Introduction
Certain Japanese nouns called 代名詞(だいめいし, daimeishi, [dai.meꜜi.ɕi, -meꜜː-]) can be used as pronouns. However, since these are grammatically indistinguishable from nouns, it is largely debated whether they should be considered a separate part of speech or not.
The correct use of 代名詞 is rather nuanced and complex. Different pronouns are usually used in different contexts depending on who is speaking to whom and in what situation.
Personal Pronouns
代名詞 used to refer to people are known as 人称代名詞(にんしょうだいめいし).
There are three basic first-person 人称代名詞 with which a single speaker may refer to themselves (similar to the English pronoun “I”).
| 人称代名詞 | Register | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 私 | 普通体, 敬語 | In formal registers, 私(わたし) is gender-neutral. In informal situations, women tend to use it more often, while men avoid it. |
| 私 | polite | It is very formal and gender-neutral. Usually used in formal speeches or when serving customers |
| 私 | 普通体 | This is a feminine pronoun with a nuance indicating slight rebelliousness and or strong personality. Common among females in casual situations and even more so among young women. Rarely used in writing, but when used, it is typically written with kana alone. |
| 僕 | 敬語 | The preferred first-person pronoun used by males of all ages. It is humble and polite. When a women uses 僕, she is perceived to be purposefully superimposing gender roles on herself which are usually attributed to men.men When grown men use 僕, they usually pronounce it as a heibangata word. Children, on the other hand, tend to pronounce it as an atamadakagata word |
| 俺 | 普通体 | Used by men. Among close friends and family, its use conveys familiarity. When used with other people, it emphasizes one's own status / superiority and can be seen as arrogant. |
| 俺等 | 普通体 | Usually used by people from the province. |
| 儂 | 普通体, 敬語 | Used mainly by old men in western dialects and in fictional settings to represent the stereotype of a character of old age. |