Japanese Vocabulary: Describing Family

• Study notes on multiple Japanese phrases and words

Family

• "Watashi no kazoku wa nan nin desu ka?" translates to "How many people are in your family?"

Family Members - Plain Form

• Father: Chi chi
• Mother: Ha Ha
• Older brother: Ani
• Older sister: Ane
• Younger brother: Otooto
• Younger sister: Imooto
• Grandmother: Sobo
• Grandfather: Sofu

Family Members - Honorific

• Father: Otosan
• Mother: Okaasan
• Older brother: Onisan
• Older sister: Onesan
• Younger brother: Otooto san
• Younger sister: Imooto san
• Grandmother: Obaasan
• Grandfather: Ojiisan
• Replying to "Watashi no kazoku wa nan nin desu ka?" involves stating the number of family members and listing them.
• Example: "Watashi no kazoku wa YON NIN desu. Chichi to Haha to Otooto to Watashi desu," meaning "My family has 4 members. Father, Mother, Younger brother, and Me."
• "to" means "and"
• To ask how many members are in Ken's family: "Ken-san no kazoku wa nan nin desu ka?"
• A possible response: "Ken-san no kazoku wa Yon nin (4) desu."

Occupations

• Asking someone's occupation: "nani no shiteimasu ka?"
• Doctor: Isha
• Banker: Ginkooin
• Office Worker: Kaishain
• Nurse: Kangoshi
• Lawyer: Bengoshi
• Housewife: Shofu
• University student: Daigakusei
• Middle school student: Chuugakusei
• High school student: Kookosei
• Elementary school student: Shougakusei
• University: Daigaku
• Example question about someone else's father's occupation: "Ken-san no otosan wa nani shiteimasu ka?" which translates to "What does Ken's father do?"
• Responding that his father is a doctor: "Ken-san no otosan wa isha desu."

Age

• Asking someone's age: "nan sai desu ka?"
• Ken is 19, and his older brother is 34.
• Asking how old Ken is: "Ken-san no nan sai desu ka?"
• A possible response: "Ken san no juukyuu sai desu."
• Asking how old Ken's older brother is: "Ken-san no oni-san wa nan sai desu ka?"
• A possible response: "Ken san no oni san wa sanjuuyon sai desu."

Irregular Ages

• One: Issai
• Two: nisai
• Three: sansai
• Four: yonsai
• Five: gosai
• Six: rokusai
• Seven: nanasai
• Eight: hassai
• Nine: kyuusai
• Ten: jyussai
• Eleven: jyuuissai
• Twelve: jyuunisai
• Eighteen: jyuhassai
• Twenty: hatachi
• Twenty-one: nijyuissai
• Twenty-eight: nijyuuhassai
• Thirty: sanjussai

Greetings

• Good morning: Ohayō Gozaimasu (casual: ohayō)
• Good afternoon (daytime): Konnichiwa
• Good evening: Konbanwa
• Good night: Oyasumi Nasai
• Goodbye: Sayonara
• Leaving home: Ittekimasu
• The person in response: Itterashai
• You come home: Tadaima
• The person in response: Okaerinasai
• Welcome (hello come in): Irasshaimase
• Thank you (formal): Arigato Gozaimasu
• Thank you (casual): Arigato
• Excuse me/I'm sorry: Sumimasen
• Nice to meet you: Dozo Yoroshiku
• Here: Dozo
• Where are you from?: Doko kara kimashita ka?
• I'm from Jamaica: Jamaika kara kimashita.

Shopping Vocabulary

• Ballpoint pen: Booru pen
• Mechanical pencil: Shaapunpen
• Bag: Kaban
• Pencil: Enpitsu
• Newspaper: Shinbun
• Eraser: Keshigomu
• Umbrella: Kasa
• Magazine: Zasshi
• Dictionary: Jisho
• This: Kore
• That: Sore
• That over there: Are
• How much is it?: Ikura wa desu ka?
• How much is the apple?: Ringo wa ikura desu ka?
• How much is THIS apple?: Kore no ringo wa ikura desu ka?
• The apple costs ¥100: Kore no ringo wa hyaku en desu.
• How much is THIS?: Kore wa ikura desu ka?
• How much is THAT?: Sore wa ikura desu ka?
• How much is THAT OVER THERE?: Are wa ikura desu ka?

Additional Notes

• Asking the examiner to repeat: moichido onegaishimasu
• To skip a question and return to it later: skipshimasu
• Indicating you don't understand and don't want to return to the question: wakarimasen

Learn how to describe your family in Japanese. Covers essential vocabulary for family members in both plain and honorific forms. Includes example sentences to illustrate usage.