12.12.2007

i

In Japanese, you must choose your I's and you's depending on your relationship with the person you are speaking to.

私 watashi - used by both men and women in formal situations.
私 watakushi - an extremely formal way of saying 'I.'
我 ware - another formal 'I.' Used in places like the Bible.
俺 ore - used by males between friends. A very masculine usage of 'I.'
僕 boku - more polite than ore but more casual than watashi.
あたし atashi - used by females between friends. Seen as cute.
あたくし - a more formal version of atashi.

あなた anata - the generic, polite 'you.'
あんた anta - a 'you' that expresses some anger, contempt.
お前 omae - used to condescend in certain situations.
手前 temae - a rude and confrontational 'you.'
貴様 kisama - the hostile 'you' when you want to pick fights.
君 kimi - an informal 'you' used in a lot of love songs.

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