When you’re learning Japanese and starting to make new friends, or visiting Japan for travel, school, or business, there will be many occasions where you need to introduce yourself. Introducing yourself is always important in starting a good relationship with someone: friends, peers, students, co-workers, neighbors, etc.
Hence, it’s important to learn things like how to say “My name is,” in Japanese, as well as other ways of introducing yourself in Japanese phrases.
There are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to introducing yourself in Japan, from a cultural perspective. For example, you should usually use a formal and polite style of Japanese when you introduce yourself, and it’s better not to talk about yourself too much or give too many personal details right away.
Ready to learn how to introduce yourself and learn Japanese with us? Here’s our list of practical phrases and tips for introducing yourself in Japanese words.
P.S., you can find more information on how to introduce yourself in Japanese business on our site!
Table of Contents
- Identifying Yourself
- Stating Your Name
- Stating Your Age
- Stating Where You’re From
- Placing Yourself in Society
- Sharing Personal Details
- Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese
1. Identifying Yourself
1- Greeting
The first thing you do when meeting someone, before introducing yourself, is offer them a greeting. There’s also a greeting word the Japanese use to close an introduction, which we’ll familiarize you with below. These can also be good ways of how to introduce yourself in Japanese interviews.
1. はじめまして。
Romanization: Hajimemash*te.
English Translation: Nice to meet you.
When you first meet someone, Hajimemash*te, or “Nice to meet you” in Japanese, is the first word of greeting. Hajimemash*te means to start knowing someone new or to start a new relationship with someone. Essentially, it’s a good way to introduce yourself in Japanese.
This term is formal and can be used for any occasion. For a very official occasion, there’s another way to say “Nice to meet you,” more politely and with respect: お会いできて光栄です。(O-ai dekite kōei desu.). Keep in mind that this may be a good phrase for how to introduce yourself in Japanese email.
Example:
- はじめまして。私はマリコです。
Hajimemash*te. Watashi wa Mariko desu.
Nice to meet you. I am Mariko.
Note: Watashi wa meaning in Japanese is “(as for) me.”
2. よろしくお願いします。
Romanization: Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
English Translation: Please treat me well.
This is used at the end of an introduction, after you’ve finished introducing yourself. It actually has many meanings, but in this case, it means “Please treat me well,” or “Please be nice/kind to me.” This may sound awkward in English, but it’s an important greeting phrase in Japan to show your gratitude and humbleness, especially in hoping to have a good relationship with that person. In a casual situation, you can just say Yoroshiku as a shortened version.
Example:
- 今日からここで働きます鈴木です。よろしくお願いします。
Kyō kara koko de hatarakimasu Suzuki desu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
I am Suzuki and I start work here today. Please be good to me.
When you greet and introduce yourself for the first time, most of the time you should bow and shake hands.
2. Stating Your Name
Learning how to say your name is an essential aspect of Japanese introductions, especially when it comes to how to introduce yourself in Japanese for interview. Following Hajimemash*te, it’s very common to state your name to start your introduction in Japanese. There are a few ways to say your name in Japanese.
1- 私はユミです。
Romanization: Watashi wa Yumi desu.
English Translation: I am Yumi.
This is the most common phrase to tell someone your name.
- Watashi = I
- wa = am / is / are
- desu = This is a Japanese 述語 (Jutsugo) or predicate in a polite style, which is added to the end of a sentence.
2- 私はユミと言いいます。
Romanization: Watashi wa Yumi to iimasu.
English Translation: I am called Yumi.
This is another typical way to say your name in Japanese. It literally means “I am said to be Yumi.”
- iimasu = This is a conjugated form of 言う (iu ) which means “to say.”
- To = This is a Japanese postpositional particle which means “as” in this case.
This phrase sounds a bit more formal. In order to say it even more politely for an official occasion, you can say mōshimasu instead of iimasu, which is the respectful form (Keigo 敬語 ) of “say” in Japanese.
3- 私の名前はユミです。
Romanization: Watashi no namae wa Yumi desu.
English Translation: My name is Yumi.
When you’re asked “What is your name?”, you can answer with this phrase.
- no = of
- namae = name
- Watashi no namae = my name
4- ユーミンと呼んでください。
Romanization: Yūmin to yonde kudasai.
English Translation: Please call me Yūmin.
If you have a nickname or あだ名 (adana) which is different from your real name, you can use this phrase after introducing your actual name.
- yonde = This is a conjugation of 呼ぶ (yobu) which means “to call.”
- kudasai = This is a Japanese Jutsugo (述語) or predicate in a polite style which means “please (call me)” in this case.
3. Stating Your Age
It’s not very common to state your age to a person you meet for the first time, especially if you’re an adult woman. In some situations, however, you’re expected to introduce your age or when you were born. On such occasions, here are some expressions for how to state your age.
1- 私は16歳です。
Romanization: Watashi wa 16-sai desu.
English Translation: I am 16 years old.
- sai is “year(s) old.”
- For Japanese numbers, please visit here for more details.
- You can use any Japanese number to say “XX years old,” except for twenty.
- “Twenty” is ni-jū as a Japanese number, but it’s read as はたち (hatachi) only when it’s expressed as an age.
2- 私は今年25歳になります。
Romanization: Watashi wa kotoshi 25-sai ni narimasu.
English Translation: I become 25 years old this year.
- kotoshi is “this year.”
- ni is a Japanese particle which is usually used to indicate destination or direction. In this case, it indicates the result of change.
- narimasu is a conjugated form of なる (naru) which means “to become.”
3- 私は1990年生まれです。
Romanization: Watashi wa 1990-nen umare desu.
English Translation: I was born in 1990.
You can also express your age by stating the year of your birth. This phrase is a common answer when you’re asked when you were born, in situations such as confirming your legal age when you buy cigarettes or alcohol (the legal age for these is twenty in Japan).
- nen is “year.”
- umare is “was born” in noun form.
- In order to express a year, unlike in English, the Japanese say the whole number.
- For example, “1990” in Japanese numbers is read “one-thousand nine-hundred ninety” in Japanese, which is sen kyū-hyaku kyū-jū.
4. Stating Where You’re From
When thinking about how to introduce yourself in a Japanese job interview, in particular, you should learn how to talk about where you’re from. Different regions have different features. It’s common to state where you’re from in your introduction in Japan. When you find that someone is from the same city or region of your city, it makes it easier to familiarize yourselves with each other.
1- 私は東京出身です。
Romanization: Watashi wa Tōkyō shusshin desu.
English Translation: I am from Tokyo.
- shusshin is a noun word which means “come from” or “a place of one’s origin.”
- If you’re a foreign person in Japan, state your country.
2- 私はカナダ人です。
Romanization: Watashi wa Canada-jin desu.
English Translation: I am Canadian.
- You can also state your nationality or ethnicity instead of the country you’re from.
- jin denotes nationality when it’s attached to the name of a country.
3- 私は大阪に住んでいます。
Romanization: Watashi wa Ōsaka ni sunde imasu.
English Translation: I live in Osaka.
- You can also mention where you reside now.
- Sunde imasu is a conjugated form of 住む (sumu) which means “(I am) living.”
When you’re from another country, it’s nice to introduce which country/region you’re from.
5. Placing Yourself in Society
1- Stating Your School and Major [for Students]
1. 私は東京大学に通っています。
Romanization: Watashi wa Tōkyō Daigaku ni kayotte imasu.
English Translation: I go to Tokyo University.
- daigaku is “university.”
- kayotte imasu is a conjugated form of 通う (kayō) which means “(I am) going” when talking about a place where you constantly and repeatedly go.
- Vocabulary related to school:
– 大学 (Daigaku) — University
– 短期大学 (Tanki daigaku) — Junior college
– 専門学校 (Senmon gakkō) — Vocational school / Technical school
– 高校 (Kōkō) — High school
– 中学校 (Chūgakkō) — Middle high school
– 小学校 (Shōgakkō) — Elementary school
2. 私は経済学を学んでいます。
Romanization: Watashi wa keizaigaku o manande imasu.
English Translation: I study economics.
- keizai is “economics” and gaku denotes a subject.
- Vocabulary related to subjects:
– 経営 (Keiei) — Business management
– 法律 (Hōritsu) — Law
– 生物 (Seibutsu) — Biology
– 国際関係 (Kokusai kankei) — International relations
– 情報技術 (Jōhō gijutsu) — Information technology
– 金融 (Kinyū) — Finance
– 芸術 (Geijutsu) — Art
– 心理学 (Shinrigaku) — Psychology
2- Stating Your Profession [for Workers]
1. 私は看護師です。
Romanization: Watashi wa kangoshi desu.
English Translation: I am a nurse.
- Put the word for your occupation where the underlined word is in the example.
- Vocabulary related to occupation:
– 看護師 (Kangoshi) — Nurse
– コンピュータープログラマー (Konpyūtā puroguramā) — Computer programmer
– 医者 (Isha) — Doctor
– 先生 (Sensei) — Teacher
– 販売員 (Hanbaiin) — Shop staff
– 会計士 (Kaikeishi) — Accountant
– スポーツインストラクター (Supōtsu insutorakutā) — Sports instructor
– 美容師 (Biyōshi) — Hairdresser
2. 私は銀行で働いています。
Romanization: Watashi wa ginkō de hataraite imasu.
English Translation: I work at a bank.
This is another phrase used to mention where you work.
- de means “at.”
- hataraite imasu is a conjugated form of 働く (hataraku) which means “(I am) working.”
- Vocabulary related to where you work:
– 銀行 (Ginkō) — Bank
– 会社 (Kaisha) — Company [general term]
– 貿易会社 (Bōekigaisha) — Trading company
– 広告会社 (Kōkokugaisha) — Advertising company
– 建築事務所 (Kenchiku jimusho) — Architectural firm
– アパレル会社 (Aparerugaisha) — Apparel/clothing company
– 病院 (Byōin) — Hospital
– レストラン (Resutoran) — Restaurant
– デパート (Depāto) — Department store
In Japan, people often introduce themselves by saying which company they work for, but it’s also nice to explain what you do for work as a profession.
6. Sharing Personal Details
1- Information About Your Family and Pets
Here’s some information on how to introduce yourself and your family in Japanese! After all, family is a universal topic and one that’s so important.
1. 私は5人家族です。
Romanization: Watashi wa go-nin kazoku desu.
English Translation: I have a family of five members.
It’s common to say how many members are in your family. Put the number of members in your family in place of the underlined go (“five”) in the example sentence.
- nin is a counter word used to count people, which means “person,” and it’s attached after a number.
- kazoku means “family.”
2. 私は姉と弟がいます。
Romanization: Watashi wa ane to otōto ga imasu.
English Translation: I have a big sister and a younger brother.
You can also introduce how many brothers and sisters you have. For more details about family, please visit Family in Japan.
- ane means “older sister.”
- otōto means “younger brother.”
- imasu is a conjugated form of いる (iru) which means “there is/are” in a polite style.
3. 私は犬を飼っています。
Romanization: Watashi wa inu o katte imasu.
English Translation: I have a dog.
- inu means “dog.”
- o indicates an object.
- katte imasu is a conjugated form of 飼う (kau) which means “(I am) keeping and raising (animals).”
- Vocabulary related to pets:
– 犬 (Inu) — Dog
– ハムスター (Hamusutā) — Hamster
– 小鳥 (Kotori) — Small bird(s)
– ヘビ (Hebi) — Snake
– うさぎ (Usagi) — Rabbit
– ねこ (Neko) — Cat
Your pet is a part of your family, so please do mention them!
2- Describing Hobbies
1. 私の趣味は登山です。
Romanization: Watashi no shumi wa tozan desu.
English Translation: My hobby is climbing mountains.
It’s always nice to introduce what you like to do in your free time in order to let people know more about you. It’s common to share information about your hobbies in Japan, unless it’s too personal (such as political or religious activities).
- Watashi no means “my.”
- shumi means “hobby.”
- Vocabulary related to hobbies:
– 登山 (Tozan) — Climbing mountains
– 映画鑑賞 (Eiga kanshō) — Watching movies
– 写真 (Shashin) — Photography
– 旅行 (Ryokō) — Traveling
– マンガ (Manga) — Comics
– スキー (Skī) — Ski
– サーフィン (Sāfin) — Surfing
2. 私はサッカーが得意です。
Romanization: Watashi wa sakkā ga tokui desu.
English Translation: I am good at soccer.
You can also introduce what is you’re good at. Insert a suitable vocabulary word in the underlined part of the example sentence.
- tokui is a noun that means “being good at.”
- Vocabulary related to things you’re good at:
– スポーツ (Supōtsu) — Sports
– プログラミング (Puroguramingu) — Programming
– デザイン (Dezain) — Designing
– 歌うこと (Utau koto) — Singing
– 料理 (Ryōri) — Cooking
– 楽器の演奏 (Gakki no ensō) — Playing instruments
– ゲーム (Gēmu) — Game
3- Describing Your Favorite Foods
1. 私はラーメンが好きです。
Romanization: Watashi wa rāmen ga suki desu.
English Translation: I like ramen.
Food is always an easy topic to talk about and can expand any conversation. Insert a suitable vocabulary word in the underlined part of the example sentence.
- suki means “like.”
- ga indicates an object.
- Vocabulary related to food:
– 日本食 (Nihonshoku) — Japanese cuisine
– 中華料理 (Chūka ryōri) — Chinese cuisine
– 韓国料理 (Kankoku ryōri) — Korean cuisine
– イタリア料理 (Itaria ryōri) — Italian cuisine
– フランス料理 (Furansu ryōri) — French cuisine
– メキシコ料理 (Mekishiko ryōri) — Mexican cuisine
– 焼肉 (Yakiniku) — Japanese BBQ
– カツ丼 (Katsudon) — Pork cutlet bowl
– お好み焼き (Okonomiyaki) — Japanese pancake
– 果物 (Kudamono) — Fruits
– 甘いもの (Amai mono) — Sweets
Talking about food can expand conversations, and it’s a good and easy topic to talk about.
4- Describing Your SNS (Social Network Service)
1. 私はインスタグラムを使っています。
Romanization: Watashi wa Insutaguramu o tsukatte imasu.
English Translation: I use Instagram.
When introducing yourself during a casual occasion, such as when you’re trying to make new friends, you can make mention of your SNS to connect with them.
- o indicates an object.
- tsukatte imasu is a conjugated form of tsukau (使う) which means “(I am) using.”
- Insert the name of an SNS, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., in the underlined part of the example sentence.
This is a great way of introducing yourself to a Japanese friend!
2. 私のユーザー名はsakura123です。
Romanization: Watashi no yūzāmei wa sakura123 desu.
English Translation: My username is sakura123.
If you’re introducing yourself to a friend in Japanese and want them to search for your SNS account and add you as a friend, this phrase is useful.
- yūzā is a Japanese version of how to say “user.”
- mei is “name.”
- Insert the name of your account in the underlined part of the example sentence.
3. 私はブログを書いています
Romanization: Watashi wa burogu o kaite imasu.
English Translation: I write a blog.
- o indicates an object.
- kaite imasu is a conjugated form of 書く (kaku) which means “(I am) writing.”
7. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese
I hope this article on introducing yourself in Japanese is helpful and that it makes your communication with Japanese people more enjoyable! Hopefully you can now see that knowing how to introduce yourself in Japanese language learning is essential.
Which of these Japanese greetings did you find most useful? Why not practice introducing yourself in Japanese by writing out a self-introductory paragraph in Japanese in the comments? We’d love to hear from you!
If you’d like to learn more Japanese, you’ll find more useful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. For example, 10 Lines You Need for Introducing Yourself is useful for practicing your Japanese introduction with audio.
We also have a YouTube channel: JapanesePod101. It’s always fun to learn Japanese language by watching videos and listening to actual Japanese pronunciation. And don’t forget to check out our free vocabulary lists and more blog posts like this one to help you gain insight into Japanese culture and the language!
Know that your determination will pay off, and we’ll be here for each step of your language-learning journey with support and useful tools!
