- Your own family (humble): ちち father, はは mother, あに older brother…
- Someone else’s family (polite): おとうさん, おかあさん, おにいさん…
- You also use the polite words to address older members of your own family: “おかあさん!”
- Japanese distinguishes older and younger siblings: あに / おとうと, あね / いもうと.
- Family is かぞく (家族). “Four people in my family” is よにんかぞくです.
Why there are two words for “mother”
Japanese politeness works by lowering yourself and raising others. When you talk about your own family to outsiders, you use plain, humble words. When you talk about someone else’s family, you use respectful words, usually with お〜 and 〜さん.
| My family (humble) | Your family (polite) | |
|---|---|---|
| mother | はは haha | おかあさん okāsan |
| father | ちち chichi | おとうさん otōsan |
| older brother | あに ani | おにいさん onīsan |
| older sister | あね ane | おねえさん onēsan |
| younger brother | おとうと otōto | おとうとさん otōtosan |
| younger sister | いもうと imōto | いもうとさん imōtosan |
| grandfather | そふ sofu | おじいさん ojīsan |
| grandmother | そぼ sobo | おばあさん obāsan |
| husband | おっと otto | ごしゅじん goshujin |
| wife | つま tsuma | おくさん okusan |
| son | むすこ musuko | むすこさん musukosan |
| daughter | むすめ musume | むすめさん musumesan |
| parents | りょうしん ryōshin | ごりょうしん goryōshin |
| siblings | きょうだい kyōdai | ごきょうだい gokyōdai |
| family | かぞく kazoku | ごかぞく gokazoku |
Listen and repeat
Tap to hear the most important words. Pay attention to the long vowels: おかあさん has a long a, おとうさん a long o.
- かぞくkazokufamily
- ははhahamy mother
- おかあさんokāsanmother (polite / addressing)
- ちちchichimy father
- おとうさんotōsanfather (polite / addressing)
- あにanimy older brother
- あねanemy older sister
- おとうとotōtomy younger brother
- いもうとimōtomy younger sister
- おじいさんojīsangrandfather
- おばあさんobāsangrandmotherCareful: おばさん (short a) means aunt.
Older or younger: siblings in Japanese
There’s no single everyday word for brother or sister in Japanese. You always say whether they’re older or younger, because age matters in Japanese relationships. The general word for siblings is きょうだい.
- きょうだいはいますかkyōdai wa imasu kaDo you have any siblings?
- あにがひとりいますani ga hitori imasuI have one older brother.
- ひとりっこですhitorikko desuI’m an only child.
Notice the verb います: for people and animals Japanese uses います (there is / I have), never あります. And the counter ひとり for one person, from our guide to Japanese numbers.
How many people are in your family?
- なんにんかぞくですかnannin kazoku desu kaHow many people are in your family?
- よにんかぞくですyonin kazoku desuWe are a family of four.Literally: four-person family.
- ちちとははといもうとがいますchichi to haha to imōto ga imasuI have a father, a mother and a younger sister.
The particle と means and when listing people or things.
Extended family
| English | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| aunt | おばさん | obasan |
| uncle | おじさん | ojisan |
| cousin | いとこ | itoko |
| grandchild | まご | mago |
| relatives | しんせき | shinseki |
Example: introducing your family
- わたしのかぞくはよにんですwatashi no kazoku wa yonin desuThere are four people in my family.
- ちちはかいしゃいんですchichi wa kaishain desuMy father is an office worker.
- ははは、せんせいですhaha wa, sensei desuMy mother is a teacher.はは + は: the second は is the topic particle, read wa.
- いもうとはだいがくせいですimōto wa daigakusei desuMy younger sister is a university student.
You tell your teacher about your mother:
You ask a colleague about their father:
“My younger brother” is:
“Grandmother” (careful!):
Family words connect naturally with honorifics, the polite name endings like さん.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say mother in Japanese?
Your own mother is はは (haha) when talking to others. Someone else's mother, or your own when addressing her directly, is おかあさん (okāsan).
Why are there two words for family members in Japanese?
Japanese politeness lowers yourself and raises others. Humble words like はは and ちち are used for your own family; respectful words like おかあさん and おとうさん for other people's family.
How do you say brother and sister in Japanese?
Japanese specifies age: あに (older brother), おとうと (younger brother), あね (older sister), いもうと (younger sister). Siblings in general is きょうだい (kyōdai).
How do you say family in Japanese?
Family is 家族 (kazoku). Someone else's family is ご家族 (gokazoku).