How to Say ‘The older one is a girl, and the younger one is a boy.’ in Japanese
上は女の子で、下は男の子です。
ue wa onnanoko de shita wa otokonoko desu
[oo-EH wah ohn-NAH-noh-koh deh shee-TAH wah oh-toh-KOH-noh-koh desu]
💬 Usage Tip: で joins two "X is Y" statements, like "and": swap です for で in the first half. Also 上は十歳で、下は五歳です "the older is ten, the younger five".
Phrase Breakdown
上は女の子で、
ue wa onnanoko de
The older one is a girl, and
上は (ue wa) means 'the older one'. 女の子 (onna no ko) means girl. で (de) connects this to the next sentence, like 'and'. Hold the double 'n' in 'onna'.
姉は学生で、兄は会社員です。
My older sister is a student, and my older brother is an office worker.
Words in this phrase
上
ue
[oo-EH]
the older one
Used alone to mean the older child among siblings.
上は八歳です。
The older one is eight.
は
wa
[wah]
topic marker
Marks the topic; in 次は it means as for next or next, then.
次は何を見るか、教えてください。
Please tell me what we look at next.
女の子
onnanoko
[ohn-NAH-noh-koh]
girl
A common word for a girl or daughter.
女の子が一人います。
I have one girl.
で
de
[deh]
is, and
Connecting form of です, linking two statements like 'is ... and ...'.
兄は学生で、姉は先生です。
My brother is a student, and my sister is a teacher.
下は男の子です。
shita wa otokonoko desu
the younger one is a boy.
下は (shita wa) means 'the younger one'. 男の子です (otoko no ko desu) means 'is a boy'.
下は男の子で、二歳です。
The younger one is a boy, and he's two.
Words in this phrase
下
shita
[shee-TAH]
the younger one
Used alone to mean the younger child among siblings.
下はまだ二歳です。
The younger one is still two.
は
wa
[wah]
topic marker
Marks the topic; in 次は it means as for next or next, then.
次は何を見るか、教えてください。
Please tell me what we look at next.
男の子
otokonoko
[oh-toh-KOH-noh-koh]
boy
A common word for a boy or son.
あの男の子は元気ですね。
That boy is lively, isn't he?
です
desu
[desu]
is; am; are
A polite copula used to make statements and questions.
ここは出口です。
This is the exit.
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