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How to Say ‘I (male, casual)’ in Japanese

ぼく

boku

[boh-koo]

💬 Usage Tip: [ぼく] is a casual “I,” typically used by boys/men. More polite is [わたし].

🇯🇵 In Japan: In workplaces, many men switch to [わたし] for professionalism, even if they use [ぼく] with friends.

Phrase Breakdown

ぼく

boku

[boh-koo]

I; me (male, casual)

Casual first-person pronoun mainly used by males. Softer than 俺, more casual than 私.

Example

ぼくは学生です。

I’m a student.

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