47 comments

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  Onimusha Nosferatu

  1 year ago

  ah! i've been outed as speaking girly japanese. baka. i copied a little girl from a dorama. i saw this article about foreigners learning girly japanese from their wives since that's the main source of the language. kochi makes a trashy woman. haha. japanese male speech kicksass. it's so intimidating. i dare a girl to use ore.
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  hawthorneluke

  1 year ago

  " i dare a girl to use ore." - happened in kanon, was funny :P
  but i dont think you want to go the complete opposite and have everyone start talking like "ore omae wo bukkorosu zo!" or something :x
  well, it would be interesting at least :D lol
  
  but that list of words scared me at first as i've been learning not to use da after adjectives generally, but i see kirei was the only one where that happened anyway though lol
  
  although i'm wondering why "kai" and "dai" was used a lot in those examples?
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  SomeGal

  1 year ago

  Oh gosh, as a girl, *playful punch through internet at your "girl" acting*
  :p
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  Kurisu

  1 year ago

  I guess I've been speaking like a girl for the past couple months then... やった... (>_<)
  
  高いかい... 高い... 高いかい... 高い... (*sigh*)
  
  Can't I just go along with "高い", it's already ingrained into my head, or will I be made fun of when I visit Japan? If the men accepted the way woman speak, is it the same the other way around?
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  Erin

  1 year ago

  Kurisu:
  
  I think you should try to be a bit more manly when you speak. I don't think people won't accept you, but it'll probably improve your image (as in, people will think you have a better grasp of the language). I know a lot of guys who don't actually use かい (Japanese guys, mind you), so it's nothing to freak out about, but it definitely makes a foreigner's speech sound more authentic, at least to me.
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  koichi

  1 year ago

  Kurisu:
  If you take a look at the charts above, 高い is also in the "men's language" category :)
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  Onimusha Nosferatu

  1 year ago

  i like ending sentences in da or plain form + ka, but that sounds a bit ignorant/rude. (my inner yakuza is coming out. their “dialect” is rather intriguing). it’s a bit amusing hearing guys use japanese that my sensei says is childish/ girly like arienai. george takei used it on heroes and it was cool cuz it was on my slang list from my conv. class.
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  Fredy

  1 year ago

  Interesting vid Koichi. Interesting, I'll leave it at that. Haha. This is interesting though, I've never thought about it. Usually when you hear about masculanity or femininity in a language it is categorized on the objects being spoken about, but never the form of the person using it. Well, I guess that's true for European languages and Romance ones. I remember my Thai friend taught me this phrase in a Thai restaurant and the waitress looked at me funny. Haha. My other friend (who was a girl) told me why. Haha. That was a fun day. This is good to know and will keep in mind if I ever learn that much Japanese.
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  Gustaf B.

  1 year ago

  Hey, Tofugu.
  Well, I've study Japanese for 22 years, and English for year, and I think you do a great job show people what Japan and Japanese is about in actuality.
  
  Sorry about my horrible English. I'm a Swede.
  
  それじゃ
  頑張ってください
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  Gaijin

  1 year ago

  Interesting article.
  I think I've managed to get a hold of "which way" to speak, without really working hard on it. So I (hopefully) talk like boys should talk (except from when I talk like a yakuza for fun, which I won't be able to do in Japan).
  
  Isn't かい just the 関東-version of か? That's at least what I figured, since I've heard girls saying かい as well (if we avoid stating this is one of these "cross overs") …
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  Jonathan

  1 year ago

  What the hell? So what happens if I get a female Japanese teacher in post secondary?
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  Christopher

  1 year ago

  Dear Erin, Koichi, and Viet (In alphabetical order!),
  
  
  This website is absolutely awesome. I've followed it for some time now and thoroughly enjoyed everything you've produced for us! I'm also studying Japanese, and it's posts like these that both help and humour me. And by humour, I mean bursting out laughing. Koichi, you're a very courageous and comfortable individual to say the least.
  
  Thanks again, and keep up the great work!
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Christopher
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  Chimiko

  1 year ago

  lol. koichi, you're so dorky sometimes...
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• 

  Eevee

  1 year ago

  xD The transvestite impression... spot on.
  
  But really, I can just say I'm glad I'm a girl *phew* The details go right over my head. I'll definitely make it a point to try and know the differences between words once I get past the basics.
  Thank you for yet another informative, awesome article Koichi! ^^
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• 

  roboticapple

  1 year ago

  Haha, I'm a girl and I think I have the opposite problem. When I was learning Japanese I hung out with all guys and tomboy-ish woman. I never really noticed the difference until recently. I'm finding it difficult to undo the damage that's already been ingrained but I'm working on it. Thanks for the article, it was intesting as per usual.
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  Cynthia Harper-Gosselin

  1 year ago

  Finally, someone has explained the "male" and "female" ways of saying things that actually make sense to me. Before, it felt like it was just one more layer of formality or politeness to put up with. Thanks so much!
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  Misterstogy

  1 year ago

  Thanks for this, Koichi.
  
  The books 'Making out in Japanese' 1 and 2 also have quite good sections on the distinctions.
  
  And you never know...
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  megaman

  1 year ago

  is there any chance of getting a romanji version of this chart?
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  ジャーミ ー

  1 year ago

  I always wanted some examples about the differences in male and female Japanese speak. thanks heh
  ~
  I have a female teacher, but she always makes sure that the males are saying things manly and females aren't following them, heh.
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  Satoshi

  1 year ago

  Hi, Koichi san.
  
  As I’m a Japanese, I just wanna tell you that you don’t have to be bothered for such a trivial thing. I think it’s too difficult for Japanese learners to understand the difference of way of speaking between male and female. It’s not worth spending your time for this.
  
  If you have reached a certain level of Japanese skills, it would be nice to learn though.
  
  In Japan, it seems that there is a huge difference in way of speaking between male and female when they are young. However, as they grow up, less differece in their way of speaking. So, don’t worry.
  
  Anyway, I’m glad to know there are people who learn my lunguage seriously.
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  buro_2013

  1 year ago

  Oh man first post!
  
  皆さんこんにちはブロです！
  
  Yes, anyway I know what you mean about talking as your gender. When I first started to learn Japanese I noticed after watching drama’s how different boys and girls talked. I am so glad that I bought this phrase book that covers both male and female dialect. “Making out in Japanese” I am sure some people also have this book. But I was told by a friend that I sounded like a girl, and did not know what he meant, I was just talking in a normal voice. But he explained to me what I was saying were what girls said. SO I think it’s a very common mistake with ones first starting out with Japanese. But I am always making sure not to make this mistake again あたし err オレ！
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  Larinell Styx

  1 year ago

  I was just wondering about how you should use plural pronouns (for example ore-tachi). I mean is the 'gender' of the pronoun defined by the person who is speaking, or the percentage of guys/girls in the group? Or maybe so that you should use the female form only if there are no men in the group (as in Italian)?
  
  P.S. Love your site. Good mix of interesting facts and total randomness.
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  Haquit

  1 year ago

  こんにちは。
  あの女言葉の歴史の話は本当ですか？
  女子学生はいつも変な言葉を使いますがｗｗｗ、明治時代（もしかして江戸時代から？）からそうだったんですね！
  
  コウイチさんが女言葉でしゃべった時、なんか美川憲一みたいで面白かったですｗｗｗ
  
  僕のコロンビアの友達が、日本語を勉強してますが、このサイトを参考にして、わざと女言葉でしゃべってますｗｗｗ
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  Meep

  1 year ago

  Wait... now I'm confused. I already talk weird in English, so does this mean there's no hope for me?! (Well, my Japanese friends don't notice anything but my American friends tease me about my slang and my accent.. GAH)
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  Sinead

  1 year ago

  You mean that I’ve been speaking like I guy since I start learning!!!!
  Awwww… This is going to be such a hard habit to change!
  Do I have to???? Guy's way is easier to remember.
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  buririn

  1 year ago

  Please stop by Japanese Class in college and get this through the heads of the 35 year old men in sneakers and socks that are always saying, "atashi wa..."
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  Secrets Secrets Are No Fun

  1 year ago

  sooo what about a gay guy or a lesbian? do they talk in the reverse way (i.e. gay guys saying "高いの" instead of "高いんだ")? i'm asking this legitimately, by the way; i don't mean to imply that all gays are feminine acting. but, in general, in Japan, how does that work?
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  Entron

  1 year ago

  Are you gay, Secrets? Lol.
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  Justin

  1 year ago

  Question:
  My two japanese friends, who happen to be guys, are always emphasizing the girliness of my japanese, so this really helps...but my question is; Is there a difference between speaking "like a guy" and speaking like a "tough" guy? In speaking like a "guy" are you automatically tough sounding...or is there a level above that? The only variations I know are of "watashi" with "ore" being the "tough" substitute.
  
  What's the deal?
  
  Thanks!
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  Erin

  1 year ago

  Entron:
  
  Let's be adults, here.
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  Kof

  1 year ago

  well im glad to find this topic.
  I always felt more appealed to attaching da and such at the end of sentences even though I never found any page like this describing its more masculine. Usually this ended up me correcting myself without the da part at the end, glad to know I dont have to anymore :)
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  Rei

  1 year ago

  I agree with megaman...Please consider providing the chart in romanji ?
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  koichi

  1 year ago

  I don't mean to be harsh or anything, but really you shouldn't be worrying about anything said in this article until quite a ways after you are able to read and write, so I think focusing on that first is your main priority at the moment.
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  Lica

  1 year ago

  Thanks for your advice, if you ever wrote a book, id be the first to buy!
  
  im a girl, and learn japanese from a girl. so i think im all good.
  
  anyways, ill be visiting your site more =)
  
  PEACE
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  Mugen

  1 year ago

  Konichi wa
  Watashi wa Geoffrey dess, yoroshiku onegaishimass !!!
  Dude you're defenitly funny enough to be a comedian,
  the segata sanchiro stuff was/is hilarious ( other stuff as well)
  I'm actually from the netherlands and trying to become a manga-ka.
  So was kinda wondering if you had tips for us (i'm writing/drawing the stories with my best friend)
  If you could do something like a do/don't kinda thinking about creating manga/getting in tha industry would be awesome.
  If you have time dough that would be great.
  
  And keep up tha good work,it's REALLY helpfull while learning japanese :D
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  Sougen02

  1 year ago

  So how can you avoid speaking 'girlish' Japanese? Are the majority of text books, online studying sites and such in 'girlish' Japanese? Where (site) or what (text books) mightI use to not fall into this? =P
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  KENJI

  1 year ago

  lol i only try to speak male, but its hard... i just cant do it!!! i was tought the girly way i assume T_T
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  Jess

  1 year ago

  うぇ! それなら、私がずっそずっと男らしく話したんでしょうね。日本人の友達は男の人なんだけど、そんなこと全然言わなかったんです。ひどいでしょう。
  「だろう」と言いたかったですが、正しいのは「でしょう」と思いますが…(私が女の人からです)
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  yasutake noriyuki

  1 year ago

  you chart is it from the japan time's text "an intergrated text to intermediate japanese" by any chance?
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  koichi

  1 year ago

  could be. I just have something typed up by my teacher, and added a few as well.
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  Taya

  12 months ago

  um... I got told she was teaching me the most formal japanese... is it still gender-specific??
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  Bella

  12 months ago

  "Dare a girl to use Ore"? I would! Lol I'm that kinda tomboy that would try it...probably would be labeled the obnoxious gender-confused american gaijin girl but hey, why not?
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  Kurohana

  11 months ago

  How come the girl in Ouran Highschool Host Club (the anime, tho I do not learn Japanese by anime, i know a fair amount to understand things here and there) Haruhi, the girl pretending to be a boy, was using Chibun as "I" and I found that so weird!
  
  She'd be like, "Chibun wa, anata ni au tameni koko ni kita" and stuff like that. She never used Atashi or Watashi, not even Boku or Ore. Chibun! wtf? Maybe its the false subtitles, I really don't know.
  
  Anyways, interesting info here!
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  Robo-panda

  1 month ago

  Kurohana, I think you mean "Jibun" or 自分 which means oneself/ myself. so that sentence would be "自分は、あなたに会うために、ここに来た"　"By myself, I came here to meet you" or something to that tone (sorry for the awkward translation>.<)
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  Jessi

  1 month ago

  I'm not all that familiar with the show, but wasn't using "jibun" probably the whole point? Use the gender-neutral pronoun so that no one could tell either way.
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  ブライアん

  5 months ago

  すごい　おまえ　これ　は　いいですね good as example ^_^ and to think that your from washington just like me　man koichiben i started learning Japanese on my own 1 year ago and i had some help with all the おれ　and わたし and how ぼく or おれ is what i should use i am in college now for Japanese and some other stuff and all i hear is わたし because is a female teacher haaha lol but you and your transvestite play was the best thank god i dont sound like that lol keep up the good work
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  Jessi

  1 month ago

  Thanks for this! I think this is really important to keep in mind when learning Japanese.
  
  The funny thing about the infamous 'wa' particle in women's speech is that in dramas and movies you'll hear it used by women of all ages all the time, but in real life I've only ever heard older women (maybe 50+) use it . I'm a female in my 20s, but I know my friends would find it weird if I suddenly started using 'wa' at the end of my sentences. A lot of the other examples I hear used a lot, though.
  
  And as some other people have pointed out, it definitely goes the other way, too! If a girl hangs out with a lot of guys or watches too much Gokusen or something, she should be careful about what kind of Japanese she picks up XD
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