Uki Uki NihonGO + Culture! – Lesson 6 – common mistakes part 1: Anata + san

 In today’s lesson we will discuss how to properly address others and yourself in everyday conversation. Learn helpful tips and how to avoid common mistakes in any situation!

In English, the pronoun "you" is often used to replace a person’s name. In Japanese, you hardly use the word "you"(such as anata or kimi) – instead, you address the other person using their proper name.

In most business/professional/formal situations, different titles are often used according to the person you are speaking to. For example, the title -san is used when speaking to a coworker, while -buchou is used for your boss.

Common titles you can use to attach to the end of people’s name:

-kun –used for male friends/young boys
-chan –used for female friends/young girls
-san –used after someone’s name to show respect (but not for yourself!)
-buchou — used to address your boss
-sensei – used to address your teacher

Avoid these common mistakes:

1) To address the other person as "anata" when talking to them directly.
2) To use "-san" for yourself.

We would like to hear from you! Please feel free to ask questions and comment on what you’d like to learn. We’ll be creating Q+A lessons in the future!

Thanks for watching! See you next time! Dewa, mata kondo!