Japanese dictionary
How to say "friend" in Japanese
友だちともだち · tomodachi
"Friend" in Japanese is 友だち (tomodachi). In formal speech and writing, 友人 (yūjin) is used.
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Ways to say "friend" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| 友だちともだち · tomodachi | Friend. Also written 友達. |
| 友人ゆうじん · yūjin | Friend. Formal. |
| 親友しんゆう · shin'yū | Best friend; close friend. |
How to use it
友だち can mean one friend or several.
A best friend is 親友 (shin'yū).
Example sentences
- 友だちと食事に行きます。Tomodachi to shokuji ni ikimasu.I'm going out to eat with a friend.
- 日本で友だちがたくさんできました。Nihon de tomodachi ga takusan dekimashita.I made a lot of friends in Japan.
- 友人の結婚式に出席しました。Yūjin no kekkonshiki ni shusseki shimashita.I attended a friend's wedding.
- 彼は大学時代からの親友です。Kare wa daigaku jidai kara no shin'yū desu.He's been my best friend since college.
- 友だちになってください。Tomodachi ni natte kudasai.Let's be friends.
- 友だちに紹介してもらいました。Tomodachi ni shōkai shite moraimashita.A friend introduced us.
Kanji in this word
Questions
What is the difference between 友だち and 友人?
友だち (tomodachi) is the everyday word. 友人 (yūjin) is formal and used in speeches, writing and polite conversation.
How do you say "make friends" in Japanese?
Say 友だちができる (tomodachi ga dekiru).
Using Japanese at work?
See Executive JapaneseExecutive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.