Japanese
Korean
Family
❃ Family
-
ご家族はお元気ですか。
[ Gokazoku wa ogenki desu ka. ] -
How is your family doing?
-
父は会社員です。
[ Chichi wa kaishain desu. ] -
My father is an office worker.
-
母は料理が好きです。
[ Haha wa ryouri ga suki desu. ] -
My mother likes cooking.
-
お父さんはお酒を飲みますか。
[ Otousan wa osake o nomimasu ka. ] -
Does your father drink alcohol?
-
私には兄と妹がいます。
[ Watashi ni wa ani to imouto ga imasu. ] -
I have an older brother and a younger sister.
-
お姉さんは結婚していますか。
[ Oneesan wa kekkon shite imasu ka. ] -
Is your older sister married?
-
妻はフランス人です。
[ Tsuma wa Furansujin desu. ] -
My wife is French.
-
ご主人は何をされていますか。
[ Goshujin wa nani o sarete imasu ka. ] -
What does your husband do (for a living)?
-
子供が二人います。
[ Kodomo ga futari imasu. ] -
I have two children.
-
お子さんはおいくつですか。
[ Okosan wa oikutsu desu ka. ] -
How old is your child?
-
息子は大学で勉強しています。
[ Musuko wa daigaku de benkyou shite imasu. ] -
My son is studying at university.
-
娘さんはとてもかわいいですね。
[ Musumesan wa totemo kawaii desu ne. ] -
Your daughter is very cute.
-
両親と一緒に住んでいます。
[ Ryoushin to issho ni sunde imasu. ] -
I live with my parents.
-
祖父は八十歳です。
[ Sofu wa hachijussai desu. ] -
My grandfather is 80 years old.
-
ご兄弟はいますか。
[ Gokyoudai wa imasu ka. ] -
Do you have any siblings?
Talking about family in Japan introduces travelers and language learners to one of the most critical and deeply ingrained sociological concepts in the entire country: the strict division between the in-group ("Uchi" - 内) and the out-group ("Soto" - 外). Japanese society, and by extension its language, revolves entirely around this boundary. The vocabulary you use completely shifts depending on whether you are talking about your own inner circle or someone else's. When you speak about your own family members to a friend, colleague, or stranger, you must use humble terminology to actively lower your own status. For example, you refer to your own mother simply as "Haha" (母) and your own father as "Chichi" (父). However, when you are asking about or referring to someone else's family, you absolutely must use honorific terms to elevate their status and show respect. The other person's mother becomes "Okaasan" (お母さん) and their father becomes "Otousan" (お父さん). Applying these honorifics to your own family (like saying "my Okaasan") sounds incredibly arrogant and childish to Japanese ears, as if you are demanding respect for yourself. Similarly, when asking about someone's spouse, you use "Goshujin" (ご主人) for their husband, but "Otto" (夫) for your own. This continuous linguistic dance of elevating the listener while humbling oneself is the absolute essence of Japanese politeness. The line between Uchi and Soto is flexible and also applies to the workplace; when talking to a client (Soto), you humble your own boss (Uchi). Mastering these familial terms is not just about vocabulary; it is about demonstrating a profound understanding of Japanese social hierarchy, respect, and spatial awareness.
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