【お父さん（おとうさん）】”OTŌSAN”
Meaning:
father
Usage:
「お父さんの車を借りたよ。」
（おとうさんのくるまをかりたよ。）
(Otōsan no kuruma o karitayo.)
”I borrowed my dad’s car.”
- How you refer to family members will vary depending on whether the occasion is formal or informal, whether you are talking about your own family or someone you are talking to or someone else.
- When talking about your own father in a formal situation:
- 父 (ちち / chichi) *The most common way in a formal situation
- 父親 (ちちおや / chichi-oya)
- When talking about your own father in a casual situation:
- お父さん (おとうさん / otōsan)
- パパ (ぱぱ / papa)
- オトン (おとん / oton) *It is a very casual way of calling your father, especially used in western Japan.
- When talking about someone’s father in a formal situation:
- お父上 (おちちうえ / ochichiue) *It’s very formal, sometimes too much.
- お父様 (おとうさま / otōsama) *The most common way in a formal situation
- When talking about someone’s father in a casual situation:
*Put a 「～の (no)」 at the beginning to make it clear whose father you are talking about. (For example, 「サクラのお父さん」 for Sakura’s dad.)- お父さん (おとうさん / otōsan)
- パパ (ぱぱ / papa)
- おじさん (おじさん / ojisan) *This term was originally used for uncles, but it is also widely used to refer to middle-aged men.
Glossary:
- お父さん（おとうさん）: father
- 車（くるま）: car
- 借りる（かりる）: to borrow
【お母さん（おかあさん）】”OKĀSAN”
Meaning:
mother
Usage:
「お母さんの会社に忘れ物を届けに行く。」
（おかあさんのかいしゃにわすれものをとどけにいく。）
(Okāsan no kaisha ni wasuremono o todoke ni iku.)
“I go to my mom’s office to deliver something she has left at home.”
- How you refer to family members will vary depending on whether the occasion is formal or informal, whether you are talking about your own family or someone you are talking to or someone else.
- When talking about your own mother in a formal situation:
- 母 (はは / haha) *The most common way in a formal situation
- 母親 (ははおや / haha-oya)
- When talking about your own mother in a casual situation:
- お母さん (おかあさん / okāsan)
- ママ (まま / mama)
- オカン (おかん / okan) *It is a very casual way of calling your father, especially used in western Japan.
- When talking about someone’s mother in a formal situation:
- お母上 (おははうえ / ohahaue) *It’s very formal, sometimes too much.
- お母様 (おかあさま / okāsama) *The most common way in a formal situation
- When talking about someone’s mother in a casual situation:
*Put a 「～の (no)」 at the beginning to make it clear whose mother you are talking about. (For example, 「サクラのお母さん」 for Sakura’s mom.)- お母さん (おかあさん / okāsan)
- ママ (まま / mama)
- おばさん (おばさん / obasan) *This term was originally used for aunts, but it is also widely used to refer to middle-aged women.
Glossary:
- お母さん（おかあさん）: mother
- 会社（かいしゃ）: company, office
- 忘れ物（わすれもの）: something somebody left (behind)
- 届ける（とどける）: to deliver
- 届けに行く（とどけにいく）: to go deliver
【お兄ちゃん（おにいちゃん）】”ONĪCHAN”
Meaning:
older brother
Usage:
「お兄ちゃんと一緒に買い物をするのが好き。」
（おにいちゃんといっしょにかいものをするのがすき。）
(OnĪchan to issho ni kaimono o suru noga suki.)
“I like to go shopping with my big brother.”
- How you refer to family members will vary depending on whether the occasion is formal or informal, whether you are talking about your own family or someone you are talking to or someone else.
- When talking about your own older brother in a formal situation:
- 兄 (あに / ani)
- When talking about your own older brother in a casual situation:
- お兄ちゃん (おにいちゃん / onĪchan)
- 兄ちゃん (にいちゃん / nĪchan)
- When talking about someone’s older brother in a formal situation:
- お兄様 (おにいさま / onĪsama)
- When talking about someone’s older brother in a casual situation:
*Put a 「～の (no)」 at the beginning to make it clear whose older brother you are talking about. (For example, 「サクラのお兄さん」 for Sakura’s older brother.)- お兄さん (おにいさん / onĪsan)
- お兄ちゃん (おにいちゃん / onĪchan)
Glossary:
- お兄ちゃん（おにいちゃん）: older brother
- ～と一緒に（といっしょに）: together with […]
- 買い物（かいもの）: shopping
- 買い物[を]する（かいもの[を]する）: to shop, to go shopping
- 好き: to like
【弟（おとうと）】”OTŌTO”
Meaning:
younger brother
Usage:
「弟から手紙が届いた。」
（おとうとからてがみがとどいた。）
(Otōto kara tegami ga todoita.)
“I got a letter from my (younger) brother.”
- How you refer to family members will vary depending on whether the occasion is formal or informal, whether you are talking about your own family or someone you are talking to or someone else.
- When talking about your own younger brother in a formal situation:
- 弟 (おとうと / otōto)
- When talking about your own younger brother in a casual situation:
- 弟 (おとうと / otōto)
- or just mention his name
- When talking about someone’s younger brother in a formal situation:
- 弟様 (おとうとさま / otōtosama)
- 弟さん (おとうとさん / otōtosan)
- When talking about someone’s younger brother in a casual situation:
*Put a 「～の (no)」 at the beginning to make it clear whose younger brother you are talking about. (For example, 「サクラの弟さん」 for Sakura’s younger brother.)- 弟さん (おとうとさん / otōtosan)
- 弟 (おとうと / otōto)
Glossary:
- 弟（おとうと）: autumn, fall
- ～から: from […]
- 手紙（てがみ）: delicious, tasty
- 届く（とどく）: food
【お姉ちゃん（おねえちゃん）】”ONĒCHAN”
Meaning:
older sister
Usage:
「お姉ちゃんが自転車の乗り方を教えてくれた。」
（おねえちゃんがじてんしゃののりかたをおしえてくれた。）
(Onēchan ga jitensha no norikata o oshiete kureta.)
“My big sister taught me how to ride a bike.”
- How you refer to family members will vary depending on whether the occasion is formal or informal, whether you are talking about your own family or someone you are talking to or someone else.
- When talking about your own older sister in a formal situation:
- 姉 (あね / ane)
- When talking about your own older sister in a casual situation:
- お姉ちゃん (おねえちゃん / onēchan)
- 姉ちゃん (ねえちゃん / nēchan)
- When talking about someone’s older sister in a formal situation:
- お姉様 (おねえさま / onēsama)
- When talking about someone’s older sister in a casual situation:
*Put a 「～の (no)」 at the beginning to make it clear whose older sister you are talking about. (For example, 「サクラのお姉さん」 for Sakura’s older sister.)- お姉さん (おねえさん / onēsan)
- お姉ちゃん (おねえちゃん / onēchan)
Glossary:
- お姉ちゃん（おねえちゃん）: older sister
- 自転車（じてんしゃ）: bicycle, bike
- 乗る（のる）: to ride, to get on
- ～方（かた）: how to […]
- 乗り方（のりかた）: how to ride
- 教える（おしえる）: to teach
- ～してくれる: (someone) is kind enough to do […] for me
【妹（いもうと）】”IMŌTO”
Meaning:
younger sister
Usage:
「妹は私の友達とも仲が良い。」
（いもうとはわたしのともだちともなかがいい。）
(Imōto wa watashi no tomodachi tomo naka ga Ī.)
“My younger sister is close to my friends as well.”
- How you refer to family members will vary depending on whether the occasion is formal or informal, whether you are talking about your own family or someone you are talking to or someone else.
- When talking about your own younger sister in a formal situation:
- 妹 (いもうと / imōto)
- When talking about your own younger sister in a casual situation:
- 妹 (いもうと / imōto)
- or just mention her name
- When talking about someone’s younger sister in a formal situation:
- 妹様 (いもうとさま / imōtosama)
- 妹さん (いもうとさん / imōtosan)
- When talking about someone’s younger sister in a casual situation:
*Put a 「～の (no)」 at the beginning to make it clear whose younger sister you are talking about. (For example, 「サクラの妹さん」 for Sakura’s younger sister.)- 妹さん (いもうとさん / imōtosan)
- 妹 (いもうと / imōto)
Glossary:
- 妹（いもうと）: younger sister
- 私の（わたしの）: my […]
- 友達（ともだち）: friend(s)
- 仲（なか）: relationship, friendship
- 仲が良い（なかがいい）: to be good friends, to be close to […] (each other), get along with […]
【子供（こども）】”KODOMO”
Meaning:
child(ren)
Usage:
「子供と一緒にピアノを習っています。」
（こどもといっしょにぴあのをならっています。）
(Kodomo to issho ni piano o naratte-imasu.)
“I’m taking piano lessons with my child.”
- 「子供 (こども / kodomo)」is a word that means child, and it is the same in both singular and plural forms.
- We also use the word 「息子 (むすこ / musuko)」 for a son and 「娘 (むすめ / musume)」 for a daughter. These words can be used in both formal and casual situations.
- If you are talking about someone else’s child, put 「さん (san)」 after it.
- 子供 → 「お子さん」(おこさん / okosan) for children regardless their gender
- 息子 →「息子さん」(むすこさん / musukosan) for son
- 娘 →「娘さん」(むすめさん / musumesan) for daughter
Glossary:
- 子供（こども）: child(ren)
- ～と一緒に（といっしょに）: together with […]
- ピアノ（ぴあの）: piano
- 習う（ならう）: to take lessons
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