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Okay, so I’ve known a good deal of the “family” names for a while. But, why do people seem to add an お to the front, and a さん to the end? I could understand the おpart in front if it were your parents, or grandparents. But why do they all end in さん? I’ve heard the さんdropped or changed (even to さま, in Bleach). So, why would I need to be so polite to my younger sister? Why do I need to add さん to my family, when it’s common to call people solely by name (if you’re good friends with them). Thanks.
Anonymousチンチン電車止まります。
チンチン電車下がります。
チンチン電車止まります。
チンチン電車下がります。
Stop thinking in “levels” of formality. Just because you’re adding -san doesnt mean you’re being “formal.” It’s just how things are in Japanese. If you’re close with someone you can call them by their name alone…but it’s not like you cannot add -san on any longer.
As for using it with family…no you wouldn’t need to do that in every day life…but to be honest…you wouldn’t be calling your sister by name in every day life because you’d be calling her by her title “sister”…or not using a subject in the sentence at all.
You’re thinking too deeply into this.
PS: Anime Japanese is not a good example of correct speaking.
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This reply was modified 12 years, 1 month ago by
tubatime1010.
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This reply was modified 12 years, 1 month ago by
Characters using -さん for younger siblings in anime is usually done so for humour. You wouldn’t do it in real life.
Incidentally, I don’t really get what this チンチン stuff is supposed to be a reference to…
I thought チンチン mean p*nis.
Because I prefer to think we can all be mature and helpful people, I’m gonna stick with the primary meaning of “ding, ding”. As in, “ding, ding, ding went the trolley”. It’s fairly apparent that it’s a song lyric of some sort, I just don’t get why it keeps getting posted in lieu of actually answering a question.
Well the さん was in the family decks, even for the younger siblings… but alright. And yes, I know you can still add さん to friends. :)
If you’re talking about other people’s relatives, you’ll always be more formal – おかあさん, いもうとさん et cetera. If you’re talking about your own relatives to other people, you’ll be more humble – はは、いもうと et cetera.
If you’re talking to your relatives, though, things can vary depending on what they’d prefer to be called, and whether you’re a time-traveling samurai. かあちゃん、おかあさま、ははうえ and so forth. Younger siblings will pretty much always be called by name, though.
AnonymousIt does.
@Bbvoncrumb, Ok. I’d rather not think about what your “train” is doing then.
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This reply was modified 12 years, 1 month ago by
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