How to Say ‘My name is Tanaka.’ in Japanese
わたしのなまえはたなかです。
watashi no namae wa tanaka desu
[wah-tah-shee no nah-mah-eh wa tah-NAH-kah dess]
💬 Usage Tip: The order is "my name, as for it, Tanaka, is." は (wa) marks what you're talking about and です comes last, so the key information sits right before the end.
Phrase Breakdown
わたしのなまえは
watashi no namae wa
my name (as for)
'わたしのなまえ' means 'my name'; the topic particle 'は' is pronounced 'wa'. Pause naturally after it.
わたしのなまえはアンナです。
My name is Anna.
Words in this phrase
わたし
watashi
[wah-tah-shee]
I; me (polite/neutral)
Pronoun meaning “I/me.” In contact swapping, it often appears in phrases like “my LINE” or “my account.”
わたしのLINEを追加してね。
Add my LINE, okay?
の
no
[no]
of; 's
A particle used to show possession or attribution.
友達の本があります。
There is my friend's book.
なまえ
namae
[nah-mah-eh]
name
なまえ means “name.” Used when asking someone’s name at a first meeting in a club. Common pattern: なまえはなんですか。
なまえ、きいてもいい？
Can I ask your name?
は
wa
[wa]
topic marker
Marks the proposed time as the topic; pronounced wa.
四時半は大丈夫です。
4:30 is okay.
たなかです。
tanaka desu
is Tanaka
The name 'たなか' plus 'です' (is). The final 'u' in 'desu' is barely voiced: ta-na-ka-des.
せんせいはたなかです。
The teacher is Tanaka.
Words in this phrase
たなか
tanaka
[tah-NAH-kah]
Tanaka (surname)
A very common Japanese family name, used here as the speaker's name.
たなかさんはせんせいです。
Mr. Tanaka is a teacher.
です
desu
[dess]
is; am; are
A polite copula often used at the end of sentences.
これはペンです。
This is a pen.
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