Uki Uki Japanese Lesson 39 - Family Terms

Uki Uki Japanese Lesson 39 - Family Terms

Today, we'll study how to talk about family members in Japanese. This can be confusing because there are multiple ways to say one thing depending on the context. Let’s learn them by category.

The first rule to remember is that referring to your own family members versus someone else's family members are very different.

To refer to someone else's family members, you need to add さん to show respect.

トムさんの…(Tom-san no…)
お祖父さん (ojiisan) grandfather、お祖母さん (obaasan) grandmother、お父さん (otousan) father、お母さん (okaasan) mother、お兄さん (oniisan) older brother、お姉さん (oneesan) older sister、弟さん (otoutosan) younger brother、妹さん (imoutosan) younger sister、叔父さん (ojisan) uncle、叔母さん (obasan) aunt、甥っ子さん (oikkosan) nephew、姪っ子さん (meikkosan) niece
Also, ご家族 (gokazoku) family、ご両親 (goryoushin) parents、ご兄弟 (gokyoudai) siblings

Now, to refer to your own family members, you use a very different set of family terms. No さん is used here.

私の…(Watashi no…)
祖父 (sofu)、祖母 (sobo)、父 (chichi)、母 (haha)、兄 (ani)、姉 (ane)、弟 (otouto)、妹 (imouto)、叔父 (oji)、叔母 (oba)、甥 (oi)、姪 (mei)
家族 (kazoku)、両親 (ryoushin)、兄弟 (kyoudai)

These terms do sound shorter than the first set we looked at, but these don't sound casual. You use them in a more professional or formal settings, such as at work or school.

Let's try a short dialogue between two coworkers in the office.

ご兄弟は今日本のどちらですか？ (Gokyoudai wa ima, Nihon no dochira desuka?) Where do your siblings live in Japan?

兄は福岡で、妹は京都にいます。(Ani wa Fukuoka de, ane wa Kyouto ni imasu.) My older brother is in Fukuoka, and my younger sister is in Kyoto.

Finally, here is how to directly address your family member. There are some vocabulary overwrap.
To call out to get their attention, you say:

お父さん！(otousan) or パパ (papa) Dad!
お母さん (okaasan) or ママ (mama) Mom!
お兄ちゃん (oniichan) Older brother!
お姉ちゃん (oneechan) Older sister!
With younger siblings, you address them by their name, e.g. 和也 (Kazuya) or リナ (Rina) or with nicknames e.g. カズくん (Kazu-kun) or リナちゃん (Rina-chan).
For more information on common nicknames, please check out the Uki Uki Lesson 6 video.

Here’s another short dialogue.

ご両親は、お元気ですか？ (Goryoushin wa ogenki desuka?) How are your parents?

はい、おかげさまで父も母も元気です。(Hai, okagesamade chichi mo haha mo genki desu.) Both my father and my mother are doing well. Thanks for asking.

Please leave comments and questions below.
Also, please go ahead and subscribe if you liked this video! (^^)

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[nantoy]

this video series is a gem! thank you very much and keep up the good work!

[gerardsiasat]

Thank you for continuously making videos!! All of them are really helpful!

[happy_camper]

My introduction to your channel. This is amazing content! So helpful, concise, and well presented.

[jamesscott]

Japanese family terms have a lot in common with Gaelic family terms. Thanks for this video lady kurahara

[sheridanwood]

Great video. It was quite clear and easily explain.

[YB-PC-BYourself]

Thank you. It is awesome to here Japanese and English, also the charts use both; all together it is great way to hear and see: which helps me to learn faster and better.

[gaiashadowasmr]

Im so happy I watched this my new grand daughter will be using some Japanese terms and I almost called myself the wrong term I am Sobo!!

[jayhlee]

Uki Uki makes me uki uki. Keep it going! Question: There's so many words for each meal type (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). For example, dinner is ゆうしょく, ばんごはん, and many other words. Are there differences (meaning, nuances, etc.) between the various terms for each meal type?

[r.b.]

Thank you!!! I can speak Japanese respectfully :)

[bude]

The famous manga little girl, Yotsuba, refers to her father as "to-chan" (とーちゃん).  Is this like "Daddy"?

[neiturelover]

Konnichiwa Mam! Can you tell me how can I call my elder sister in Japanese i mean in short form? Calling her just Ane is ok?

[mitchellchristian]

Can you please do a video about common Japanese names

[Yuzuna]

Hello maam... Good day have a wonderful day to you.. thank you so much for this video..

May i ask, I am applying work now but i m worried about the interview.

Could you tell me what is the translation this in japanese.

“ I am married and i have a one child.

[WANDERER]

what about word sama such as obasama, when should one use it?

[csforlifeBR]

is it very informal to say --> Ore or Boku instead of watashi wa ?

[gordongekko]

We always called our mother, "kaachan."

[gaiashadowasmr]

Oh what will a baby call me for short of Sobo please? Thank you.

[forfun]

You really sound like one of my fav anime characters, so kawaii. Out of my curiosity, I'm asking this : are you one of them ?

[koronbiayin]

すみません、Always is necessary to use: "私の" to say: "My"...?
"My parents", "My siblings" "My grandfathers"
私の両親・私の兄弟。。。

[deanbrunson]

The background sounds are very distracting and make it near impossible to understand what is being said.