Male Speech


= Chiwassu!

= Hey!/ Yo!

Hi everyone!
I’m Cookie. Sorry that our site has been down. We are working hard to fix it right now.

OK, Maggie Sensei once taught you female speech.
I am a boy so today I will teach you some male speech.
As many of you know, there is a difference between female speech and male speech in Japanese.

Male speech in Japanese is known as 男言葉= おとこことば= otoko kotoba

Female speech is known as 女言葉 = おんなことば= onna kotoba

Maggie Sensei has been avoiding teaching you male speech. Why? Because male speech is rough and vulgar.

She didn’t want to teach you bad words.

And of course, it’s because she is a LADY…(→She told me to emphasize this point.) and so is Yukari (→Yukari twisted my arm to add this line, too.)

But you hear or read male speech in Japanese daily life, TV drama, anime or comic books. So it’s useful to learn some.
So here we go!  

Warning:  I will not teach “curses” but this lesson contains a lot of vulgar expressions. I would avoid using them even if you are a tough “macho” type guy.
And be careful! Never use any of these with your superiors (especially in business situations) even with other men.

Note: M: male speech

★personal pronoun

1st personal pronoun singular “I”

* = ぼく = boku (safe to use)

* = おれ = ore

1st personal pronoun plural “We”

* 僕達 = ぼくたち = bokutachi (safe to use)

* 俺等 = おれら = orera

2nd personal pronoun singular “You”

* お前 = おまえ = omae

* おめえ= omee

* てめえ= temee

2nd personal pronoun plural “You”

* お前ら = おまえら= omaera

* おめえら= omeera

* てめえら = temeera

3rd personal pronoun singular “he,she, this guy, that guy”

*こいつ = koitsu = this person (referring to someone close)

* あいつ = aitsu=  he / she / that person / that guy (referring to someone far)

* = やつ = yatsu = he / she / that person / that guy

3rd personal pronoun plural “They”

*こいつら = koitsura = these people (referring to someone close)

* 連中 = れんちゅう = rennchuu = they

* あいつら = aitsura = they

* 奴ら= やつら = yatsura = they


This is a typical mistake that beginner learners make in Japanese.
When you start learning Japanese, you learn to add ( = ka) at the end of a sentence to make questions.

Ex. A:  (あなた*は）マギー先生ですか？

= (Anata wa) Maggie sensei desu ka?

= Are you Maggie Sensei?

(Note: In Japanese you often omit the subject, and you also often omit あなた ( = anata) sounds cold or distant.)

Ex. B: もう朝ごはんをたべましたか？

= Mou asagohan wo tabemashita ka?

= Did you already have breakfast?

Ex. C: 美味しいですか？

= Oishii desu ka?

= Is it delicious?

If you say,

Ex. A: M: マギー先生か？

= Maggie sensei ka?

Ex. B:M: もう朝ごはんを食べたか？

= Mou asagohan wo tabeta ka?

Ex. C: M: 美味しいか？

= Oishii ka?

They mean the same thing, but they sound like you are interrogating the listeners.

noun + ( = ka)?

verb plain form + ( = ka)?

are the blunt male speech form.

Ex. 勉強したか？　(a)

= Benkyou shitaka?

= Did you study?

You add の ( = no) before か ( = ka) to make it sound stronger. (express more feelings)

Ex. 勉強したのか？ (b)

= Benkyou shita no ka?

= Did you study? (You must study.)

While (a) simply asks whether the listener has studied or not, (b) implies the feeling,  “You might not study (accusing)  / You must study” more.

Ex. 俺の気持ちがお前にわかるのか？

= Ore no kimochi ga omae ni wakaru no ka?

= Do you understand my feelings? (This implies, “You don’t understand my feelings.”)

Let’s keep going!

*verb dictionary form (present / past tense ) + んだ ( = nda)

When you ask a question. It depends on the intonation but it is also used to interrogate someone or accuse someone.

Ex. 明日、どこに行くんだ？

= Ashita, doko ni ikunda?

= Where are you going tomorrow?

Ex. 昨日、どこに行ったんだ？

= Kinou, dokoni ittan da?

= Where did you go yesterday?

Ex. どうしてそんなことをするんだ。

= Doushite sonna koto wo surunda.

= Why do you do such a thing.

Note: If it is a statement and not a question form, it is neutral. (Women use that form as well.)

Ex. 明日、デートに行くんだ。(neutral)

= Ashita, deeto ni ikunda.

= I have a date tomorrow, you know.

Ex. 結局、あの本、買わなかった。ちょっと、高かったんだ。(neutral)

= Kekkyoku, ano hon, kawanakatta. Chotto, takakattanda.

= I ended up not buying that book. It was a bit expensive, you know.

★Strong imperative form:

*する = suru = to do

→M: しろ = shiro

*やる = yaru = to do, to give

→M: やれ = yare

(Note: やれ ( = yare) is slightly stronger l than しろ( = shiro)

Ex. 早くしろ = Hayaku shiro = Hurry up! / Do it quickly!

Ex. お前がやれ！= Omae ga yare = You do it!

*食べる = たべる = taberu = to eat

→M: 食べろ = たべろ = tabero = Eat!

Even stronger:

*M: 食う (喰う) = くう = kuu =  to eat

Ex. 飯*を食う (喰う) = めしをくう = to eat food

Note: (= meshi) is a rough way to say ご飯 = gohan = rice, meal, food

喰え = くえ = kue = Eat!

*黙る = だまる = damaru = to shut up

→M: 黙れ = だまれ = damare = Shut up!


= Omae wa damare!

= You shut up!

* やめる ( = yameru) to stop doing something

→M: やめろ ( = yamero )

Negative form:

verb plain form ( = na)  

* する ( = suru) to do

→M: するな ( = suru na)

* 捨てる ( = suteru ) throw something away

→M: 捨てるな ( = suteru na)

This form can be seen in a street signs.

Ex. ここにゴミを捨てるな

= Koko ni gomi wo suteru na.

= Don’t leave trash here.

* 泣く = naku = to cry

→M: 泣くな ( = naku na)

Ex. もう泣くな。

= Mou naku na.

= Stop crying already.

Note: Though it is a strong form you sometimes use it as a quote.

This usage is neutral. Both men and women use.


= Dare ga ikuna to itte mo iku.

= No matter who tells me not to go, I will go.

★ Gentle way to tell someone to do something.

If you add  ( = na) to verb masu stem, it is more gentle

*masu stem + ( = na) 

*食べなさい = tabenasai

食べな = たべな= tabena = Eat! / You should eat.　(It sounds much warmer than 食べろ = tabero)

Ex. 腹減ってる*のか？なんか、食べな。

= Hara hetteru no ka? Nanka tabena.

= Are you hungry? Eat something, you know.

Note: = hara = stomach  is another male speech

( polite form is お腹 = おなか = onaka)

Ex. さっさと宿題をやりな。

= Sassa to shukudai wo yarina.

= Finish up your homework now.

Ex. これで何か買いな。

＝ Kore de nani ka kaina.

= Buy something with this (money).

てあげる= te ageru = to do something for someone

→M: てやる= te yaru = to do something for someone / threaten someone telling them what you are going to do

Ex. 明日、よかったら空港まで送ってやるよ。

= Ashita, yokattara kuukou made okutte yaru yo.

= If you want, I can take you to the airport, you know.

Ex. あいつに俺の気持ちをわからせてやる。

= Aitsu ni ore no kimochi wo wakarasete yaru.

= I am going to make him understand my feelings.


てやれ ( = te yare) command form/ suggesting someone to do something

Ex. もっと彼女を大切にしてやれ。

= Motto kanojo wo taisetsu ni shite yare.

= You should take care of her more.

★Typical suffix:

You might think the suffix   ( = yo) and ( = wa) are just for female speech but they are also used as suffixes in male speech.

* ( = yo)

interrogative verb form + ( = yo)

You use it when you urge someone to do / not to do something.

It sounds stronger or you can express your frustration.

Ex. 静かにしろよ。

= Shizuka ni shiro yo.

= Be quiet, you know.

Ex. 黙れよ!

= Damare yo!

= Shut up!

Ex. そんなところに黙ってつっ立って*んじゃねえよ

= Sonna tokoro ni damatte tsutatten ja nee yo

=  Don’t just stand up there saying nothing.

Note: *つっ立つ= tsuttatu= M: to stand up

* ( = na)

While female suffix ( = na) is used when you talk to yourself, you use it when you ask for an agreement from the listener in male speech.

Ex. これ美味しいな。 (female speech)

= Kore oishii na.

= This is delicious.

It doesn’t matter if there is a listener around the speaker or not. The speaker would use this even if they are talking to themselves.

Ex. これうまいな。(male speech)

= Kore umai na

= This is delicious, isn’t it?  (The speaker is talking to the listener and asking for agreement.)

Ex. 帰ったらメールするな

=Kaettara meiru suru na.

= I will text you when I get home, OK?

Ex. この酒、強いな。

= Kono sake, tsuyoi na.

= This liquor is strong, huh?

* ( = wa)  
verb dictionary form +   ( = wa)  When  you tell someone what you are going to do.
The intonation is slightly different from female usage.

Ex. もう行くわ。

= Mou iku wa.

= I am off now.

Ex. これお前にやるわ。

= Kore omae ni yaru wa.

= I will give it to you.

* ( = ze) :

verb dictionary form (present, past tense)  / i-adjective  +   ( = ze)

when you tell someone what you are going to do / express your feelings

Ex. 何でもやるぜ 。

= Nandemo yaru ze.

= I will do anything, you know.

Ex. 泣けるぜ！

= Nakeru ze!

= It makes me cry! (It’s sad, It’s touching!)

Ex. これ、うまい*ぜ！

= Kore, umai ze!

= This is delicious, you know!

Note: うまい ( = umai) is the male speech equivalent of おいしい ( = oishii)

*You can use んだぜ ( = ndaze) to emphasize a point.

Ex. これ、１万円もしたんだぜ。

= Kore, ichimanen mo shitan daze.

= This costs good 10,000 yen, you know.

* verb volitional form +   ( = ze)

When you encourage someone to do/not to do something.

Ex. バンドを一緒にやろうぜ！

=Bando wo issho ni yarou ze!

= Why don’t we do a band together?

*noun / na-adjective + だぜ ( = daze)

Ex. ワイルドだぜ～！

= Wairudao daze~!

= I am tough, right? /  It’s very wild, you know.

(This line was made famous by the comedian Sugisan a few years ago.)

verb dictionary form + ( = zo): giving some information / telling someone what to do with/ expressing what you are going to do (talking to yourself )/ expressing your opinion

Ex. あと１時間で、出かけるぞ

= Ato ichijikan de, dekakeru zo

= We are going out in one hour, OK?

Ex. さあ、やるぞ！

= Saa, yaruzo!

= OK, let’s get into this.

* i-adjective + ( = zo)

Ex. なんか、おかしいぞ…

= Nanka, okashii zo…

= Something is strange…

* noun / na-adjective + だぞ ( = dazo)

Ex. これは俺の車だぞ。

= Kore wa ore no kuruma dazo.

= This is MY car, you know.

Ex. 俺はいつでも元気だぞ。

= Ore wa itsudemo genki dazo.

= I am always energetic / healthy / in  good shape, you know.

だろ ( = daro) ( Proper Japanese でしょう= deshou)

verb plain form / adjective / noun + だろ ( = daro)

When you  assume something/ make your point

Ex. 明日はどうせ雨だろ。

= Ashita wa douse ame daro.

= It’s going to rain tomorrow anyway, right?

Ex. この間も同じことを言っただろ。

= Kono aida mo onaji koto wo itta daro.

= I told you the same thing the other day, didn’t I?

Ex. お前ももう20歳だろ。自分で考えろ。

= Omae mo mou hatachi  daro. Jibun de kangaero.

= You are already 20 years old, right? Think of yourself, you know.

★Changing  ない ( = nai) to  ねえ ( = nee)

*わからない ( = wakaranai) not to understand

→ M: わからねえ ( = wakaranee)

Ex. そんな難しい問題、わからねえよ。

= Sonna muzukashii mondai, wakaranee yo.

= I don’t know the answer for such a difficult question.

*しらない ( = shiranai) not to know

→ M: しらねえ ( = shiranee)

Ex. あんな奴、知らねえ。

= Anna yatsu, shiranee.

= I have nothing to do with him/ I don’t care about him.

*こない ( = konai) not to come

→ M: こねえ ( = konee)

Ex. 誰も来ねえなあ。

= Daremo konee naa.

= Nobody is coming, huh…



= Komatta toki dake, “Tasukete kure” ja nee wa!

= Don’t say “Help me” only when you are in a trouble.

Ex. こんな面白い動画観たことねえわ。

= Konna omoshiroi douga, mita koto neewa.

= I have never seen this funny video.

Ex. じろじろ見てんじゃねえよ。

= Jirojiro mitenja nee yo.

= Don’t stare at me.

Ex. 俺、そんなことやってねえし。

= Ore, sonna koto yatte neeshi.

= I’m telling you. It is not me who did such a thing. (I didn’t do such a thing.)

*Vてくれない= V te kurenai  = not to do something for someone

→ M: てくれねえ ( = te kurenee)

Ex. 誰も手伝ってくれねえのか？

= Dare mo tetsudatte kurenee no ka?

= Nobody helps me?


= Kore tsutunde kureneeka?

= Can you wrap this up for me?


* こわい = kowai = scary 

→ M: こええ / こえー = koee

Ex. こえーわ!

= Koee wa

= It is scary! / I am scared

Note: Slang: こいつ、こえーわ！= Koitsu, koee wa! = This guy is crazy!

* すごい = sugoi = great

→ M: すげえ / すげー = sugee

Ex. こいつ、すげえな。

= Koitsu, sugeena.

= This guy is something.

* たかい = takai = expensive, high (altitude)

→ M: たけえ / たけー = takee

Ex. この料理で５千円は、 たけえわ！

= Kono ryouri de gosen en wa, takee wa!

= Charging 5,000 yen for this quality of food is outrageous!

* かっこいい = kakkoii = cool

→ M: かっけー = Kakkee

Ex. この曲、かっけーな。

= Kono kyoku, kakkee na.

= This song is cool, isn’t it?

* 美味しい = おいしい = oishii = delicious

→ M: うまい = umai

→ M: うめえ / うめー = umee

* くだらない = kudaranai = nonsense, stupid,  ridiculous 

→ M: くだらねえ = kudaranee

* ちがう = chigau = different, wrong

→ M: ちげえ / ちげー = chigee

* 大きい = おおきい = ookii = big, huge

→ M: でかい  = dekai = big, huge

→ M: でけえ = dekee

*痛い=いたい = painful, Ouch!

→M:いてえ=  itee

*やばい= yabai = (slang)  dangerous, great, delicious, Uh-oh…. Oh no…, OMG

→M：やべえ = Yabee / (variation) やべっ！( = yabeh)

Ex. やべっ！宿題忘れた。

= Yabeh！Shukudai wasureta.

= Uh-oh…I forgot my homework.

*ひどい= awful , horrible, terrible

→ M:ひでえ= hidee

Ex. ひでえ話だな。

= Hidee hanashi dana.

=That’s a horrible story.


*冷たい =つめたい= tsumetai = cold

→ M: つめてえ = tsumetee

Ex. 最近、つめてえな。

= Saikin, tsumetee na.

= You have been cold towards me lately.

* V(し) てしまう = (shi) te shimau = to have done something/ to finish doing something

The casual contraction: V（し）ちゃう  = (shi) chau)

→M: V （し）ちまう=  (shi) chimau　/ command form （し）ちまえ= (shi)chimae

Ex. とっとと*食べちまえよ。

= Tottoto  kara tabechimae yo.

= Why don’t you finish eating already.

Note: とっとと= tottoto = M: quickly

Ex. やっちまえ！

= Yacchimae!

= Beat them (him) up! / Go get them (him)!  

Ex. 困っちまったなあ。

= Komachimatta naa.

= I am in  deep trouble. (What should I do…)

Note: As we have seen, all these expressions sound very vulgar. Needless to say, if a woman uses male speech, it sounds horrible.
However, there has been a slight trend of women using some of the male speech pattern on purpose to make them sound funny or tough.
One reason they do this is to mimic some comedians talk.

Ex. 「マギー先生、美味しそうですね。」

= Maggie sensei, oishisou desune.

= You look delicious, don’t you, Maggie sensei.

Maggie「とんかつじゃねえーわ！」 :maggie-small: 

= Tonkatsu ja neewa!

= I am NOT a pork cutlet, you know!

!onpu! Colloquial polite form:

When young men talk to someone superior in a colloquial way,

です( = desu) →っす= ssu

verb plain form + っす= ssu

adjective + っす= ssu

* そうです。( = soudesu ) That’s right/ you are right

→M: そうっす。( = soussu)


= mondai nai desu

=There is no problem/ No problem

→M: 問題ないっす

= Mondai naissu

* うまい = umai = delicious

→M: うまいっす = Umaissu

Ex. 「明日は忙しい？」

= Ashita wa isogashii?

= Are you busy tomorrow?


= Sonna koto naissu. Himassu

= No I am not. I am free.

★From the picture:


= Chiwassu!

= Hey (Yo!)

You can also say ちわっ ( = chiwah) / ち～っす/ ちーっす (= chiissu)
It is a slang expression (mainly for men) from こんにちは (= konnichiwa) Hello


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あ～読んでいるだけで私、レディーは頭がくらくらしてくるわ！(female speech)

= Aa, yondeiru dakede watashi, redii wa atama ga kurakura shitekuruwa.

= Ugh, just reading this lesson makes me feel dizzy ’cause I am a lady.

このレッスンで覚えたことはあまり知らない人に使っちゃだめよ。(female speech)

= Kono ressun de oboeta koto wa amari shiranai hito ni tsukaccha dame yo.

= Don’t use what you have learned in this lesson with someone you don’t know very well OK?


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I appreciate your support!  サポートありがとう！

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  1. Longtime reader, first time poster! Thank you for all your hard work.
    Though I have to admit, I’m one of the women who uses masculine words; not to make a point or because of anime, but because my personality has always been very 男っぽい and so it really does feel more natural for me.

    All that said, I only use them with my Japanese husband and very close friends; when I’m talking to anyone else, I use proper feminine Japanese (^^)

    1. Hi Naka!
      I’m happy to hear you have been reading my lessons for a long time. Also thank you for your first comment.
      Haha, so you can switch your way of speaking depending on who you talk to. That’s the next level!! Good for you! :)

  2. Another very useful lesson, thanks a lot Maggie-sensei! With this lesson alone under my belt, I understand anime a lot better!

    May I aks a question about one of your example sentences? It’s

    Ex. 俺、そんなことやってねえし。(I didn’t do such a thing)

    From my understanding, やってねえし is from やってないし, with し being used emphatically and やって(い)ない being the negative form of　やっている. But, why is the non-past tense used here, if the action is about the past?

    1. Hello @Davide Bordoni,
      ～ている／～ていない have many meanings. In this case – depending on context – the speaker might refer to his/her habits (he/she generally doesn’t do such kind of things) or the speaker uses ～ていない as 現在完了形, which is in English translated as: “haven’t done something yet”. More probably he refers to the first aspect.

      For further information please check the lessons below:


  3. This was very useful, I have a question though, besides sounding rude is there any reason to not use this speech? And is there polite male speech? Thank you.

    1. Generally speaking, male speech is rough so you should avoid using it unless you are talking to your close friends.
      Though there are super casual “polite form” です→っす　（そうです→そうっす）, I believe there is no proper polite male speech form.

  4. Hi Maggie sensei,

    Thanks for making this lesson.
    I know you have overcome a lot of uncomfortable feeling to teach this male speech (coz it’s quite rough for a woman).

    May I ask a question, that this is the conversation style typical of male when a man talk to a man.
    How about the style when a man talk to a woman?
    Do they still use this style, or if not, which style will be suitable?

    1. It depends on the person and the relationship with the listener.
      It could be more rough when a man talks to a man but some don’t change the way they talk when they talk to women.

  5. Hello Maggie!
    Long time no see, hope you’re doing well as always :)
    This time I brought with me a simple question. During playing the Japanese version of Final Fantasy IX I came across the following expression:「ただでは済まさんからなっ！！」Here is a wider context:

    I’d like to know, which expression is stronger 1. ただでは済まない or 2. ただではおかない?
    The meaning of both of them is the same, right Maggie?

    1. Hi 天人！　元気でしたか？

      mean almost the same. They both involves the speaker’s will.

      ただでは済まない You can’t get away with it. /You are going to get it. / You are going to pay for it.
      (The speaker is talking about what the listener’s going to get.)

      ただではおかない I won’t let you get away with it. (It involves the speaker’s will.)

      In that sense, I think おかない sounds a little stronger.

      1. 相変わらず元気でやってるずら！
        さー、FF IXとの冒険を続けようぜッ！なかなか長い冒険になるんだぜ、確かに！

  6. Ah, good 〰 I thought I was the only one who thought that “if a woman uses male speech, it sounds horrible.” :oops: There was a girl who I knew when I studied abroad in Japan who insisted on calling herself “Bokukko-Kun” and talked very masculine, despite being the cutest, littlest girl I’ve ever met! Many of the students in our program were “dedicated to japan” (for lack of better words) because of Anime, and like to embody Anime stereotypes …needless to say, they weren’t very professional, even when talking to the principal! 8-O

    1. @Ymir

      Hi Ymir,
      Yes, there are girls/women who intentionally use this male speech to create their own “character” or to try to make them sound “strong/rough”.
      Boys/Men also have a risk to use Japanese that they learned in anime.

  7. Woah, very good! Besides being rude, I feel that I’ll sound more naturally from a native speaker perspective, by using some of the male speech in casual conversations. Because of the animes, I always wanted to know where that “~ee” form came from, such as “sugoi” becoming “sugee” (I thought it was some kind of regional variation lol). Now I managed to understand it. Thank you sooo much, Maggie Sensei!

  8. Now i can sound like a punk – yo yo bitch. lol just kidding, but this lesson can be very useful to understand some anime characters. ブラジルからちーっす。

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