watashi no yume essay

Rainbowdream’s Weblog

“if only my rainbow-like dreams can fly high, as high as the sky”, watashi no yume.

May 31, 2008 by rainbowdream

Konnichiwa, minna-san. Watashi wa Gadjah Mada Daigaku houshiki no san nen gakusei no Siti Luzviminda to moshimasu. Ima watashi wa [Watashi no yume wa yappari Nihon e ikitai] no koto hanashite imasu. Hontou ni wa, watashi wa iro-iro no yume ga arimasu. Dakedo, ichiban saikou no yume wa yappari nihon e ikimasu. Nande desu ka? Chuugaku kara watashi wa nihon no koto suki desu. Hajime ni, nihon no koto ga suki kara hontou ni nihon e ikitai desu. Nihon no dorama ya nihon no ongaku ya nihon bunka ga daisuki desu. Sore de, nihon no dorama ga daisuki wa attention please! kamo shiremasen. Sono dorama wa atashi ni reikan shimashita kara. {Yume no koto ga attara zettai ni akiramenai de kudasai} ga moratteimashita. San nen no daigaku de yatto chansu ga arimashita. Watashi wa tohoku daigaku no STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM no Gadjah Mada Daigaku de goukaku shimashita. Dakedo, sono jiken wa mada tohoku daigaku ni yotte hanketsu sarete shimasendeshita. Ureshiite, demo doki doki shite, nanka, watashi wa hontou ni sonna kantan ni yatto nihon e ikimasuka, to omoimashita. Nantonaku watashi wa goukaku shina katteimasu. Demo ne, watashi wa kanashikunai desu. Sore wa tabun watashi wa jishin ga arimasu. Itsuka watashi wa kitto nihon e ikimasu kara. Sono keiken ga watashi no yume ga chotto kaette kimashita. Watashi no yume wa tada nihon e ikitai ja nai desu. Ima watashi wa hontou no saikou yume ga arimasu. Watashi wa Tohoku Daigaku de Earthquake Disaster Research Laboratory Laboratory ni benkyou shimasu. Watashi wa Indonesia no Jogja no tame ni ii hito ni narimasu. Yatto watashi wa nanika ga benkyou shitai ga arimasu. Sono kibou wa watashi no yume ni narimashita. Sore de, nihon no koto sukittara watashi wa tomodachi ga takusan arimasu. Minna wa nihon no koto mo suki desu. Watashi tachi wa 2015nen ni nihon de yasumi o totte yakusoku shimashita. Sono toki wa atashi tachi wa donna hito desu ka naa to omoimashita. Mou 7nen desho? Kekkon shita ka kodomo ga atta kamo shiremasen. Omoshiroi desu ne. Tanoshimi matteimasu. Sore kara watashi wa makerimasen, zettai ni kachimasu, kitto nihon e ikimasu, chanto tohoku e benkyo shimasu.

4 Responses

Gambatte kudasai ne! Watashi mo 11sai toki ni Nihon ni itta koto aru. Soreha hontou ni ii omoide datta, tottemo suki datta. Kotoshi 3gatsu de mou ikkai Nihon ni itta no de, watashi mo tottemo ureshikatta. 25nenkan Nihon ni ittenakattano watashi ha, kodomogoro no omoide soshite ima no Nihon kurabete sugoku kawatta na kibun suru desu. Demo shiawase datta… mata Nihon ni ikitai desu. Ato 7 nen de tanoshimini shite kudasai ne ^^

Hai..hai… Arigatou ne,, nanka… ganbarimasu!!! Demo ne, atashi wa tabun, sotsugyou shita toki, mo ichido nihon ni iku no koto ga omotte ita… Atashi wa nihon de hontou ni benkyou shitai… Tohoku daigaku de benkyou shitai…

Wah… nihon ni itta ka, Mayu-chan wa? Sugoi ne…sore wa ima atashi no yume dake… Demo, itsuka, hontou no hontou nihon ni iku!!! Kitto!!!

Sore de, doko e ikimashita ka? Nihon de? Kyoto? Tokyo? Ueno koen? Fujiyama? Harajuku? Shibuya? Waw… Atashi ni itte kudasai!!! ^_^!!

Hai, atashi wa kodomogoro de Tokyo no Oomori de sundeimashita. Kotoshi ha Shibuya, Akihabara, ironna tokoro ni itta. Kyoto mo 3 nichi de ryoko ni itta no de, tottemo suteki datta. Demo sakura ha mada datta, sore ha zannen deshita, kedo ume no hana mo sugoku kirei datta. Moshi yokereba, atashi no blog de Nihon ni itta tokoro no shashin ga sukoshi haite imasu, mite kudasai ne: I’m back again rainbowdreamsan ha doko de Nihongo de mananda desuka? Atashi ha haafu de (haha ha nihonjin, chichi ha doitsujin) Nihongo sukoshi dekimasukedo, kodomo no kotoba dake de dekimasu. Heta na no de, gomennasai ne. ^^

Sugoi!!! haafu wa… Atashi wa hontou no indoneshia jin desu… atashi wa chuugakko kara nihon no koto ga suki deshita… ima kara motto motto suki desu… juku de benkyoshimashita,,maa… jouzu janai deshou… ima atashi wa dorama to manga kara benkyoushimasu…

Mayu-chan no shasin ga mita… hontou ni sugoi!!! kyoto to nara ga daisuki!!! atashi wa, moshi,, nihon e ikereba, nima no SAND MUSEUM ni ikitai… kyoto to nara mo… soshite, Tokyo Disneyland!!!

Atashi wa HOME STAY no imouto ga iru. Nihon jin desu. Ima, Yokohama de sundeimasu… Aitai na…

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昨日の夜、怖い夢を見た。 ( Kinō no yoru kowai yume o mita .) I had a scary dream last night.

How to Say That You Had a Dream in Japanese

In English, you say, “I had a dream last night.” “Had” is translated into “あった ( atta )” in Japanese. This verb is the past tense of ある ( aru ), which means “to have.”

So it seems natural to say:

昨日の夜、怖い夢があった。 ( Kinō no yoru kowai yume ga atta .)

However, in Japanese, the verb 見る ( miru ), which means “to see,” is used instead of “have.”

昨日の夜、怖い夢を見た。 ( Kinō no yoru kowai yume o mita .) I had (saw) a scary dream last night.

The phrase 夢があった ( yume ga atta ) is grammatically correct. It just doesn’t refer to the dreams you have while you sleep. If you say “夢があった ( yume ga atta )” to a native Japanese speaker, they would think you are talking about your dream (goal) for the future. This is why 夢を見る ( yume o miru ) is used to describe the type of dreams you have while sleeping.

1. 昨日の夜、日本に行く夢を見た。 ( Kinō no yoru nihon ni iku yume o mita .) Last night, I had a dream about going to Japan.

2. 息子は楽しい夢を見ていたらしく、寝ながら笑っていた。 ( Musuko wa tanoshii yume o miteita rashiku nenagara waratteita .) It seems my son was having a fun dream and laughing while sleeping.

3. お腹いっぱいドーナツを食べる夢を見た。 ( Onaka ippai dōnatsu o taberu yume o mita .) I had a dream of eating donuts until I was full.

2. 夢 (Yume): Your Dream For the Future (Goals)

Just like in English, 夢 ( yume ) can describe your dreams for the future. In this case, you would use the verb ” ある ( aru )” to say that you “have a dream.”

私には夢がある。 ( Watashi ni wa yume ga aru .) I have a dream .

When you want to talk about a dream about becoming someone or something (become a doctor, businessman, etc.), 夢 (yume) is often paired with the verb なる ( naru ), which means “to become.” こと( koto ) “is used to make a verb into a noun. This is similar to adding “ing” in English to change a verb into a noun (e.g., cook ing is fun, walk ing is easy, etc.)

なる ( naru ): to become
なること ( naru koto ): becoming
行く ( iku ): to go
行くこと ( iku koto ): going

1. 私の*夢は、パティシエになることです。 ( Watashi no yume wa patishie ni naru koto desu. ) My dream is to become a pastry chef.

*Note: “の (no)” is a particle that indicates possession, so when “私 ( watashi ), meaning “I,” is used with “の (no),” the meaning changes to “my.”

2. 私の夢は、日本で漫画家になることです。 ( Watashi no yume wa nihon de mangaka ni naru koto desu .) My dream is to be a manga artist in Japan.

3. 隆史の夢は、警察官になることだ。 ( Takashi no yume wa keisatukan ni naru koto da .) Takashi’s dream is to be a policeman.

4. 恵美子の夢はパリに行くこと*だ。 ( Emiko no yume wa pari ni iku koto da .) Emiko’s dream is to go to Paris.

3. Bad Dreams: 悪い夢 (Warui Yume)

悪い (warui) is the Japanese adjective for “bad.” Using this word with 夢 (yume) can express when you have a “bad dream.”

This works with other adjectives as well:

楽しい夢 ( tanoshii yume ): fun/pleasant dream(s)
怖い夢 ( kowai yume ): scary dream(s)
幸せな夢 ( shiawase na yume ): happy dream(s)

1. 息子は怖い夢を見たらしく、夜中に泣いていた。 ( Musuko wa kowai yume o mita rashiku yonaka ni naiteita .) It seems my son was having a scary dream and was crying in the middle of the night.

2. 怖い夢を見たせいで、眠れなくなってしまった。 ( Kowai yume o mita sei de nemurenaku natte shimatta .) I couldn’t sleep because I had a scary dream .

4. Daydream: 白昼夢 (Hakuchū Mu)

白昼 ( hakuchū ) means “daytime,” so 白昼夢 ( hakuchū mu ) means experiencing things like fantasies or scenarios in a dream-like state while awake during the day. It can also describe times when someone indulges in such unrealistic illusions.

白昼夢 ( hakuchū mu ) is a word that is usually used when having positive fantasies about their desires rather than nightmares.

Another word for this type of dream is “白日夢 ( hakujitsu mu ).” It has the same meaning and nuance as 白昼夢 ( hakuchū mu ).

Examples:

1. 授業中、白昼夢に浸っていたせいで、ほとんど授業内容を覚えていない。 ( Jugyō chū hakuchūmu ni hitatteita sei de hotondo jugyō naiyō o oboeteinai .) I was so immersed in a daydream during class that I barely remember anything the teacher taught us.

2. ニュースで見ている悲惨な戦争の光景は白昼夢ではないのだと思うと心が痛む。 ( Nyūsu de miteiru hisan na sensō no kōkei wa hakuchūmu dewa nai no da to omou to kokoro ga itamu .) It hurts my heart to think that the tragic scenes of war we see on the news are not daydreams .

More Commons Ways to Say Daydream

白昼夢 ( hakuchūmu ) is not commonly used in daily conversations. If you want to describe a time when you are “spacing out” or “have your head in the clouds,” you can use the expression:

ぼーっとする。 ( Bōtto suru. ) To be absent minded. / To space out.

This expression can be written in either:

Hiragana : ぼーっとする ( bōtto suru )
Hiragana and katakana : ボーッとする ( bōtto suru )

窓の外を見ながらボーッとしていたら、いつの間にか夕方になっていた。 ( Mado no soto o minagara bōtto shiteitara itsunomanika yūgata ni natteita. ) I was spacing out looking out the window, and it was evening before I knew it.

How to Say “Make Your Dreams Come True” in Japanese?

To say that you want to make your dreams (goals) come true, you can use the expression:

夢を叶えたい。 ( Yume o kanaetai ). I want to make my dreams come true.

叶える ( kanaeru ) means “to fulfill (your dreams)” but can also mean “to match” or “to harmonize.”

The kanji “ 叶 ( kana )” is made up of two parts:

口 ( kuchi ): mouth
十 ( jū ): ten

口 ( kuchi ) represents a person’s mouth and also has a meaning of “words” or “speaking.” 十 ( jū ) is the word for “ten” in Japanese, but it can also represent a state of “sufficient, complete, or many.” Combining these two characters came to mean that one’s wish will come true by talking to many people and reaching a consensus.

1. 道子: どんな仕事をしているの？ Michiko : ( Donna shigoto o shiteiru no ?) Michiko: What kind of work do you do?

智子: 学校の先生だよ。 Tomoko : ( Gakkō no sensei da yo .) Tomoko: I’m a teacher.

道子: 子供の頃から学校の先生になりたいって言ってたよね？夢を叶えたんだね！おめでとう！ Michiko : ( Kodomo no koro kara gakkō no sensei ni naritaitte itteta yone? Yume o kanaetan da ne. Omedetō !) Michiko: You have always wanted to be a teacher since you were little, right? You’ve made your dream come true ! Congratulations!

2. 夢を叶えるために、フランスに行くことにした。 ( Yume o kanaeru tame ni furansu ni iku koto ni shita .) To make my dream come true , I decided to go to France.

3. 夢を叶えるためには、一生懸命勉強しないとダメだよ。 ( Yume o kanaeru tame ni wa isshōkenmei benkyō shinai to dame da yo .) You have to study hard to make your dream come true .

Other Words Related to 夢 (Yume)

Japanese has words to describe different types of dreams. Let’s take a look at some of them.

1. 悪夢 (Akumu): Nightmare

悪 ( aku ) means “bad” or “evil,” so 悪夢 ( akumu ) means “nightmare.”

It is sometimes used metaphorically to describe something terrible (just like in English).

1. テレビで放送されている戦争の映像は、まるで悪夢を見ているようだ。 ( Terebi de hōsō sareteiru sensō no eizō wa marude akumu o miteiru yō da .) The images of war on TV are like a nightmare .

2. 私はライオンに食べられるという悪夢を見た。 ( Watashi wa raion ni taberareru toiu akumu o mita .) I had a nightmare about being eaten by a lion.

2. 初夢 (Hatsu Yume): The First Dream of the New Year

初夢 ( hatsu yume ) refers to your first dream in the new year. It is said this dream can foretell someone’s luck for that year.

Speaking of having a fortuitous 初夢 ( hatsu yume ), a famous saying in Japan is “一富士二鷹三茄子 ( ichi fuji ni taka san nasubi ).” This translates to Mt. Fuji is the first, a hawk is second, and eggplants are third. This is the order of “luck” you’ll have if you see these things in your dream.

There are various theories as to why these are particularly lucky. It is generally known that Mt. Fuji is auspicious because of its widening shape. Hawks fly high in the sky, meaning the year will be filled with great leaps. Eggplants are smooth and hairless. The way to say “hairless” in Japanese is 毛がない ( ke ga nai ). This expression sounds identical to the phrase 怪我ない ( kega nai ), which means “no injuries.” So seeing eggplants in your dreams means you’ll have a year with no injuries or accidents.

There is a lottery in Japan that goes on sale from the end of each year to the beginning of the year. This lottery is called “初夢宝くじ ( Hatsu yume takarakuji ), or the “Hatsu Yume Lottery”. It’s going to be a great year if you win!

健史: 初夢は見た？ Takeshi : ( Hatsu yume wa mita ?) Takeshi: Did you have your first dream of the New Year ?

智也: 見たよ！鷹が空高く飛んでる夢だったんだよ。今年はきっと昇進するぞ！ Tomoya : ( Mitayo! Taka ga sora takaku tonderu yume dattan dayo. Kotoshi wa kitto shōshin suru zo!) Tomoya: Yes, I did! I dreamed of a hawk flying high in the sky. I think I’ll be promoted this year!

3. 予知夢 (Yochimu): Dreaming About the Future

予知 ( yochi ) means “precognition” or “to foretell something,” so 予知夢 ( yochimu ) means a dream about something which is going to happen in the future.

夢におじいちゃんが出てきて、『大地震が起こるから気をつけなさい。』って言ったんだけど、その半年後、本当に日本で大地震が起きたんだよ。あれは予知夢だったんだ！ ( Yume ni ojīchan ga detekite “Daijishin ga okirukara kiotsukenasai” tte ittan dakedo sono hantoshi go ni hontō ni nihon de daijishin ga okitan da yo. Are wa yochimu dattan da !) My grandfather appeared in my dream and told me to be careful because there would be a big earthquake. Six months later, there was a big earthquake in Japan. I had a dream about the future !

4. 正夢 (Masayume): A Prophetic Dream

正夢 ( masayume ) is a kind of 予知夢 ( yochimu ), but the difference is the time it takes for the dream to come true. 予知夢 ( yochimu ) usually takes more time to “come true” while 正夢 ( masayume ) comes true in a shorter amount of time. That being said, most people don’t know the exact difference between these words, so you could use either interchangeably.

Examples:

1. 今日先生に怒られる夢を見たんだけど、学校に行ったら本当に先生に怒られちゃったよ。正夢だったんだ！ ( Kyō sensei ni okorareru yume o mitan dakedo gakkō ni ittara hontō ni sensei ni okorarechatta yo. Masayume dattan da ! I had a dream of being scolded by my teacher today. When I went to school, my teacher did scold me. My dream came true !

2. 宝くじが当たる夢を見たんだ！正夢になって欲しいな！ ( Takarakuji ga ataru yume o mitanda! Masayume ni natte hoshii na !) I had a dream of winning the lottery! It would be great if it became a reality !

5. 逆夢 (Sakayume): A Dream That Doesn’t Come True

逆夢 ( sakayume ) is the opposite of 正夢 ( masayume ). If you have a 逆夢 ( sakayume ), your dream will not become a reality, and in fact, the opposite might happen.

1. 今朝先生に怒られる夢を見たんだけど、学校に行ったら先生に褒められたんだよ。逆夢でよかった！ ( Kesa sensei ni okorareru yume o mitan dakedo gakkō ni ittara sensei ni homeraretandayo. Sakayume de yokatta .) I had a dream of being scolded by my teacher today. When I went to school, my teacher praised me. I’m glad that dream didn’t turn out to be true !

2. 健二: 宝くじが当たる夢を見たから、今月のお給料全部使って宝くじを買ったんだ！絶対正夢になるはず！ Kenji : ( Takarakuji ga ataru yume o mita kara kongetsu no okyūryō zenbu tsukatte takarakuji o kattan da! Zettai masayume ni naru hazu !) I dreamed of winning the lottery, so I spent all of my salary this month to buy lottery tickets! I’m sure it will become a reality!

道子: 嘘でしょ！? 逆夢だったらどうするのよ！ Michiko : ( Uso desho!? Sakayume dattara dō suru no yo !) Michiko: You must be kidding! What are you going to do if your dream doesn’t come true ?

１ヶ月後 (One month later)

健二: 道子、お金貸してくれない？宝くじ外れちゃったんだよ。 Kenji : ( Michiko, okane kashite kurenai? Takarakuji hazurechattan da yo .) Kenji: Michiko, Can I borrow some money? I didn’t win the lottery.

道子: 悪夢だわ！ Michiko : ( Akumu da wa !) Michiko: It must be a nightmare!

Yumi Nakata

Menyatakan Mimpi / Cita-cita dalam bahasa Jepang

memperkenalkan diri , mimpi , N4-5 Percakapan , mimpi , N4-5

Kamu mau menjadi seperti apa pada masa yang akan datang? 🙂 Apa cita-citamu sesungguhnya? 🙄 Apa kamu masih ngejar mimpimu sampai sekarang? 😉

Kadangkala, mimpi bisa meningkatkan motivasi sekaligus menjadi investasi (tp invesitasi gratisan ya wkwk ^^; ) untuk masa depan kita.

Nah, kali ini kita akan mempelajari bagaimana caranya untuk menyatakan dan menanyakan mimpi dalam bahasa Jepang. Ungkapan ini akan bermanfaat saat memperkenalkan diri juga. 🙂 Kuuuy.

1.1. pola kalimat
1.2. Penjelasan
1.3. Contoh Kalimat
2.1. Pola Kalimat
2.2. Penjelasan
2.3. Contoh Kalimat
3.1. Pola Kalimat
3.2. Penjelasan
3.3. Contoh Kalimat
4.1. Pola Kalimat
4.2. Penjelasan
4.3. Contoh Kalimat
5.1. Pola Kalimat
5.2. Penjelasan
5.3. Contoh Kalimat

1. Menyatakan Cita-cita

pola kalimat

わたしは[Kata Benda] になりたいです Watashi wa [Kata Benda] ni nari tai desu Saya ingin menjadi [Kata Benda]

Pola Kalimat ini digunakan saat pembicara ingin menyatakan dia ingin menjadi orang seperti apa pada masa depan, khususnya dalam bidang profesi.

Contoh Kalimat

私わたしは警察官けいさつかんになりたいです。 Watashi wa keesatsukan ni nari-tai desu. Saya ingin menjadi petugas polisi.

私わたしは看護師かんごしになりたいです。 Watashi wa kango-shi ni nari-tai desu. Saya ingin menjadi perawat.

私わたしはプロサッカー選手せんしゅになりたいです。 Watashi wa puro-sakkaa-senshu ni nari-tai desu. Saya ingin menjadi pemain sepak bola profesional.

私わたしは大統領だいとうりょうになりたいです。 Watashi wa daitooryoo ni nari-tai desu. Saya ingin menjadi Presiden.

私わたしはいいお嫁よめさんになりたいです。 Watashi wa ii oyome-san ni nari-tai desu. Saya ingin menjadi istri yang baik.

🙂 Kosakata Pekerjaan dan Profesi yang Lengkap 🙂

Kosakata Pekerjaan dan Profesi dalam Bahasa Jepang

Pekerjaan Anda sekarang apa? Anda ingin menjadi seperti apa pada masa depan?Pekerjaan dan profes ...

※Untuk menyatakan apa yang ingin dilakukan seperti “saya ingin menikah dengan peria yang baik” ➡ KLIK

2. Menyatakan Mimpian

Pola Kalimat

わたしのゆめは、[Kata Benda] になることです Watashi no yume wa [Kata Benda] ni naru koto desu Mimpi saya adalah menjadi [Kata Benda]

[Kata Benda] になるのがゆめです [Kata Benda] ni naru no ga yume desu Menjadi [Kata Benda] adalah mimpi (saya)

Kedua pola kalimat di atas digunakan untuk menyatakan mimpian pembicara, khususnya profesi yang ingin ditekuni pada masa depan nanti. “Yume” dalam bahasa Jepang memiliki makna “mimpi” dalam bahasa Indonesia.

Watashi no yume wa [Kata Benda] ni naru koto desu

私わたしの夢ゆめは医者いしゃになることです。 Watashi no yume wa isha ni naru koto desu. Mimpi saya adalah menjadi dokter.

私わたしの夢ゆめは小説家しょうせつかになることです。 Watashi no yume wa ni naru koto desu. Mimpi saya adalah menjadi novelis.

私わたしの夢ゆめはウェブデザイナーになることです。 Watashi no yume wa web dezainaa ni naru koto desu. Mimpi saya adalah menjadi web designer.

私わたしの夢ゆめは経営者けいえいしゃになることです。 Watashi no yume wa kee’eesha ni naru koto desu. Mimpi saya adalah menjadi pengusaha.

[Kata Benda] ni naru no ga yume desu

医者いしゃになるのが私わたしの夢ゆめです。 Isha ni naru no ga yume desu. Menjadi dokter adalah mimpi (saya).

小説家しょうせつかになるのが夢ゆめです。 Shoosetsu-ka ni naru no ga yume desu. Menjadi novelis adalah mimpi (saya).

ウェブデザイナーになるのが夢ゆめです。 Web dezainaa ni naru no ga yume desu. Menjadi web designer adalah mimpi (saya).

経営者けいえいしゃになるのが夢ゆめです。 Kee’eesha ni naru no ga yume desu. Menjadi pengusaha adalah mimpi (saya).

3. Menanyakan dan Menyatakan Cita-cita Profesi

しょうらいは、なにになりたいですか Shoorai wa nani ni nari-tai desu ka (Anda) ingin menjadi apa pada masa depan?

[Kata Benda]になりたいです [Kata Benda] ni nari-tai desu Ingin menjadi [Kata Benda]

Kalimat tanya “Shoorai wa nani ni nari-tai desu ka” digunakan saat pembicara ingin menanyakan lawan bicara ingin menjadi orang seperti apa pada masa yang akan datang, khususnya dalam bidang profesi. Jawabannya cukup “[Kata Benda] ni nari-tai desu” saja.

将来しょうらいは、何なにになりたいですか。 Shoorai wa nani ni nari-tai desu ka. (Anda) ingin menjadi apa pada masa depan?

弁護士べんごしになりたいです。 Bengo-shi ni nari-tai desu. (Saya) ingin menjadi pengacara.

4. Menanyakan dan Menyatakan Mimpi

しょうらいのゆめはなんですか Shoorai no yume wa nan desu ka Apa mimpi (Anda) pada masa depan?

[Kata Benda]になることです [Kata Benda] ni naru koto desu Menjadi [Kata Benda]

Kalimat tanya “Shoorai no yume wa nan desu ka” digunakan untuk menanyakan mimpian lawan pembicara pada masa depan. “Shoorai” memiliki makna “masa depan” dalam bahasa Indonesia. Jawabannya cukup “[Kata Benda] ni naru koto desu” saja.

将来の夢ゆめは何なんですか。 Shoorai no yume wa nan desu ka. Apa mimpi (Anda) pada masa depan?

大学だいがくの教授きょうじゅになることです。 Daigaku no kyooju ni naru koto desu. Menjadi profesor di universitas (adalah mimpi saya).

5. Menyatakan Mimpi sebagai Kegiatan

(わたしの) ゆめは [Kalimat]ことです (watashi no) yume wa [Kalimat] koto desu Mimpi saya adalah [Kata Kerja]

[Kalimat] のが (わたしの) ゆめです [Kalimat] no ga (watashi no) yume desu [Kalimat] adalah mimpi saya

Kedua pola kalimat di atas digunakan untuk menyatakan mimpi yang ingin dilakukan pada masa depan.

* Jika Anda ingin memahami kedua pola kalimat di atas dari sisi tata bahasa, silakan baca materi tata bahasa → KLIK

私わたしの夢ゆめはお金持かねもちと結婚けっこんすることです。 Watashi no yume wa okanemochi to kekkon-suru koto desu. Mimipi saya adalah menikah dengan orang kaya.

私わたしの夢ゆめは自分じぶんの家いえをもつことです。 Watashi no yume wa jibun no ie o motsu koto desu. Mimpi saya adalah memiliki rumah sendiri.

日本にほんに行いくのが夢ゆめです。 Nihon ni iku no ga yume desu. Pergi ke Jepang adalah mimpi saya.

アメリカで働はたらくのが夢ゆめです。 Amerika de hataraku no ga yume desu. Bekerja di Amerika adalah mimpi saya.

Semoga cita-cita kalian dapat tercapai...

Sekian. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Posted by Y-0S★

How to say Dream in Japanese: #1 Ultimate Guide

The best way to say “dream” in Japanese is 夢 (yume). The Japanese word 夢 (yume) corresponds to the English word “dream” very well.

Therefore, 夢 (yume) can be used in similar situations where you would use the English word “dream.” You can use 夢 (yume) to refer to the images and sensations that occupy your mind while you sleep. Moreover, you can also use 夢 (yume) to talk about your cherished ambition or a wish that you desire to make a reality.

What’s more, is that you can use 夢 (yume) to express your indulgence or fantasy of something. For instance, you might want to say to someone “I’ve always dreamed of kissing you”, or something romantic along those lines.

In this ultimate guide, we look at deeper explanations and examples of 夢 (yume), as well as translations of other words that contain the word “dream.” I also include a section on how to dream in Japanese!

Other examples may include:

the word for daydream in Japanese,
how to say sweet dreams in Japanese before bed,
or even how to describe someone as being dreamy.

All entries are coupled with audio for pronunciation reference!

Table of Contents

Dream in Japanese

Dream. 夢。 yume.

As discussed in the introduction, the best word for “dream” in Japanese is 夢 (yume). In hiragana, it’s written as ゆめ (yume).

夢 (yume) is a noun that, just like the English word, can be used to refer to the series of images or sensations that fill your mind as you sleep. You can also use it to express a wish that you would like to come true in the future.

Conveniently, you can also use 夢 (yume) as a plural noun! For instance,

夢を見る島。 yume wo miru shima. The Island of Dreams.

Notice how you can simply write 夢 (yume), yet the translation is “dreams” not “dream”.

This is because, in the Japanese language, there is no distinction between plural and singular. Therefore 夢 (yume) can be used to say either. For any of you The Legend of Zelda fans out there, the above example is actually the original Japanese title for the Gameboy Classic game Link’s Awakening!

Saying “I Had a Dream” in Japanese

I had a dream. 夢を見た。 yume wo mita.

When you want to refer to the dreams that fill your mind when sleep, there are a few important things to keep in mind.

In English, we say “last night I had a dream”. However, in Japanese, we say “last night I saw a dream”, rather than saying “I had ” one.

This is because, when you say “I had a dream” in Japanese, you’re specifically referring to the type of dream that is your future goal, your ambition.

Therefore, to talk about a dream you had in your sleep in Japanese, you have to use the verb 見る (miru).

昨夜、夢を見た。 yuube, yume wo mita。 I had a dream last night.

As a quick side note- it’s common to omit pronouns in Japanese when it is understood who/what is the subject. That’s why in the above example, 私は (watashi ha), meaning “I” is absent.

見る (miru) is a verb that means “to see” or “to look” in Japanese. を (wo) in a Japanese particle that marks the object of the verb. In this example, the noun 夢 (yume) becomes the object of the verb 見る (miru).

On the other hand, to say that you have an ambition, a dream you wish to fulfil, you can say:

私は夢がある。 watashi ha yume ga aru。 I have a dream (an ambition).

ある (aru) is an intransitive verb that refers to an inanimate object that exists. The が (ga) marks the subject of the verb. In this case, 夢 (yume) is the subject of ある (aru). You can use the sentence sequence: Nounがある (Noun ga aru) to say “I have noun” in Japanese.

This means that 夢がある (yume ga aru) can be directly translated to “I have a dream”.

My Dream Is… in Japanese

My Dream is… 私の夢は．．． watashi no yume ha…

When talking about a dream, an ambition or a wish you have, naturally, you’ll want to specify what it is. To do that, you can use 私の夢は．．．(watashi no yume ha…).

This sentence structure can be understood as “My dream is…” in Japanese.

私 (watashi) means “I” in Japanese, and 私の (watashi no) means “my”. This is because の (no) is a Japanese particle that indicates possession. Therefore, when 私 (watashi) is paired with の (no), the meaning changes to “my”.

To end this sentence, simply state what your dream is.

私の夢は日本に行くことだ。 watashi no yume ha nihon ni iku koto da. My dream is to go to Japan.

You may have noticed the こと (koto) in this phrase. Although こと (koto) means “thing” in Japanese, here it is required to make the preceding verb a noun.

We have to make the verb 行く (iku) into a noun because we need to end the sentence with the だ (da) if speaking casually, or です (desu) if speaking politely. By ending the phrase with だ (da) or です (desu) which by themselves mean “is” or “be” in Japanese, the sentence becomes grammatically complete.

More Examples!

With 私の夢は．．．(watashi no yume ha…) you can freely express exactly what your dream is in Japanese. You may even want to express your hope or wish in Japanese.

For instance, if you’re asked at an interview what your dream is, you could say:

私の夢は日本語を流暢に話せるようになることです。 watashi no yume ha nihongo wo ryuuchou ni hanaseru youni naru koto desu. My dream is to be able to speak Japanese fluently.

This is a longer sentence with plenty of grammar. However, the same principle applies to the ending of the sentence. You need to attach こと (koto) as the preceding word なる (naru) is a verb.

What is Your Dream? in Japanese

What is your dream? [name]の夢は何？ [name] no yume wa nani?

To ask a friend, family member or someone who you’re close with what their dream is, you can say [name]の夢は何？ ([name] no yume wa nani?). Simply replace the text for “name” with the person’s actual name! In Japanese, instead of referring to someone as “you” it’s much more common to call them by their name.

Japanese is a language with different levels of honorifics you must adhere to depending on who you’re speaking with. Therefore, if you’re speaking with someone you must show respect to, like a stranger, teacher or manager, you will want to ask this question formally.

[name] の夢は何ですか？ [name] no yume wa nan desu ka? What is your dream? (formally)

The only difference between these two phrases is that the formal one ends with 何ですか (nan desu ka) rather than simply 何 (nani).

何 (nani) means “what” in Japanese, making the phrase a literal translation of “what is [name’s] dream?”.

Make a Dream Come True

In Japan, to enter a university, all applicants must take and pass the dreaded entrance exam . Perhaps it’s been your dream to get accepted into a particular university… you’ve taken the exam and are awaiting the results. On the results day, you receive your grades and see you’ve made it in! Congratulations! At this moment, you might say:

私の夢が叶った！ watashi no yume ga kanatta! My dream came true!

叶った (kanatta) is the past tense for 叶う (kanau), the verb for “to come true” in casual Japanese. This verb is made of the kanji 叶, which means “grant” or “answer”. To say “my dream was granted” in polite Japanese, use the formal form: 叶いました (kanaimashita). This would make the full phrase: 私の夢が叶いました (watashi no yume ga kanaimashita).

More Examples of 夢を叶う!

You can also use かなう (kanau) to express your romantic side too. You could say to someone:

あなたの夢を叶えってあげたい！ anata no yume wo kanaette agetai! I want to make your dream come true!

The above phrase is made up of multiple parts. Firstly, あなた (anata) means “you” in Japanese. Although it is much more common to instead refer to the person by their actual name, you can use あなた (anata) to refer to your partner.

Secondly, の (no) is a Japanese particle that indicates possession. In this case, あなた (anata) + の (no) together is the same as saying “your” in Japanese. Thirdly, 夢 (yume) means “dream” in Japanese (as discussed in entry #1). 夢 (yume) is followed by を (wo) which is a Japanese particle that marks the object of a verb. In this case, 夢 (yume) is the object and the following verb 叶う (kanau) is the verb.

Difference between 叶う and 叶える

Next, 叶えって (kanette) is the potential form of the verb 叶う (kanau) that’s been conjugated to the te-form. I appreciate this is a lot, but bear with me!

The potential form of a verb expresses the capability of being able to do the verb’s action. For example, the potential form of “do” in English, is “can do”. The potential form of “make” is “can make” etc.

This means that the potential form of “come true” is “can come true” in English. Therefore, in Japanese, 叶う (kanau), becomes 叶える (kanaeru).

Finally, the te-form refers to verbs that have been conjugated to end with て (te) or で (de) depending on the verb. Japanese sentences typically end with a verb. However, by conjugating the ending verb into the te-form, you can chain multiple verbs together in the same sentence.

あげたい (agetai) is the final section of the phrase. あげたい (agetai) is the tai-form of the verb あげる (ageru), which means “to give to someone” in Japanese. The tai-form expresses a desire, therefore, あげたい (agetai) means “want to give” in Japanese.

When あげたい (agetai) follows a te-form verb, the overall meaning changes slightly to mean “want to do for” in Japanese. Therefore, this phrase implies that the speaker wants to make the other person’s dream be able to come true (for them).

Related: How to say Good Luck in Japanese [ Ultimate Guide ]

Scary Dream in Japanese

Scary dream. 怖い夢。 kowai yume.

To refer to a scary dream you had in your sleep, you can use the word 怖い (kowai). By itself, 怖い (kowai) is an adjective that means “scary” or “frightening” in Japanese.

What’s great in Japanese is that you can say 怖い (kowai) just like that to refer to something you feel is scary.

怖い！ kowai! That’s scary!

By attaching a noun to follow after 怖い (kowai) you can state something as being scary or frightful. To say “scary dream” in Japanese, you can simply take the word for dream 夢 (yume) and place it after 怖い (kowai) as part of the same word.

昨日すごく怖い夢を見た！ kinou sugoku kowai yume wo mita! I had a really scary dream yesterday!

As explained above, to refer to a dream you had when you were sleeping you have to use the verb 見た (mita) (to see), rather than ある (aru) (to have). When you use ある (aru), you’re saying you literally have a dream, an ambition, a goal of some kind.

Nightmare in Japanese

Nightmare. 悪夢。 akumu.

Some dreams go beyond what we might refer to as being scary. When you have a really unpleasant terrifying dream, you would describe it as a nightmare. To say “nightmare” in Japanese, you can use the word 悪夢 (akumu).

よく悪夢を見る。 yoku akumu wo miru. I often have nightmares.

The word 悪夢 (akumu) is made up of two kanji. The latter is 夢 (yume) which means “dream”. The first kanji, 悪 means “bad” in Japanese. You’ll see this kanji most commonly in the adjective for “bad”, 悪い (warui).

This means that the word 悪夢 (akumu) quite literally means “bad dream”.

Sweet Dreams in Japanese

In English, when we want to wish someone good night, we may wish them to have sweet dreams. In Japanese however, saying sweet dreams to someone before bed isn’t something that translates well at all.

If you do a google search on “how to say sweet dreams” in Japanese, you’ll get 良い夢を (yoi yume wo), or 良い夢をみて (yoi yume wo mite). It’s very important to know that although these translations are grammatically correct, they sound extremely unnatural and somewhat out of place.

Therefore, you should not use these to wish someone sweet dreams in Japanese. Instead, you can simply say a softer “good night”. This is the most natural way, and closest way to express “sweet dreams” in Japanese.

おやすみ。 oyasumi. Good night.

Although it’s common to translate this expression as “good night”, there is no mention of “good” or “night” in the expression at all. The お (o) is an honorific suffix that is used to beautify the following word – and that word is やすみ which comes from 休み (yasumi) which means to “rest” in Japanese.

Note that although the expression contains an honorific suffix, it’s still perfectly natural to use this expression even between friends and family without sounding weird.

Instead, a more direct translation of おやすみ (oyasumi) could be “rest up”. However, おやすみ (oyasumi) is still commonly said between people before sleeping in Japan, in place of “good night”.

Is there really no way to say Sweet Dreams in Japanese?

Although there is no way to directly wish someone to have sweet dreams in Japanese, there are a few alternatives that could be considered.

The first is:

楽しい夢を見てね。 tanoshii yume wo mite ne. Have some fun dreams.

This phrase should probably be used sparingly and would be best reserved for when speaking with children. It’s not something you’d really use that often, if at all to friends or a partner.

As my partner and I are currently in a long-distance relationship, sometimes I tell them before sleep:

夢で会おう！ yume de aou! Let’s meet in our dreams.

This is perhaps the closest natural translation of “sweet dreams” in Japanese. Of course, as you’re telling the person to meet in their dreams, it can come across as romantic. Therefore, even this translation will have situational uses.

Daydream in Japanese

Daydream. ぼーっとする。 bo-tto suru.

When you’re spacing out a little and find yourself in the midst of a daydream, someone may ask you 大丈夫？ (daijoubu) which means “are you okay?” in Japanese.

To answer this, you may want to tell them that you were just daydreaming.

ぼーっとしてた！ bo-ttoshiteita! I was spacing out/I was daydreaming.

The root of this word is ぼーっと (bo-tto), which means “absent-minded”, “blankly” or “in a daze”. する (suru) is the Japanese casual verb for “to do”. Therefore this complete expression is actually a verb that means “to daydream”.

The expression ぼーっとする (bo-tto suru) can also be used to describe situations when you feel completely out of it. This could be because you feel ill or are unwell.

熱があるせいで、頭がぼーっとしてる。 netsu ga aru seide, atama ga bo-ttoshiteru. I feel completely out of it as I’ve got a fever.

Dreamy in Japanese!

Dreamy. かっこいい。 kakkoi.

To describe someone as really attractive, or as dreamy in Japanese, you can use かっこいい (kakkoii).

You may have heard かっこいい (kakkoii) used to describe someone or something as “cool” in Japanese before. However, you can actually use it to describe someone as being “dreamy” too.

In contexts where someone appears to be “dreamy” to you, you can use かっこいい (kakkoii) to express it.

彼はまじでかっこいい！ kare ha majide kakkoii! He is seriously so dreamy/cool.

Alternatively, you can also use 素敵 (suteki) to express “dreamy”. Like かっこいい (kakkoii), 素敵 (suteki) is also dependent on the context. This is because you can use 素敵 (suteki) to describe other things such as flowers, or a story from a book as being lovely or wonderful.

素敵な映画だった！ suteki na eiga datta! That was a lovely movie.

On the other hand, if you are dazzled by the dreaminess of someone, you can say:

私の心が盗まれた！彼は本当に素敵！ watashi no kokoro ga nusumareta! kare ha hontouni suteki! My heart’s been stolen. He is truly dreamy!

Dream Person/Partner

Dream Person/Dream Partner 理想の人 risou no hito

You can refer to someone as your dream or ideal partner by saying 理想の人 (risou no hito).

彼女は私の理想の人。 kanojo ha watashi no risou no hito. She is my dream partner.

The 理想 (risou) in 理想の人 (risou no hito) is made up of two kanji. The first kanji 理 means “logic” and the second kanji, 想 means “concept”, “idea” or “thought”. Put together they make 理想 (risou) which means “ideal”.

Secondly, the の (no) is a Japanese particle that indicates possession and links two nouns together. 人 (hito) literally means person, so we can understand the complete phrase 理想の人 (risou no hito) to mean literally: “Person of ideal” or, “ideal person”.

In Japanese, 理想の人 (risou no hito) is used to refer to a dream person. You can also use this phrase to ask someone who their type is for instance.

理想の人はだれ？ risou no hito ha dare? Who is your dream/ideal person?

Sometimes you may wish to refer to your partner as your soulmate, which can display a little more affection. I explain how to say everything to do with “soulmate” and “soul” in Japanese in this ultimate guide .

Imagination in Japanese

Imagination. 想像。 souzou.

To dream big, sometimes we have to use our imagination. In Japanese, the word for imagination is 想像 (souzou). You can use 想像 (souzou) the way you would use the word “imagination” in English. For instance, you could say:

想像力を働かせて。 souzouryoku wo hatarakasete. Use your imagination.

You can also use 想像 (souzou) to share your feelings with someone by saying something like:

あなたがいない人生想像できない。 anata ga inai jinsei souzou dekinai. I can’t imagine a life without you.

The first kanji of 想像 (souzou), 想 is the same kanji that appears in 理想 (risou) (explained above) and means “concept” or “idea”. The second kanji is 像 which means “image” or “shape”. Put together they make 想像 (souzou) meaning literally” concept image” or “imagination”.

Just My Imagination in Japanese

When you thought you had observed something to be as something, but conclude that you made a mistake, in English, we say “It was just my imagination”. For instance, say you’re trying to sleep at night, and you suddenly hear an unsettling noise. Your brain immediately jumps to the conclusion that something is out to get you, but you realise it’s just the thunder. You might think:

気のせいだ。 ki no sei da. It was just my imagination.

The breakdown for 気のせい (ki no sei) is actually quite interesting. The first kanji 気 (ki) refers to the mind. The の (no) is a possession particle that can be understood as “of” in this case. Finally, せい (sei) refers to the fault of something. So quite literally 気のせい (ki no sei) refers to “the fault of the mind”.

Quite an interesting way to blame your imagination for perceiving something the way it’s not right?

How to Actually Dream in Japanese

In my experience to be able to begin dreaming in Japanese, you first have to immerse yourself into the language and develop a positive outlook on it. One of the most fun and effective learning techniques I’ve incorporated into my studies is to create mnemonics or references to refer to in order to remember and recall words.

The Dream Trigger

For instance, talking about new words you’re learning with friends can really help you to remember them as you develop a kind of relationship with the words.

As a result, these associations you’ve developed for the words tend to linger in the back of your mind. They inevitably resurface again as something triggers your memory to recall it. The trigger can be a simple conversation with friends or even a meme of some kind.

This can also come in the form of luck too. For example, say you have a word you’ve been trying to remember for so long, you keep looking at it, then coming back to it later, only to find you still lack the ability to recall it. You take a break and watch anime or a Japanese movie. Suddenly the word you’ve been trying to remember pops up and you instantly recognise it.

That experience on its own would have sharpened your memory of that word, making it significantly easier to recall.

Creating The Dream Trigger

Of course, this doesn’t always have to come down to chance. You can also create a trigger on your own too. For so long I couldn’t remember the word 複雑 (fukusatsu) which ironically means “complicated” in Japanese.

During a road trip with some friends, we played Avril Lavigne’s Complicated in the car which we all sang to. The chorus of this song includes lines that include the word “complicated”. I thought it would be a good idea to replace this word with the Japanese equivalent 複雑 (fukusatsu) every time the word came up.

Before I knew it I was able to recall this word easily. This was because I created a trigger .

When you start making these kinds of triggers with longer sentences, you’ll find that you’ll be able to recall much more. Speaking will come naturally to you at this point. When I reached a level where I was confident enough to have mostly effortless basic conversations in Japanese, the magic happened.

Dreaming in Japanese

The first time I was able to properly dream in Japanese was during my year abroad in Japan, which to my advantage, had me immersed in a complete Japanese-only environment. The only time I would speak English was when I would contact family members once a month.

At this point, I realised that my brain had adjusted to Japanese, and I found that I was able to recall some Japanese words faster than the English variants.

Then, I dreamt in Japanese for the first time. It’s important to know though, that I was still unable to have complete dreams in Japanese. Instead of a full-blown dream story in Japanese, the occasional Japanese word would pop up during the English story.

Later though, this began to transition to “Japanese-only” dreams. From my experience, to dream in Japanese, you have to reach a point where elements of your output ability (aka speaking) become second nature to you.

Dreams are at their strongest during REM, the deepest element of sleep. There is no scientific research on this yet, however, I personally believe that when you have enough triggers combined with an active/immersed Japanese learning environment, dreaming in Japanese becomes possible.

That’s just my thoughts though, what do you think? Can you dream in Japanese?

More Japanese Study

I have a collection of Ultimate How-To Japanese Guides tailored for all language levels.

More Ultimate Guides:

How to Say Hope in Japanese [ Ultimate Guide ]

How to Say What’s up in Japanese [ Ultimate Guide ]

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Japanese Particles Master

particles for perfection

September 12, 2019 By Masaki Mori

Watashi no is the Japanese expression for ‘my’ or ‘mine’, explained

How to say “my” in japanese, definition and meanings of “watashi no”, components of “watashi no”, example #1: how to use “watashi no” meaning ‘my’, example #2: how to use “watashi no” meaning ‘mine’, more simplified expression meaning ‘mine’, summary and the rest.

watashi no – 私の (わたしの) : a phrase meaning ‘my’ in Japanese. Depending on the situation and context, it can also be used to ‘mine’ in Japanese.
watashi – 私 (わたし) : a pronoun meaning ‘I’ in Japanese. In formal situations, regardless of gender, almost all Japanese people use it to refer to themselves. In casual situations, on the other hand, mainly Japanese women use it.
no – の : a case particle put after a noun to make its possessive case. In the phrase, it is put after the pronoun, “watashi”, to make its possessive case.
kore – これ : a demonstrative pronoun meaning ‘this’ in Japanese.
wa – は : a case particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, it is put after the pronoun, “kore”, to make the subject word in the sentence.
dare – 誰 (だれ) : an indefinite pronoun meaning ‘who’ in Japanese. In the example, it is changed to its possessive case with help of the case particle, “no”. So, the formed phrase, “dare no”, has been translated as “whose”.
kappu – カップ (かっぷ) : a noun meaning ‘cup’. Depending on context, it can also be used as the plural noun. Learn more about Japanese plural .
desu – です : an auxiliary verb put after a noun or adjective to make it polite. In the example, it is put after the noun, “kappu”, to make it sound polite.
ka – か : a sentence ending particle put at the end of sentence to make a question.
sore – それ : a demonstrative pronoun meaning ‘that’ in Japanese. Depending on context, it can also be used to mean ‘it’. In the example, it works as the subject word thanks to the binding particle, “wa”.
watashi no – 私の (わたしの) : a phrase meaning ‘my’ in Japanese. Depending on the situation and context, it can also be used to mean ‘mine’. Normally, it is put just before a noun to describe it. Its usage is the same as that of “my” in English. Japanese people quite often omit a noun after this phrase. In this case, it works like a possessive pronoun and corresponds well to the English one, “mine”.
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Jikoshoukai : self introductions in japanese.

Jikoshoukai : Self Introductions in Japanese : Hello everyone, today we are going to be learning how to Introduce yourself in Japanese. This is the perfect lesson for those of you just starting out and looking for a place to start with your Japanese learning or also a great opportunity for you guys who want to review your introductions.

1 Jikoshoukai : Self Introductions in Japanese
2.1 Jikoshoukai(自己紹介) – Starting Out
2.2.2 nationality
2.2.3 occupation
3.1 It’s Nice to meet you – Jikoshoukai(自己紹介) – Introductions in Japanese
3.2 Example Introduction Conversation
4 Side notes – Self Introductions in Japanese
5.1 So, how old are you? in Japanese
5.2 I am …… years old. in Japanese
5.3 Where are you from? in Japanese
5.4 Tell me about your occupation? in Japanese
5.5 What about your hobbies? in Japanese
6 Jikoshoukai(自己紹介) – Summary
7.1 Recommend
7.2 Related

In any case this is really important when it comes to meeting new people, interviews etc. Let’s dive right in and get started with the basics.

Simple Self Introductions in Japanese

Japan’s introductions are much more formal than the standard “hey, how you doing” of the western world. They follow certain patterns and are really a big deal when it comes to first impressions.

Jikoshoukai(自己紹介) – Starting Out

The best way to start is with a simple greeting. This can vary depending on the time of day, so let’s take a look at that. If you are greeting someone in the morning you can say おはようございます Ohayou Gozaimasu which means, “good morning”. If it is in the day time you can use こんにちは　 Konnichiwa which means, “good day”. Finally, if you are in the evening you can use こんばんは　Konbanwa, which means, “good evening”. So as you can see, depending on the time of day these initial greetings can change so make sure to take note of that before starting your greeting.

Talking about you in Japanese

(私は) ◯◯ です。(My name is ◯◯)
私の名前は ◯◯ です。

nationality

(私は) ◯◯人です。(I’m from ◯◯)
◯◯で働いています。(I’m working for ◯◯)
◯◯で勉強しています。

Self-introduction Japanese Phrases

Another thing to note when it comes to introducing yourself in Japanese are the different levels of formality that can be expressed. If it’s more of an informal, less casual situation you can say:

If it’s a more formal meeting such as with an interview or addressing a superior you can use:

Depending on the formality of the situation you can use either one to introduce yourself in Japanese.

A side note, if you want to introduce yourself with your full name, remember to use your family name first followed by your first name. This is of course opposite the customs of the western world.

It’s Nice to meet you - Introductions in Japanese

It’s Nice to meet you – Jikoshoukai(自己紹介) – Introductions in Japanese

It’s nice to meet you is really something nice to say to make the other party feel welcome. That you want to talk to them and you are happy that they have just entered into your life. In Japanese you can say:

Or more politely

You can remember this as “nice to meet you” but it more directly translates into “Please be kind to me” or “Remember me favorably.” These are phrases that you can use after you have introduced yourself or heard the introduction of the other party.

Now lets put all of this together and look at an example conversation to help you remember and practice this simple Japanese introduction.

Example Introduction Conversation

So as you can see here this is how a nice casual introduction would play out. Not let’s take a look at something a little more formal.

Side notes – Self Introductions in Japanese

When it comes to hand shakes in Japanese introductions you should never just jump in for one like in the west. This is considered very rude and is usually used between people of equal status. When in Japan I would suggest that you stay away from hand shakes as much as possible. Maybe keep it handy for drunk salarymen but that’s about it.

Now Japan is very famous for the bow. You can use this in your introduction but only after you have finished speaking. Don’t use this mid-sentence as this will also come off rather rude .

Remember also not to talk about yourself too much either as this will really not give a good impression of you. Have respect for the other person’s time and be sure to look interested in what they have to say. Unless the person you are talking to has a lot of interest in your back story I would suggest to try and keep introductions as brief as possible.

So there we are, we’ve now covered the basics of introducing yourself in Japanese. In the next post we are going to be looking at taking this to the next level by adding in more complex introductory sentences such as expressing where you come from, age and occupation.

Complex Introductions in Japanese

We are going to be learning how to introduce yourself in Japanese with some more complex sentences and phrases. Not only are we going to be introducing where you come from and how old you are, we are also going to be looking at introducing hobbies and occupations in Japanese too.

This online Japanese lesson on complex introductions in Japanese is a continuation from the previous lesson “ Simple Introductions in Japanese ” so if you haven’t checked that out be sure to take a look before looking at this.

So guys strap yourself in and lets first take a look at introducing how old you are in Japanese.

So, how old are you? in Japanese

With every introduction, being able to tell someone how old you are is a vital aspect. No we are going to learn how to do this in Japanese so you can learn how to expand your Japanese introduction ability.

To do this you simply use the following phrase:

I am …… years old. in Japanese

In putting your age before “sai desu” will let the other person know how old you are and develop your introduction.

However just like in the western world it’s definitely considered rude to ask a lady her age. So fella’s remember your manners and be courteous.

Where are you from? in Japanese

So now it’s time to introduce where you are from in Japanese. Let’s first look at some countries to ensure you know how to say the name of your country in Japanese.

So now that you know have had a look on the country names you may now be able to know how to say your country in Japanese, if you didn’t already before.

To introduce where you are from in Japanese in a Japanese introduction you would say:

So all you would have to do is input your country before Kara kimashita .

Next, let’s take a look at how to introduce your occupation in Japanese.

Tell me about your occupation? in Japanese

Well when it comes to introducing your occupation in Japanese you can say it in a few ways. Let’s have a look at 2 examples.

Now you can choose between your preference here just add your job title after “Wa”

What about your hobbies? in Japanese

Hobbies are wonderful things, they are what make up your character and also say a lot about you as a person. It is very common to introduce your hobby during self introductions in Japanese so lets have a look at how to this now.

To introduce your hobby in Japanese simply add your hobby of choice after “Watashi no shumi wa”

An example of this would be, “ わたしのしゅみはにほんごをべんきょうすることです”. My hobby is studying Japanese.

Jikoshoukai(自己紹介) – Summary

So now you know how to introduce your age, country, occupation and hobbies, you are all set to go off and impress the world with your Japanese introduction ability. The Japanese introduction is in most cases the conversation starter for any new people that you meet so ensure that you practice it a lot.

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Talking about hobbies *Fully in Japanese with English subs*

Talking about hobbies in Japanese + こと and の explained! Today let’s learn how to talk about hobbies in Japanese!

★　Vocab　語彙　ごい　goi 　★

趣味　しゅみ　shumi = hobby

My hobby is <noun>. = しゅみは <noun> です。 shumi wa <noun> desu.

Tips that textbooks don’t tell ✔ : *You wouldn’t put わたしの (watashi no =my) in front of しゅみ (shumi =hobby) unless you really need to specify that you are talking about YOUR hobby.*

*You can omit です if you are being casual.* —————————————–

趣味は何？ (inf.) shumi wa nani

趣味は何ですか？ (form.) shumi wa nan desu ka = What is your hobby?

趣味は水泳です。 shumi wa suiei desu = My hobby is swimming.

趣味は空手です。 shumi wa karate desu = My hobby is karate.

趣味はゴルフです。 shumi wa gorufu desu = My hobby is golf.

趣味は釣りです。 shumi wa tsuri desu = My hobby is fishing.

Other common ones are : ダンス = dance ヨガ = yoga テニス = tennis ハイキング = hiking 山登り (yama nobori) = mountain climbing コスプレ = cosplay

But the nouns that you can put there are limited and usually end up sounding too formal, so we usually put a verb .

When putting a verb (only in plain form, never masu form), don’t forget to put こと (koto) after the verb . E.g

趣味は泳ぐことです。 shumi wa oyogu koto desu = My hobby is swimm ing .

* 水泳 (suiei) is a noun for “swimming”, but it can sound formal so using a verb – およぐこと can sound better if you don’t want to sound too formal.*

趣味は日本語を勉強することです。 shumi wa nihon-go wo benkyou-suru koto desu = My hobby is learn ing Japanese.

趣味は映画を見ることです。 shumi wa eiga wo miru koto desu = My hobby is watch ing movies.

*Some people say ” 映画鑑賞 (eiga-kanshou)” instead. 鑑賞 (kanshou) means appreciation of arts. 趣味は映画鑑賞です。 shumi wa eiga-kanshou desu *But again it can sound too formal.*

趣味は料理をすることです。 shumi wa ryouri wo suru koto desu = My hobby is cook ing .

*You could say 趣味は料理です。 shumi wa ryouri desu *

趣味はお菓子を作ることです。 shumi wa okashi wo tsukuru koto desu = My hobby is mak ing sweets.

*Some people say お菓子作り (okashi-dzukuri) = making sweets (as a noun) 趣味はお菓子作りです。 shumi wa okashi dzukuri desu *

趣味は本を読むことです。 shumi wa hon wo yomu koto desu = My hobby is read ing books.

*You could say 趣味は読書です。 shumi wa dokusho (=reading books as a noun) desu But again it sounds more formal than ほんをよむこと. *

趣味は絵を描くことです。 shumi wa e wo kaku koto desu = My hobby is draw ing pictures.

趣味はカラオケで歌うことです。 shumi wa karaoke de utau koto desu = My hobby is sing ing in Karaoke.

趣味は音楽を聞くことです。 shumi wa ongaku wo kiku koto desu = My hobby is listen ing to music.

趣味はギターを弾くことです。 shumi wa gitaa wo hiku koto = My hobby is play ing guitar.

————————– So what does this こと mean? This こと (koto) is hard to translate, but it means “ event ” or “ matter “. But you can simply remember that a plain form verb + こと is basically <verb>ing in English .

There is a particle ” の (no) ” that does a similar job. You might know this の as a possesive particle. For example, わたし (= I) + の is : my / mine.

But if you put this の after an adjective : しろいの = white one かわいいの = cute one E.g A: どれが好き？ (dore ga suki) = Which one do you like? B: ちいさいの！(chiisai no) = The small one!

And if you put this の after a verb, の is helping a verb turn into a NOUN . ねるの = sleep ing ねるのが好き。 neru no ga suki = I like sleep ing .

You can not put a verb without の in front of particles が , は and を . 宿題をするのを忘れた。 shukudai wo suru NO wo wasureta = I forgot to do my homework.

日本語を勉強するのは楽しいです。 nihon-go wo benkyou suru NO wa tanoshii desu = Learning Japanese is fun. The differences between こと VS の :

So こと can be translated like <verb>ING like の, but の cannot be with です . E.g 趣味はサッカーをすることです。 shumi wa sakkaa wo suru koto desu = My hobby is playing football.

BUT not するのです。 – this is WRONG.

However, if you want to put a verb in front of a particle , using こと can make it too formal and unnatural . E.g 外食をするのが好きです。 gaishoku wo suru NO ga suki desu = I like eat ing out .

You could say : 外食をすることが好きです。 gaishoku wo suru koto ga suki desu – But it’s a bit unnatural. Like a textbook speech.

Be careful, の at the end of a sentence is just adding a nuance of giving an explaination, seeking for an explaintion or inviting to a conversation. E.g なんで笑ってるの？ nande waratte(i)ru NO? = Why are you laughing?

明日はどこに行くの？ ashita wa doko ni iku NO? = Where are you going tomorrow? ( I want your explaination.)

ねえ、聞いて！彼氏ができたの！ (Girls’ speech) nee, kiite! kareshi ga dekita NO! = Hey, listen! I got a boyfriend! (inviting to a conversation. I want you to ask me questions.) * In affirmative sentences (not questions), guys use んだ instead of の . * E.g 彼女ができたんだ！ (both girls’ and guys’ speech) kanojo ga dekita N DA! = I got a girlfriend! * Put んです instead of の or んだ for formal speech .*

————————–

By the way “ to find a hobby ” in Japanese is 趣味を見つける shumi wo mitsukeru

E.g 趣味を見つけた方がいいですよ。 shumi wo mitsuketa hou ga ii desu yo = You should find a hobby.

You can also say 趣味を作る shumi wo tsukuru = lit. to make a hobby

趣味がある？ (inf.) shumi ga aru 趣味がありますか？ (form.) shumi ga arimasu ka? = Do you have a hobby?

みんなは趣味がある？聞かせてね☆ minna wa shumi ga aru? kikasete ne = Do you guys have hobbies? Let me hear!

Translator / Linguist / Japanese Teacher / Happy World Traveler/ manga, anime, comedy lover.

Transitive vs Intransitive Verbs | I’m Breaking vs It’s Broken

PART③ なら┃”IF” (conditional と vs たら vs なら) Differences

PART② たら┃”IF” / “WHEN” （と vs たら vs とき) Differences

素晴らしいレッスンですね！趣味について教えてくれてありがとう、みさ先生！

僕の趣味は筋トレです。(笑)

「僕の趣味は筋トレをすることです。」と言いたかった。

コメントありがとうございます＾＿＾　「趣味は筋トレです。」だけでも大丈夫ですよ！　筋トレは名詞 (noun) ですから＾＾

How do you list multiple hobbies? Would it just be: 趣味は読むこと、はしること、音楽を聞くことです。 Or would I need to connect it with と or something else?

いい質問ですね！Good question! Your sentence is fine, but yes, you can connect こと with と because こと is a noun. So you get: 趣味は読むことと、はしることと、音楽を聞くことです。 However more native way to connect these are : 趣味は本を読んだり、走ったり、音楽を聞いたりすることです。 We’re using たり form (you can make this form from TE form . We use this TARI form to list several actions / verbs like TE-form but the action doesn’t have to occur in a row. E.g 今日は友達と遊んだり、日本語を勉強したりします。 Today I’ll hang out with my friends and learn Japanese (and so on).

私の趣味は日本語を勉強したり、読んだり、ビデオゲムしたりことです。

Great!! Just one tiny mistake – put する between the last したり and こと :) So ….ゲームしたりすることです。

私の趣味は泳ぐことと書道おすることです。 My hobbies are swimming and writing calligraphy. I‘d like to use this sentence to introduce my self, but not sure what I wrote. Is that right? Thank you so much.

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How to Say “I am” in Japanese – Don’t Use “Watashi (wa)”

How to Say I am in Japanese - Why You Shouldn't Use Watashi Wa 私は

In English, we start a lot of our sentences with “ I’m… “, so it’s only natural that you want to know how to say “ I am ” in Japanese . However, after living in Japan I found that translating “ I am… ” is rather complicated because there are a bunch of words that mean “ I ” and it is common to leave out the “ I ” or “ I am ” part when speaking Japanese. Here is, for example, how to say “ I am Alex ” in Japanese .

“Watashi” (私) is the generic Japanese word for “I” and is usually followed by the particle は (wa) to form sentences starting with “I am…”. So for example “Watashi wa Arekusu desu” (私はアレクスです) means “I am Alex”. However, it is common and more natural to omit “Watashi wa” and just say “Arekusu desu”.

If that was too fast, don’t worry! Below you will find the detailed answer of how to say “ I’m… ” in Japanese and we will also cover the differences between “ watashi (wa) “, “ boku (wa) “, “ ore (wa) “, and the other Japanese words that mean “ I “. You can also read the in-depth explanation of why you shouldn’t use “ watashi (wa) ” (私は) aka “ I am ” when speaking Japanese.

How to Say “I am” in Japanese

The formal and most common way to say “ I am… ” in Japanese is “ Watashi wa … desu ” (私は〇〇です). Watashi (私) means “ I “, wa (は) is the topic particle which marks what the speaker wants to talk about, and desu (です), the last word, is the polite copula that can be translated as “ am “, “ is “, or “ are “.

Watashi wa ___ desu. 私は〇〇です。 I am ____.

This is a basic and kinda useful sentence structure to introduce or talk about yourself. So here are a few more example sentences that illustrate how you can use “ Watashi wa ___ desu ” to say things like “ I’m (name) “, “ I’m (age) years old “, or “ I’m a/an (occupation) “.

Watashi wa Sakura desu. 私は桜です。 I’m Sakura. Watashi wa juusan sai desu. 私は十三歳です。 I’m 13 years old. Watashi wa isha desu. 私は医者です。 I’m a doctor.

However, please note that not all English sentences that start with “ I am ___ ” or “ I’m ___ ” can be translated like this.

The English expression “ I’m home “, for example, translates into “ Tadaima ” (ただいま), one of the many greetings used to say “hello” in Japanese . And, “ I’m sorry ” is either “ Gomen ” (ごめん) or the politer “ Gomen nasai ” (ごめんなさい) in Japanese.

Tadaima. ただいま。 I’m home. Gomen (nasai) ごめん(なさい) I’m sorry.

It also often happens that “ I am ___ ” just translates as “ Watashi wa ___ ” (私は〇〇) without the desu (です) at the end. Or, the informal and more declarative copula da (だ) is used instead of it.

Watashi wa nemui. 私は眠い。 I am tired. Watashi wa nemui desu. 私は眠いです。 I am tired (more polite) Watashi wa nemui da. 私は眠いだ。 I’m tired! (more casual)

Another good example is the present continuous “ I am ___ing ” because you can’t add desu (です) after a verb .

Watashi wa hashitteiru. 私は走っている。 I am running. Watashi wa oyoideiru. 私は泳いでいる。 I’m swimming.

So always keep in mind that “ Watashi wa ___ (desu)” (私は〇〇です) is just a basic Japanese sentence structure that can be used to translate a few but not all English sentences that start with “ I am ___ “.

On top of that, it is actually more common and natural to omit “ Watashi (wa) ” entirely in Japanese . It’s so counter-intuitive that it can be one of the hardest things to wrap your mind around when learning Japanese. Take a deep breath and let’s look into it!

Why You Shouldn’t Use “Watashi (wa)”

Whenever it is clear that the topic or subject of a sentence is “ I ” it is common to leave out that part of the Japanese sentence and omit “ watashi wa ” (私は). While generally speaking, it is grammatically correct to use the full sentence including “ Watashi wa” , it is not natural in spoken Japanese.

So, when we look at the English sentence “ I am (name) ” it literally translates as “ Watashi wa (name) desu ” (私は〇〇です). However, in a Japanese conversation, especially in a casual setting with friends, it is way more natural to just say “ (Name) desu ” (〇〇です).

Watashi wa Arekusu desu. 私はアレクスです。 I am Alex (not natural) Arekusu desu. アレクスです。 I am Alex (natural)

And this is actually true for all the sentences we have covered so far. In a Japanese conversation it is way more natural to just say:

Juusan sai desu. 十三歳です。 I’m 13 years old. Nemui. 眠い。 I am tired. Nemui desu. 眠いです。 I am tired (more polite) Hashitteiru. 走っている。 I am running.

Feels strange? I know! It took me so long to get used to this.

I am also fully aware that all the Japanese textbooks and probably your Japanese teacher , too, use the “ Watashi wa ___ desu ” (私は〇〇です) sentence structure. And if you ask them they will probably say you have to (or should) use “ Watashi wa ___ “, because it is correct . And they are not wrong. I t is not wrong ! But also, it is not natural .

After living here in Tokyo for more than 6 years I know that none of my Japanese friends and none of my coworkers use “ Watashi wa ” (or “Anata”) when the topic and/or subject are clear .

So please believe me when I try to convince you to omit “ watashi wa ” (私は) in order to speak natural Japanese .

Watashi vs Boku vs Ore – What’s the Difference?

Watashi (私) is not the only Japanese word that can be used to say “ I “, “ I am ___ ” or “ I’m ___ “.

There is the politer version which is watakushi (私), the semi-formal boku (僕) which is often used by young males, the feminine sounding atashi (あたし) which is sometimes used by girls, and the rather rough ore (俺), which you can often hear when watching anime. All of these Japanese words mean “I”.

So instead of “ Watashi wa ___ desu ” (私は〇〇です), you could also say “ Atashi wa ___ desu ” (あたしは〇〇です) or “ Boku wa ___ desu ” (僕は〇〇です), for example.

Atashi wa Sakura desu. あたしわ桜です。 I’m Sakura. Boku wa juusan sai desu. 僕は十三歳です。 I’m 13 years old.

You need to be a bit careful, though!

Watash i (私) is the gender-neutral word for “ I ” that can be used in any situation .

Atashi (あたし), on the other hand, should only be used by females and only in casual situations , while boku (僕) is most commonly used by young males in formal and informal situations . Sometimes men might use it in casual situations, too.

In the chart below you will find the most common words that can be used to say “ I ” in Japanese and see by whom and in which situations they are usually used.

How to Say “Yes I’m” in Japanese

In Japanese “ Hai, sou desu ” (はい、そうです) is the common expression that is used to say “ Yes, I am “. It literally translates as “ Yes, that is right ” or “ Yes that is true ” and depending on the situation it can also be translated as “ Yes, I do “, “ Yes, it is “, “ Yes, she is “, and “ Yes, he is “.

So, for example, when someone asks you the question “Are you a student?” (学生ですか) you can confirm it and say “ Yes I am ” by saying “ Hai, sou desu ” (はい、そうです) in Japanese.

Gakusei desu ka? 学生ですか？ Are you a student? Hai, sou desu. はい、そうです。 Yes, I am.

There are also two more casual versions that can be used. The first one is “ Hai, sou da ” (はい、そうだ) and the second one is “ Hai, sou da yo! ” (はい、そうだよ). Both phrases translate as “ Yes, I am ” but they sound more casual and also more empathic or enthusiastic . So only use them with friends.

Hai, sou desu. はい、そうです。 Yes, I am. (polite) Hai, sou da! はい、そうだ！ Yes, I am. (casual) Hai, sou da yo! はい、そうだよ！ Yes, I am! (more casual)

おはよう. I'm Alex. I have started studying Japanese when I was still a high school student and I have been living and working in Japan since 2015. I'm still learning new Japanese phrases and words every day and I thought that publishing them online will be useful for you, too. Hopefully, my study notes and free Japanese lessons will help you to reach the Japanese level you want to have! If you want to practice your Japanese for free follow me on Twitter and/or Instagram .

Watashi No Umi

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Talk About Family in Japanese: Father-in-Law and More!

Learning a foreign language isn’t only about the language itself, but also about its culture, customs, and society. Family is the minimum unit of a social group, and it’s important to understand its characteristics as this is closely related to culture and customs.

When you learn how to explain your family in Japanese, it helps to expand your vocabulary and improve your communication skills in Japanese.

Compared to English, there are many more words to describe family members in Japanese. These words are according to age and the style (formal and informal). For example, what is a Japanese father-in-law called?

Let’s learn how to describe family in Japanese at JapanesePod101.com. Here’s our list of the most useful Japanese words and family member terms, as well as important information about family in Japan.

Table of Contents

Family in Japan – Cultural Perspective
Basic Family Terms
Terms of Relatives
Family Terms as a Married Person
Endearment Terms
How to Describe Family and Ask Question about Family in Japanese
Conclusion: How Japanesepod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Family in Japan – Cultural Perspective

Before we move onto the actual family vocabulary, it’s important that we go over family roles in Japanese culture, family values in Japanese society, and the importance of family in Japanese culture. This will give you a better idea of what to expect from Japanese families, and give more context to the Japanese family vocabulary and phrases you’re going to learn!

1- Traditional and Modern Family in Japan

The traditional Japanese family is characterized by the 家 ( Ie ) or family system , which is literally translated as “household.” It refers to a home and family’s lineage, which bestows importance of kinship and loyalty to their family.

Each member of a family is expected to serve their family’s interests (rather than the individual’s) as a priority. The Japanese family is traditionally patriarchal and a household usually consists of grandparents, their son, his wife, and their children. The eldest son is expected to inherit the household assets, and he’s responsible for taking care of his parents when they get old.

In the modern Japanese family, however, the influence of the traditional ie system isn’t as strong as it used to be. A 核家族 ( kaku kazoku ) or “ nuclear family ” is very common nowadays, and consists of two parents and their children, typically centering on a married couple.

While a married couple is expected to live together with a husband’s parents in the traditional Japanese family, grandparents don’t live with a kaku kazoku in a modern Japanese family (although they are visited often).

2- Becoming a Family in Japan (Marriage)

In Japan, the 戸籍 ( Koseki ) or “family registration system” is mandatory to all households. It requires that the family records all changes in family composition and identity, such as births, deaths, marriages, divorces, acknowledgements of paternity, adoptions, and disrupted adoptions.

It’s required to register one person as the head of a household, and the rest of the members in a household must have the same surname as that of the head. Once a couple gets married, spouses are obligated to have the same surname, and registration of different surnames is not allowed.

Due to the traditional system and the importance of kinship as custom, marriage isn’t only a matter of the bride and groom, but also of their extended family. It’s expected that extended families from both sides are going to have a “family relationship” once a couple gets married in Japan. As such, relationships with one’s in-laws become important.

3- Expressions of Family in Japan

There are various words to name family members in Japanese.

Japanese vocabulary words to describe family count age difference, and there are particular names related to age. This is because age is regarded as one of the most important attributions in the Japanese society, which is greatly influenced by the concept of Confucianism that states seniority is highly respected.

As relationships with in-laws are also culturally important, there are particular names for them as well.

In addition, there are variations of how to express family members, ranging from very casual to formal. Which ones to use depend on the occasion.

Let’s dive into the details in the following sections, and get you started with common family words in Japanese.

2. Basic Family Terms

Now, it’s time to learn some basic Japanese words for family members. These are the words you’ll most often hear and use!

1- Basic Family Vocabularies

The formal terms are usually used for official occasions and in written form, while the informal terms are commonly used in casual situations (orally) as well as when calling a family member.

Average modern Japanese families usually have 1 or 2 children.

2- More Vocabulary

家族かぞく ( Kazoku ) : family
両親りょうしん ( Ryōshin ) : parents (father & mother)
親おや ( Oya ) : parent(s)
子供こども ( Kodomo ) : child(ren)
兄弟きょうだい ( Kyōdai ) : brothers
姉妹しまい ( Shimai ) : sisters

3- Examples

Here are some examples of Japanese phrases for family, so you have a better idea how to use the vocabulary above.

私の家族は、お母さん、お父さん、私、弟の4人家族です。 Watashi no kazoku wa, o-kā-san, o-tō-san, watashi, otōto no yo-nin kazoku desu. My family has four members: mother, father, me, and my younger brother.
私は姉と妹がいる3姉妹です。 Watashi wa ane to imōto ga iru san-shimai desu. I have an older sister and a younger sister, and we are three sisters.
私は兄と姉がいます。 Watashi wa ani to ane ga imasu. I have an older brother and an older sister.
私は祖父と祖母が大好きです。 Watashi wa sofu to sobo ga daisuki desu. I like my grandfather and grandmother very much.

To listen to the pronunciation of basic family terms, please visit Must-Know Terms for Family Members on our website.

Also, if you would like to know more about Japanese numbers, please visit our Japanese Numbers article .

The bond between a mother and a daughter is often very strong.

3. Terms of Relatives

1- vocabulary for relatives.

親戚　しんせき ( Shinseki ) : relatives
叔父　おじ ( Oji ) : uncle
叔母　おば ( Oba ) : aunt
甥　おい (Oi) : nephew
姪　めい ( Mei ) : niece
いとこ ( Itoko ) : cousin

2- Examples

私の親戚は全員東京に住んでいます。 Watashi no shinseki wa zen’in Tōkyō ni sunde imasu. All my relatives live in Tokyo.
私は5人いとこがいます。 Watashi wa go-nin itoko ga imasu. I have five cousins.
私の叔父と叔母は教師です。 Watashi no oji to oba wa kyōshi desu. My uncle and my aunt are teachers.
私の姪は5歳で、甥は2歳です。 Watashi no mei wa go-sai de, oi wa ni-sai desu. My niece is five years old and my nephew is two years old.

4. Family Terms as a Married Person

1- vocabulary to know as a married person.

結婚けっこん ( Kekkon ) : marriage
既婚きこん ( Kikon ) : married
未婚　みこん ( Mikon ) : unmarried
離婚　りこん ( Rikon ) : divorce
夫おっと ( Otto ) : husband
妻つま ( Tsuma ) : wife
息子　むすこ ( Musuko ) : son
娘　むすめ ( Musume ) : daughter
義理のぎりの ( Giri no ) : in-law

In order to express “XXX in-law,” add 義理の ( Giri no ) in front of XXX (the family member).

For example:

義理の両親 ( Giri no ryōshin ) : parents-in-law
義理の父 ( Giri no chichi ) : father-in-law
義理の母 ( Giri no haha ) : mother-in-law
義理の兄 ( Giri no ani ) : older brother-in-law
義理の弟 ( Giri no otōto ) : younger brother-in-law
義理の姉 ( Giri no ane ) : older sister-in-law
義理の妹 ( Giri no imōto ) : younger sister-in-law
私は夫と娘が1人います。 Watashi wa otto to musume ga hitori imasu. I have a husband and one daughter.
私の義理の父と母は大阪に住んでいます。 Watashi no giri no chichi to haha wa Ōsaka ni sunde imasu. My father and mother in-law live in Osaka.
私は既婚者で子供が2人います。 Watashi wa kikonsha de kodomo ga futari imasu. I am married and I have two children.
私の義理の両親は、私の息子におもちゃを買いました。 Watashi no giri no ryōshin wa, watashi no musuko ni omocha o kaimashita. My parents-in-law bought a toy for my son.

5. Endearment Terms

In addition to the formal and informal terms for family, there are also more casual vocabulary words that you can call family members. It may vary from household to household, or on what kind of relationships there are between family members, but here are some examples. Just note that these are typically used in Japanese family relationships that are close.

パパ ( Papa ) : papa

Like in English, “papa” is a common name to call a father in Japan, especially when children are very small. However, most Japanese people don’t use papa as they grow up.

父ちゃん ( Tō-chan ) : dad

This term includes a nuance of cute and comical affection.

おやじ ( Oyaji ) : dad

This term is usually used by sons who are post-adolescent age. When they become adults, they often feel embarrassed to call their father papa or o-tō-san . This term also indicates a nuance of close affection.

ママ ( Mama ) : mama

Just like papa, mama is used especially when children are still small.

母ちゃん ( Kā-chan ) : mom

This is the version of tō-chan used for mothers.

お袋 ( Ofukuro ) : mom

This is the mother version of oyaji .

3- Grandfather

じじ ( Jiji ) : grandpa

Grandchildren and their parents usually call a grandfather by this term when the grandchildren are still small. It indicates a nuance of cute affection.

じーじ ( Jīji ) : grandpa

This is very similar to jiji , but the first ji is pronounced longer.

4- Grandmother

ばば ( Baba ) : grandma

This is the grandmother version of jiji .

ばーば ( Bāba ) : grandma

This is the grandmother version of jīji .

Grandparents often have endearing nicknames when they have grandchildren.

6. How to Describe Family and Ask Question about Family in Japanese

Most of the time, there’s no problem with talking about family and relatives. When it comes to marital status and children, however, it can be a delicate matter. It can sometimes be inappropriate to ask someone about his/her marital status or if they have children, unless he/she is open and willing to talk. This is especially true for a woman in her 30s.

Here are some example questions and answers related to family.

Q: 何人家族ですか。 Nan-nin kazoku desu ka. How many family members do you have?

A: お父さん、お母さん、お姉ちゃん、私の4人家族です。 O-tō-san, o-kā-san, o-nee-chan, watashi no yo-nin kazoku desu. I have four family members: father, mother, older sister, and me.

—–

Q: 兄弟はいますか。 Kyōdai wa imasu ka. Do you have brothers and sisters?

*When asking a question, kyōdai can also refer to sisters.

A: 私は姉と弟がいます。 Watashi wa ane to otōto ga imasu. I have an older sister and a younger brother.

Q: 結婚していますか。 Kekkon shite imasu ka. Are you married?

A: はい、妻と子供が2人います。 Hai, tsuma to kodomo ga futari imasu. Yes, I have a wife and two children.

Q: 孫はいますか。 Mago wa imasu ka. Do you have grandchildren?

A: はい、私は孫が6人います。 Hai, watashi wa mago ga roku-nin imasu. Yes, I have six grandchildren.

Q: ご両親はお元気ですか。 Go-ryōshin wa o-genki desu ka. How are your parents?

*It’s polite to put go in front of ryōshin when you talk about someone’s parents.

A: はい、私の父と母は元気です。 Hai, watashi no chichi to haha wa genki desu. Yes, my father and mother are doing well.

For more about self-introductions, please visit Introducing Yourself in Japanese on our website .

7. Conclusion: How Japanesepod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

I hope this article about family in Japanese culture is useful and that it helps to improve your Japanese communication skills.

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language, you’ll find more useful content on JapanesePod101.com . We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. For example, Must-Know Terms for Family Members is helpful if you want to practice family terms in Japanese with audio.

We also have YouTube channel: JapanesePod101 . It’s always fun to learn Japanese by watching videos and listening to actual Japanese pronunciation.

Before you go, let us know in the comments if there are any family terms you still want to know! And to practice, write a short paragraph about your family in basic Japanese. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Learn Japanese online

Write a paragraph about family in japanese.

In this post, we will introduce to you the lesson : Write a paragraph about family in Japanese. Let’s start!

1.1 Opening
1.3 Conclusion
2.1 Answer the questions from readers :

A paragraph about family in Japanese

私は三人家族である。 Watashi wa sannin kazoku de aru. There are three people in my family.

三人家族は少ないと思うが、私の家族はいつもにぎやかである。 Sannin kazoku wa sukunai to omou ga, watashi no kazoku wa itsumo nigiyaka de aru. A family of three might be small but my family is always lively.

なんといっても、いつも明るい父と楽しい話が好きな母とおっちょこちょいの私の三人がそろっているからだ。 Nanto itte mo, itsumo akarui chichi to tanoshii hanashi ga sukina haha to otchokochoi no watashi no sannin ga sorotteiru kara da. A father who is always cheerful, a mother who likes funny stories and me who is a careless person. The three of us always stay together no matter what.

まるで愛犬が一匹いるのかと思うぐらいにぎやかである。だから、毎日私は楽しい。 Marude aiken ga ichibiki iru no ka to omou gurai nigiyaka de aru. Dakara, mainichi watashi wa tanoshii. We are lively like there is one pet dog in my family. So I’m happy every day.

家族皆、海好きなので夏休みと言ったら、プールよりも先に山よりも先に遊園地よりも先にデパートよりも先に海へ行く。 Kazoku mina, umi suki na node natsuyasumi to ittara, puuru yori mo saki ni yama yori mo saki ni yuenchi yori mo saki ni depaato yori mo saki ni umi e iku. Everyone in my family loves the beach, so we will go to the beach rather than go to a mall, amusement park, mountain, or pool on summer vacation.

このときに役立つのが父である。 Kono toki ni yakudatsu no ga chichidearu. At these times, my father is helpful.

父は近道や色々な道を知っているためあまり渋滞に引っかからずに海へ行ける。 Chichi wa chikamichi ya iroirona michi wo shitte iru tame amari juutai ni hikkakarazu ni umi e ikeru. My father knows many short ways and roads, so we can go to the beach without being caught in a traffic jam.

それにゴミがいっぱい落ちている汚い海ではなくエメラルドグリーンに光っているきれいな海へ連れてってくれる。 Soreni gomi ga ippai ochite iru kitanai umide wa naku emerarudoguriin ni hikatte iru kireina umi e tsuretette kureru. Moreover, he takes us to the beautiful sea that shines in the emerald green instead of the dirty sea full of garbage.

そして、泳ぎ上手な父が泳ぎを教えてくれたり、物知りの母が海で真っ黒に焼けてひりひりしないような方法を教えてくれる。 Soshite, oyogi jouzuna chichi ga oyogi wo oshiete kure tari, monoshiri no haha ga umi de makkuro ni yakete hirihiri shinai youna houhou wo oshiete kureru. And my father, who is a good swimmer, also teaches me how to swim and my knowledgeable mother also teaches me how to not get burned in the sea.

それから楽しい時間が過ぎ家へ帰る。 Sorekara tanoshii jikan ga sugi ie e kaeru. Then we go home after having a good time.

そして、色々なこと所へ行く。 Soshite, iroirona koto tokoro e iku. We also go to various places.

私にとって夏休みは大事な行事なのだ。 Watashi ni totte natsuyasumi wa daijina gyoujina noda. Summer vacation is an important event for me.

こんな私の家族も時にはケンカするときがある。 Konna watashi no kazoku mo tokiniha kenka suru toki ga aru. My family sometimes has a fight.

しかし、どんなに大きなケンカをしても一日で仲直りする。 Shikashi, donnani ookina kenka wo shite mo ichinichi de nakanaori suru. However, no matter how big the fight is, we will make up in a day.

ケンカするほど仲が良いだと思う。 Kenkasuru hodo naka ga ii da to omou. I think the more we fight, the better our relationship is.

わたしの家族は皆一番寝ると昨日の嫌なことなど全て忘れてしまうのだ。 Watashi no kazoku wa mina ichiban neru to kinou no iyana koto nado subete wasurete shimau noda. Everyone in my family will forget all the unpleasant things the day before when going to sleep.

だから、すぐ仲直りする。 Dakara, sugu nakanaori suru. So we quickly make up with each other.

人間にとって家族とは相談相手になってくれたり一緒に楽しめたり守ってくれたりする。 Ningen ni totte kazoku to wa soudan aite ni natte kure tari issho ni tanoshime tari mamotte kure tari suru. For each person, family is a counseling partner and a place where we are protected and can enjoy together.

こんな家族を私は、大切にしたい。 Konna kazoku wo watashi wa, taisetsu ni shitai. I want to cherish such a family.

そして毎日明るい父と母と私でこれからも楽しく生活していきたい。 Soshite mainichi akarui chichi to haha to watashi de korekara mo tanoshiku seikatsu shite ikitai. And I want to live happily every day with my cheerful father and my mother from now on.

笑う門には福が来るというように明るく楽しく生活すれば幸運がい来るということが分かった。 Warau kado ni wa fuku ga kuru to iu you ni akaruku tanoshiku seikatsu sureba kōun ga i kuru to iu koto ga wakatta. I understood that if we live happily, fortune will come to us, just like the idiom “Fortune comes in by a merry gate.”

Note when writing a paragraph about family in Japanese

When writing a paragraph about family, you can follow the outline below:

– Opening: How many people are there in the family? How many brothers and sisters? You can also list other members (if any) like grandparents, or even pets.

– The detailed content:

+ What kind of person are your parents, siblings, and grandparents? Use adjectives about personality such as: 優しい, 面白い, etc. In addition, express your feeling about each person.

+ Describe the job of your parents (siblings, grandparents). What do you think about those job?

+ Talk about everyday life of your family, the trips, the moments of playing together, quarrel, etc. Thereby emphasizing the positive change of your family relationship.

– Conclusion : What kind of family do you want to build?

Answer the questions from readers :

How to translate this sentence to japanese “my family has 5 people”.

My family has 5 people :（私の）家族は五人います (watashi no kazokuha gonin imasu). You can use or remove 私の(watashi no), the meaning of the sentence won’t change.

Above is: Write a paragraph about family in Japanese. Practice a lot to improve your writing skills. Wish you all good study.

Stay with us on :

Japanese basic listening practice lesson 6
Japanese basic listening practice lesson 7

A paragraph about personality in Japanese

Writing an essay about life in Japan

Writing a paragraph about your day

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Sep 11, 2020

Four words meaning “I”( 私;わたし;Watashi) in Japanese

In Japanese, the word “I” (私;わたし;Watashi) is used in formal and also informal contexts in both writing and speaking. While this is the most common word for “I”, there are three other words meaning “I”. 「あたし；Atashi 」is a word used informally, especially in spoken languages to mean “I” by female speakers. 「僕；ぼく；Boku」is used both formally and informally by male speakers. 「俺；おれ；Ore」is used informally by male speakers. While it may be the case that these words can be gender-neutral words in contexts like manga and novels, it is important to distinguish them and use in appropriate contexts. Also, by adding 「たち；Tashi」, the meaning becomes “We”, so 「私たち；わたしたち；Watashitachi」, 「あたしたち；Atashitachi」, 「僕たち；ぼくたち；Bokutachi」and 「俺たち；おれたち；Oretachi」.

「私；わたし；Watashi」: when and how it is used

「私；わたし；Watashi」is likely to be the most common word used to mean “I”. Unlike the other three words meaning “I”, everyone uses this one.

Example sentences:

Watashi no namae wa Yamaguchi desu.

わたしのなまえはやまぐちです。

My (sur) name is Yamaguchi.

Watashi wa ongaku wo kiku kotoga suki desu.

私は音楽を聴くことが好きです。

わたしはおんがくをきくことがすきです。

I like listening to music.

Watashi no shorai no yume wa kashu desu.

わたしの将来の夢は歌手です。

わたしのしょうらいのゆめはかしゅです。

My future dream is to be a singer.

Like these example sentences, you use “I” 「私；わたし；Watashi」to talk anything about “me”.

「あたし；Atashi」: When and how it is used

「あたし；Atashi」is an informal spoken word used by female speakers to mean “I” or 「私；わたし；Watashi」. You use 「あたし；Atashi」in conversations among friends to make it more informal.

Atashi mo suki!

I like it, too!

Atashi no pen minakatta?

あたしのペン見なかった？

あたしのペンミなかった？

Didn’t you see my pen?

Sore, atashi no!

That’s mine!

In this way, 「あたし；Atashi」is a conversational word spoken in daily small conversations among families and friends.

「僕；ぼく；Boku」: when and how it is used

「僕；ぼく；Boku」is a word used by children, but only male ones. At times, adult males can use it but it sounds childish and informal. It’s important to note that especially for those using 「僕；ぼく；Boku」, as they are very young in age, they don’t normally use kanji, 「僕」but only use hiragana「ぼく」in written contexts. 「僕」as used in kanji is often used by grown-up teenagers or more likely, adults.

Boku no yume wa Uchuu hikoushi ni narukoto desu.

僕の夢は宇宙飛行士になることです。

ぼくのゆめはうちゅうひこうしになることです。

My dream is to be an astronaut.

Boku wa nana sai desu.

I am 7 years old.

Boku tachi wa itsumo issho datta.

僕たちはいつも一緒だった。

ぼくたちはいつもいっしょだった。

We were always together.

「俺；おれ；Ore」：when and how it is used

「俺；おれ；Ore」is an informal word to mean “I” and used by male speakers in conversations with those they are close. You may see this word used in anime and manga to show aggressiveness of the person using it, but in daily conversations, 「俺；おれ；Ore」is perfectly fine to use in any contacts among friends and those in close relationships.

Kore wa ore no pen da.

This is my pen.

Oretachi wa sakini kaeru.

おれたちはさきにかえる。

We come home first.

Ore no sukina youni sasete kure.

俺の好きなようにさせてくれ。

おれのすきなようにさせてくれ。

Leave it to me.

It is interesting to see that when you use 「俺；おれ；Ore」, as it is used by male speakers, forms of language change in ways male speakers express.

While 「私；わたし；Watashi」is the word used to mean “I”, it is useful to use other words as Japanese people use them in daily spoken conversations and also messages. For adult Japanese learners, 「あたし；Atashi」and 「俺；おれ；Ore」are very useful in conversations with Japanese friends or colleagues and usage will show your further approach to Japanese culture.

Chisaki Yamaguchi

watashi no yume essay

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How to Say “Dream” in Japanese and More

1. 夢 (Yume): Dreams While You Sleep

How to Say That You Had a Dream in Japanese

2. 夢 (Yume): Your Dream For the Future (Goals)

3. Bad Dreams: 悪い夢 (Warui Yume)

4. Daydream: 白昼夢 (Hakuchū Mu)

Examples:

More Commons Ways to Say Daydream

How to Say “Make Your Dreams Come True” in Japanese?

Other Words Related to 夢 (Yume)

1. 悪夢 (Akumu): Nightmare

2. 初夢 (Hatsu Yume): The First Dream of the New Year

3. 予知夢 (Yochimu): Dreaming About the Future

4. 正夢 (Masayume): A Prophetic Dream

Examples:

5. 逆夢 (Sakayume): A Dream That Doesn’t Come True

Yumi Nakata

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pola kalimat

Contoh Kalimat

2. Menyatakan Mimpian

Pola Kalimat

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[Kata Benda] ni naru no ga yume desu

3. Menanyakan dan Menyatakan Cita-cita Profesi

4. Menanyakan dan Menyatakan Mimpi

5. Menyatakan Mimpi sebagai Kegiatan

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