出身ですか？ (Dochira no goshusshin desuka?) English: Where are you from?

Casual Version:

出身はどこですか？ (Shushhin wa doko desuka?) “Where are you from?”

In either phrase, the key word is listen for is 出身 (shusshin), which means “person’s origin,” or simple put, “where are you from?”

If you want to reply, you can simply say your country’s name followed by the sentence ending です (desu).

アメリカです。(America desu.) “America”

Or, you can say:

アメリカ出身です。(American shusshin desu.) “I’m from America.”

Check out this audio lesson on how to give a more formal introduction in basic Japanese.

Where Do You Live?

It’s always interesting to find out where people live, and the way to ask someone this in a very polite way is:

どこにお住まいですか？ (Doko ni osumai desuka?) “Where do you live?”

どこに住んでいますか？(Doko ni sunde imasuka?) English: Where do you live?”

To answer this question, you can say the name of the neighborhood/city/country like this:

神戸です。(Kobe desu.) English: (In) Kobe

Or you can say:

神戸に住んでいます。(Kobe ni sunde imasu.) English: I live in Kobe.

What Do you Do For Work?

This is a question that usually pops up in a first meeting and the key word to listen for is 仕事 (shigoto), which means “work.”

Someone might ask you this:

お仕事は何をされているんですか？ (Oshigoto wa nani wo sarete irun desuka?) “What do you do for work?”

Or for a slight variation, they might ask:

どんなお仕事をされているんですか？ (Donna oshigoto wo sarete irun desuka?) “What kind of work do you do?”

To answer this question, you can answer in several different ways.

For example, if you are a yoga teacher, you might say:

ヨガの先生です。(Yoga no sensei desu.) “I am a yoga teacher.”

ヨガの先生をやっています。(Yoga no sensei wo yatte imasu.)

This literally translates to “I do yoga teacher,” which doesn’t sound right in English, but it’s a type of sentence structure that is often used in Japanese. However, the meaning becomes “I’m a yoga teacher.”

You can also say:

ヨガを教えています。(Yoga wo oshiete masu.) English: I teach yoga.

If you’re a student and not yet working, you can say:

まだ学生です。(Mada gakusei desu.) English: I’m still a student.

You may then be asked:

何を勉強しているんですか？ (Nani wo benkyou shite irundesuka?) English: What are you studying?

Then you can say something like:

大学で日本語を勉強しています。(Daigaku de nihongo wo benkyou shite imasu.) English: I’m studying Japanese in college.

What Are Your Hobbies / What Do You Like to Do?

A great way to get to know someone is to find out what they like to do in their free time.

To ask someone what their hobbies/interests are, you ask:

あなたの趣味はなんですか？(Anata no shumi wa nandesuka?) English: What are your hobbies/interests?

Or you can simply ask 趣味はなんですか？ (shumi wa nan desu ka?)

To answer this question, you would say what your hobby is, followed by です (desu).

ヨガです。(Yoga desu.) English: (I like) yoga.

Getting Together Again

If you are starting to click with your new friend, or if you’re around the same age, then it’s not uncommon to switch from polite to casual speech sometime during your conversation.

Younger Japanese people tend to switch to casual speech pretty quickly with each other, or even start off with casual form.

Again, it’s a good idea to always start with the polite form to avoid offending anyone. You can then feel it out a bit before taking it down a notch.

However, speaking to someone politely for too long can create a sense of psychological distance between you.

So when the time feels right, definitely try making a gradual transition to casual form if you want to be friends.

Maybe you can try a mix of both polite and casual speech for a bit until you’re sure the other party is cool with it.

Here are ways to suggest getting together again:

また今度遊びましょう。(Mata kondo asobimashou.) English: Let’s hang out again sometime.

また今度遊ぼう。(Mata kondo asobou) English: Let’s hang out again sometime.

Or a variation of the casual form:

今度一緒に遊ぼう。(Kondo issho ni asobou.) English: Let’s hang out together sometime.

A key word to listen for is 遊ぼう (asobou), which literally translates to “play,” but in Japanese it usually means “let’s get together and do something.”

Going out drinking together is a common way for new people to hang out in Japan.

If you want to ask someone to go drinking with you in polite form, you can say:

今度飲みに行きましょう。(Kondo nomi ni ikimashou.) English: Let’s go drinking sometime.

Or if you’ve switched over to casual form:

今度飲みに行こうよ。(Kondo nomi ni ikouyo.) English: Let’s go drinking sometime.

Japanese Don’t Always Mean What They Say

Now, we all know that “Let’s get together sometime” doesn’t always mean that you’ll actually get together.

Sometimes it’s just a polite thing to say.

But what if you do actually want to hang out with someone you just met?

Try this phrase if you’re in polite form:

いや本当に、よかったら今度飲みに行きましょう。(Iya honto ni, yokattara kondo nomi ni ikimashou.) English: No but really, if you’re open to it, let’s go drinking together sometime.

Or if you’re on casual terms:

マジで今度飲みに行こうよ。(Maji de kondo nomi ni ikou yo.) English: Seriously (not just saying), let’s go drinking together.

Or you can try making more concrete plans, like this, in polite form:

来週うちに遊びに来てください。(Raishyuu uchi ni asobi ni kite kudasai.) English: Please come to my house next week to hang out.

And if you’re already buddies, you can use the casual form:

来週うちに遊びに来ない？ (Raishyuu uchi ni asobi ni konai?) English: Wanna come hang out at my place next week?

Meeting People in Japan - Japan Handshake

Making new friends can be a bit of a scary thing – you don’t know anything about each other and you’re not even sure if you’ll like each other. But these basic phrases can help you out when you’re just starting to meet people in Japan.

You may even find that you can use a lot of English peppered in and still communicate, as more Japanese people are learning and speaking English lately.And there are more English words being incorporated into Japanese, some of it as legitimate words and others as more slang-type words.The most important thing to remember about meeting new people is to start off speaking to them using polite speech.Starting with the casual form right off the bat might seem a bit disrespectful, or just too intimate.

Finding the right balance of being polite yet friendly and open can be difficult (even for Japanese people), but once you overcome that hurdle, and cross over into speaking casually all the time, you won’t have to worry about it anymore.

So go ahead, make some new friends, and don’t forget to use these useful phrases! If you would like to learn more Japanese with fun and easy to understand lessons, check out our review on Japanesepod101.com .

What are some phrases you’ve encountered when meeting new people?

Has it been easy or difficult making new friends in Japan?

Please let us know in the comments!

Image Credits

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Kanna Livingston

Full text of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida's speech to U.S. Congress

Leader stresses that Japan has stepped up as a global partner

The following is the full text of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's speech at the U.S. Congress on Thursday.

1. Introduction

Mr. Speaker, Madam Vice President, Honorable Members of the United States Congress, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you, I never get such nice applause from the Japanese Diet.

And let me introduce my wife, Yuko, who is in the gallery. The fact that I married Yuko should give you great confidence in all my decisions.

I am truly honored to speak here in this citadel of democracy and before you, the representatives of the American people.

Nine years ago, the late Prime Minister Abe, who was a close friend of mine, stood in this very spot and gave an address titled "Toward an Alliance of Hope." I was Foreign Minister in his Cabinet at that time, and I was deeply struck to witness the bond between our two countries.

Since childhood, I have felt a connection to the United States, perhaps because I spent my first three years of elementary school at PS 20 and PS 13 in Queens, New York. Even though I was the only Japanese student there, my classmates kindly accepted me and helped me immerse myself in a new culture.

We arrived in the fall of 1963, and for several years my family lived like Americans. My father would take the subway to Manhattan where he worked as a trade official. We rooted for the Mets and the Yankees, and ate hot dogs at Coney Island. On vacation, we would go to Niagara Falls or here to Washington, D.C.

And I remember things that were strange and funny to a little Japanese boy, like watching the Flintstones. I still miss that show. Although I could never translate "yabba dabba doo."

After 60 years, I have a message for the good people of Queens. Thank you for making my family and me feel so welcome. I have never forgotten it.

So, I speak to you today as a long and close friend of the United States. I know that the National Park Service is undertaking a rehabilitation project in the Tidal Basin.

As a gesture of friendship, Japan will provide 250 cherry trees that will be planted there, in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of your independence.

2. The leadership of the United States

As you might also remember, the 1964 World's Fair was held in Queens. Its symbol was a giant Unisphere, and the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding." And yet we also know that peace requires more than understanding. It requires resolve.

The U.S. shaped the international order in the postwar world through economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power. It championed freedom and democracy. It encouraged the stability and prosperity of nations, including Japan. And, when necessary, it made noble sacrifices to fulfill its commitment to a better world.

The United States policy was based on the premise that humanity does not want to live oppressed by an authoritarian state, where you are tracked and surveilled and denied from expressing what is in your heart and on your mind.

You believed that freedom is the oxygen of humanity. The world needs the United States to continue playing this pivotal role in the affairs of nations. And yet, as we meet here today, I detect an undercurrent of self-doubt among some Americans about what your role in the world should be.

3. New Challenges

This self-doubt is arising at a time when our world is at history's turning point. The post-Cold War era is already behind us, and we are now at an inflection point that will define the next stage of human history.

The international order that the U.S. worked for generations to build is facing new challenges, challenges from those with values and principles very different from ours.

Freedom and democracy are currently under threat around the globe. Climate change has caused natural disasters, poverty, and displacement on a global scale. In the COVID-19 pandemic, all humanity suffered.

Rapid advances in AI technology have resulted in a battle over the soul of AI that is raging between its promise and its perils. The balance of economic power is shifting. The Global South plays a greater role in responding to challenges and opportunities and calls for a larger voice.

Turning to Japan's own neighborhood, China's current external stance and military actions present an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge, not only to the peace and security of Japan but to the peace and stability of the international community at large.

While such a challenge from China continues, our commitment to upholding a free and open international order based on the rule of law, as well as peace, will continue to be the defining agenda going forward.

As a Hiroshima native, I have devoted my political career to bringing about a world without nuclear weapons. For years, I have worked to revitalize the Non-Proliferation Treaty regime so that we can gain momentum in pursuit of the aspiration. But there exists an imminent danger of nuclear weapons proliferation in East Asia. North Korea's nuclear and missile program is a direct threat. The issue of abductions by North Korea remains a critical issue.

North Korea's provocations have impact beyond the region. It has also exported its ballistic missiles to support Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, greatly increasing the suffering of the Ukrainian people. Russia's unprovoked, unjust, and brutal war of aggression against Ukraine has entered its third year. As I often say, Ukraine of today may be East Asia of tomorrow.

Furthermore, Russia continues to threaten the use of nuclear weapons, which has contributed to worldwide concern that yet another catastrophe by nuclear weapon use is a real possibility. In this reality, close coordination between Japan and the U.S. is required more than ever to ensure that the deterrence our Alliance provides remains credible and resilient.

New forms of oppression are being imposed on the world. Freedom is being suppressed through digital technologies. Social media is censored, monitored, and controlled.

There are growing cases of economic coercion and the so-called "debt trap" diplomacy, whereby the economic dependency of nations is exploited and weaponized.

Facing such rapidly changing pressures, how do we continue to safeguard our common values?

4. Global Partners

I want to address those Americans who feel the loneliness and exhaustion of being the country that has upheld the international order almost singlehandedly.

I understand it is a heavy burden to carry such hopes on your shoulders.

Although the world looks to your leadership, the U.S. should not be expected to do it all, unaided and on your own.

Yes, the leadership of the United States is indispensable.

Without U.S. support, how long before the hopes of Ukraine would collapse under the onslaught from Moscow?

Without the presence of the United States, how long before the Indo-Pacific would face even harsher realities?

Ladies and gentlemen, as the United States' closest friend, tomodachi , the people of Japan are with you, side by side, to assure the survival of liberty. Not just for our people, but for all people.

I am not saying this out of my strong attachment to America. I am an idealist but a realist, too. The defense of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law is the national interest of Japan.

The Japanese people are fully committed to these values. I do not want to leave our children a society where human rights are suppressed, where political self-determination is denied, where our lives are monitored by digital technology. I know you don't either.

Upholding these values is both a cause and a benefit for our two countries as well as for the generations to come across the world.

Right now, Japanese and U.S. service members are working side by side to deter aggression and ensure peace.

I admire them, I thank them, and I know I speak for all of us when I say -- they have the gratitude of both our nations.

On the spaceship called "Freedom and Democracy," Japan is proud to be your shipmate. We are on deck, we are on task. And we are ready to do what is necessary.

The democratic nations of the world must have all hands on deck. I am here to say that Japan is already standing shoulder to shoulder with the United States.

You are not alone. We are with you.

Japan has changed over the years. We have transformed ourselves from a reticent ally, recovering from the devastation of World War II, to a strong, committed ally, looking outward to the world.

Japan has transformed its national security strategy. Uncertainty about the future stability of the Indo-Pacific region caused us to change our policies and our very mindset. I myself have stood at the forefront in making our bilateral alliance even stronger.

In 2022, we announced that we would secure a substantial increase of our defense budget by FY 2027 to 2% of GDP, possess counterstrike capabilities, and improve cybersecurity. Today, the deterrence that our Alliance provides is stronger than ever, bolstered by U.S. extended deterrence for Japan.

Japan has taken strong sanctions against Russia in the wake of its aggression against Ukraine. We have announced over $12 billion in aid to Ukraine, including anti-drone detection systems. This is part of NATO's aid package, and yes, we are even working with NATO on the other side of the world from us.

I might add that in February, to help a devastated Ukraine get through these agonizing times, I hosted the conference for Ukraine's economic growth and reconstruction. Japan will continue to stand with Ukraine.

As the geopolitical landscape changed and as Japan grew in confidence, we expanded our outlook beyond that of being America's closest ally. We first became a regional partner of the United States, and now we have become your global partner. Never has our relationship been so close, our vision and approach so united.

Today, our partnership goes beyond the bilateral. Examples include trilateral and quadrilateral cooperation among the U.S., Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, India, and the Philippines as well as cooperation through the G7 and with ASEAN. The three leaders of the U.S., the Republic of Korea and Japan convened at Camp David last summer to inaugurate a new era of our partnership.

From these various endeavors emerges a multilayered regional framework where our Alliance serves as a force multiplier. And, together with these like-minded countries, we are working to realize a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.

Here in this chamber, we should have strong bipartisan support for these efforts.

Japan believes in U.S. leadership, and we also believe in the U.S. economy. Japan is the number one foreign direct investor in the United States. Japanese companies have invested around $800 billion, creating almost one million American jobs. These are good jobs with half a million jobs in the manufacturing sector alone.

At home, I am embarking on a set of initiatives called a New Form of Capitalism to drive the Japanese economy. The public and private sectors are joining hands to transform the social challenges we face into engines of growth. Wage increases, capital investment, stock prices -- all have attained levels not seen for thirty years. The Japanese economy is now making strides by capitalizing on these unprecedented and major changes. A growth-oriented Japanese economy should also spur even greater investment in the United States.

And we can then help boost the global economy to steer it toward a strong growth trajectory in the years to come. Just yesterday, President Biden and I demonstrated our commitment to leading the world on the development of the next generation of emerging technologies, such as AI, quantum, semiconductors, biotechnology, and clean energy.

And the scope of our bilateral cooperation expands to space as well, illuminating our path toward a brighter and more hopeful tomorrow. The TV broadcast of Apollo 11's lunar landing in 1969 is still seared into my memory. Japan's lunar lander mission in January achieved the first pinpoint landing in history.

Yesterday, President Biden and I announced that a Japanese national will be the first non-American astronaut to land on the Moon on a future Artemis mission.

We have two astronauts with us today. Would Mr. Hoshide and Mr. Tani please stand?

Mr. Akihiko Hoshide has flown to space three times and served as commander of the International Space Station for five months in 2021.

Next to him, is Mr. Daniel Tani. He is a retired Japanese American astronaut who has conducted six spacewalks and in his two missions logged over 50 million miles.

Which is a lot of frequent-flyer points. Mr. Hoshide and Mr. Tani are living symbols of our collaboration in space, and we will have many more such collaborations in the future. Thank you, gentlemen.

5. Conclusion

Let me close with this final thought. I want you to know how seriously Japan takes its role as the United States' closest ally.

Together we carry a large responsibility. I believe that we are essential to peace, vital to freedom, and fundamental to prosperity.

Bonded by our beliefs, I pledge to you Japan's firm alliance and enduring friendship.

"Global Partners for the Future." -- We are your global partner today, and we will be your global partner in the years ahead.

Thank you for inviting me, thank you for your hospitality, and thank you for the role you play in the world.

Japan's Kishida says U.S. not alone in upholding world order

In pictures: biden hosts japan's kishida at glitzy state dinner, biden and kishida strengthen bonds to defend global order, u.s.-japan-philippines hold first trilateral, with 'many more' to come, kishida: japan ready to step up as u.s. 'global partner' at biden summit, japan's kishida expects more u.s. chip collaboration opportunities, japan's kishida and biden to establish indo-pacific disaster relief hub, latest on international relations, japan reboots 'mutually beneficial' china ties in new diplomatic bluebook, china relaxes german farm product controls in drive to win friends, xi tells germany's scholz to look at industry overcapacity 'objectively', sponsored content, about sponsored content this content was commissioned by nikkei's global business bureau..

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IMAGES

Casual Japanese Conversation
Japanese Daily Conversation
Japanese Informal Speech 3
How to speak casual Japanese
Japanese Polite vs Casual speech/日本語丁寧語 vs カジュアル
日本語Grammar lesson! Casual speech vs. Polite speech in Japanese

VIDEO

JAPANESE SPEECH CONTEST
5 Must-Know Japanese Phrases in Formal and Casual speech 🇯🇵
100 Essential Japanese Phrases for Small Talk
Farewell program speech in japanese language ｌ卒業式スピーチ
Japanese Speech||Students Speech Japanese Language||
Dechen won 2nd prize in Japanese language speech contest🥈🎊 #tcpfamily #ngo #dalailama #チベット仏教

COMMENTS

Formal vs Informal Speech in Japanese
With simple formal speech, the honorific you will use is " (name)-san ". To be more formal, use it together with someone's last name. For example, if someone's last name is "Yamada", you'd say "Yamada-san". You can also use it with someone's first name, but that would imply a closer or more friendly relationship.
Keigo (敬語) and Tameguchi (タメ口): Guide to Casual and Polite Japanese
The word "guchi" comes from the kanji kuchi (口), which means mouth or way of talking. The other name for tameguchi is tamego (タメ語) — 語 meaning "language". Tameguchi is casual and, if used in the wrong scenario, impolite. One of the easiest ways to spot the difference between polite, formal and casual Japanese is the length.
8 Cool Ways to Use Totally Informal Japanese
Another particle that's dropped in casual Japanese is the question particle か. Indicate that you're asking a question in casual Japanese the same way you do in English: with a question mark or with your intonation. 7. Drop い. When talking about doing something in the present tense in neutral Japanese, you'd use しています.
Japanese Formality: Your Guide to Using Formal and Informal ...
For the Hakata dialect, listen for あ (a), か (ka), と (to), よ (yo), and ば (ba) sounds. In Hiroshima, あ (a), お (o), and え (e) will greet your ears. As you can see, there are many layers to Japanese formality. How you speak depends on the situation, the status of the people talking to you, how close you are with your conversation ...
italki
To start things off, I call the informal or casual way of speaking a 友達ことば (friendly expression). 1. I and You. 私 or あたし (I, female) ぼく or おれ (I, male) あなた ( You ) You can add ちゃん (for a girl), くん (for a boy, male, female), and さん (for anyone). さん can be both polite and casual. 2.
Casual Patterns
Casual Patterns and Slang So far, for every grammar we have covered, we also went over all the casual variations as well. However, even though we have already covered all the casual forms, truly mastering casual speech in Japanese requires far more than just learning the various casual forms.
Informal and casual Japanese language
To put it in simple terms, くだけた Japanese is the Japanese you use in informal situations, such as with friends, family or those younger than you. Generally, くだけた Japanese phrases are shorter and easier to say than their formal equivalents. Unlike 敬語 (Keigo - Formal language) and 丁寧語 (Teineigo - Polite language ...
Formal vs. Informal Speech in Japanese
Let's go! 1. An overview of Japanese modes of speech. In the Japanese language, there are four main modes of speech: Simple formal speech: is mainly used when speaking to people you don't know well. It's also an appropriate level when speaking to most teachers or coworkers. If you're unsure which level of formality to use, simple formal ...
How to have an informal conversation in Japanese: Phrases to use
A. すごい (Sugoi) B. Risky / Dangerous / Awesome / Woah. B. ごめんね (Gomen ne) B. Nah~. A. Seriously. B. お疲れ (Otsukare) Remember that the appropriateness of slang and casual phrases depends on the context and your relationship with the person you're talking to. It's generally best to use these in informal settings and with ...
How to speak casual Japanese
You can omit "どうですか？. " and just use noun + particle "は" with a rising intonation. That way it becomes an interrogative sentence. How to say "Yes" and "No" also changes depending on whether you are using a formal or casual tone. As you know, yes and now mean "はい" and "いいえ" in Japanese, but they ...
The Ultimate Guide to Learning to Speak Formal and Informal Japanese
When asking for cooperation: The first is usual and polite. The latter is very formal and often found in writing, especially in posters or flyers. Go-kyōryoku-kudasai. Your cooperation, please. Go-kyōryoku no hodo o-negai mōshiagemasu. We respectfully request the favor of a measure of your cooperation.
Casual Patterns and Slang
食べる【たべ・る】 (ru-verb) - to eat. 昨日【きのう】 - yesterday. 買う【か・う】 (u-verb) - to buy. アイス - ice (short for ice cream) While written Japanese already has fairly loose rules regarding sentence order, casual spoken Japanese takes it one step further. A complete sentence requires a verb at the ...
How To Speak Casual Japanese ~7 slang expressions
Here are some examples of common Japanese slang words that are especially popular with young Japanese people! 1. Sugoi (すごい) Sugoi means "wow" in English and the Japanese heavily use this slang word. Its corresponding formal word is subarashii (すばらしい). The word can also be shortened to sugee (すげー）to convey extra ...
3 Levels of Politeness in Japanese Formal Language
There are three "levels" of politeness in Japanese: casual, polite, and very polite. Who you use each style with depends on a combination of age and social standing for both yourself and the person you're talking to (or talking about). Here are the basics for the 3 levels of politeness: Casual speech. Casual speech is used between family and ...
SayJack » Casual Speech in Japanese
This is the disclaimer before I talk about casual speech in Japanese. There are 2 basic rules. First, use plain forms (or so-called dictionary forms) for verbs and adjectives. Second, particles such as は (wa), を (o), に (ni), が (ga) are omitted when there is no confusion caused. The following examples show the contrast between polite ...
Politeness and Formality in Japanese
ていねいご teineigo. polite/formal language. "desu" and "masu". けいご keigo. honorific language. respectful and humble forms. So, if you still want my answer, there are three basic levels of politeness in Japanese. It's important to remember, though, that there is a lot of variability within these levels, and arguably some notable sub ...
Da (だ) vs Desu (です)—How People Use them in Real Life
As you already know, using です increases the distance between people, which results in their relationship feeling more formal. です is part of the "polite speech style" in Japanese, along with the ます form of verbs. This stands in opposition to the "casual speech style," which だ is considered to be a part of.
polite and casual language-- being asked to switch?
The next two are more technical, and more precise in their meanings. They split formal "super-polite" Japanese into two major types: 尊敬語そんけいご "honorific speech" ~ speech that "elevate" your partner/out-group showing that you respect their greater status. eg ご覧になる instead of 見る. 謙譲語けんじょうご "humble ...
Does タメ語 {ご} mean "casual speech"?
6. Voting for "simply casual speech" (obviously ;)). Here is one link that shows how using "タメ語" sometimes to seniors can better communication. IMO the writer here is using it to simply mean "casual speech". Online definitions such as these also tend to focus on the description of the nature of the speech. However, the etymology of this ...
The Basics of Japanese Sentence Structure & Word Order
The Basic Word Order of Japanese. 1. SOV in Japanese. As we saw in the previous section, the basic sentence structure of Japanese is S (subject) - O (object) - V (verb). Japanese parts of speech are usually followed by 助詞 ( Joshi ), or "particles," that modify the word in front.
Obsessions with "casual" Japanese : r/LearnJapanese
Obsessions with "casual" Japanese. As westerners from more casual/informal cultures, a lot of us tend to look for ways to speak casually to Japanese people in order to quickly make friends. The goal of making friends is a wonderful one. However, casual Japanese is not where I recommend anyone start. Often times, new learners will try to skip ...
How do you say "casual speech" in Japanese?
How do you say "casual speech" in Japanese? | HiNative. Updated on 15 Aug 2018. Mochamomo. 30 Aug 2016. English (US)
Useful Phrases for Meeting People in Japan
English: It's nice to meet you. If you want to be extra polite, you can add: よろしくお願いします。. (Yoroshiku onegaishimasu) There really isn't an equivalent phrase in English for this, but it kind of means, "Please treat me well.". If you are introducing yourself, you can add your name in: "初めまして、カンナ ...
Your Definitive Guide to Japanese Greetings (Etiquette Tips Included
13 Japanese greetings for every situation. The Japanese word for "greeting" is "aisatsu" (挨拶), and it encompasses everything from the simplest hello to the most formal goodbye.Many of the greetings below have grammar components that are easily omitted or changed to make a greeting formal or casual, but the most common variants are listed.
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Formal vs Informal Speech in Japanese

An overview of Japanese modes of speech

Simple formal speech

Casual speech

Honorific speech

Humble speech

How important are the different modes of speech?

Verbs are the main focus

Honorifics with simple formal speech

Honorifics with casual speech

Honorific and humble speech

Honorific verbs

Humble Verbs

Honorifics with humble speech

Formal prefixes

Real-world application

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Japanese Formality: Your Guide to Using Formal and Informal Japanese

Formal Japanese

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Yo, what up with the slang?

Basic Principles of Slang

Sentence ordering and particles (or the lack thereof)

Using 「じゃん」 instead of 「じゃない」 to confirm

Using 「つ」 for 「という」

Using 「ってば」 and 「ったら」to show exasperation

Using 「なんか」 just about everywhere

Showing contempt for an action with 「～やがる」

Informal and casual Japanese language

What exactly isくだけた Japanese?

So, you just need to use shorter verbs for perfect くだけた Japanese?

I’ve mastered it all now, right?

Is there more…?

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1. An overview of Japanese modes of speech

2. Some examples in real life

2.1. Simple formal speech

2.2. Casual speech

2.3. Honorific and humble speech

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How to have an informal conversation in Japanese: Phrases to use

Test Your Ability! Japanese Informal Phrases

Answers For The Quiz

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The Ultimate Guide to Learning to Speak Formal and Informal Japanese for Beginners

Elaina Robbins

Formal Japanese

Informal Japanese

Use of Pronouns

Basic Differences of Formal and Informal Japanese

How It Works

Verb Endings (desu, masu endings)

Prefixes “O” and “Go”

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Japanese: (私は) 本を読みます。 [ (Watashi wa) hon o yomimasu . ]