Nowadays it is often attached to many nouns to make them more respectful. Then, by the 1300s it reached a position resembling its current usage, wherein it was used to refer to some object relating to the listener in an honorable way. In Japanese, it used to be a prefix indicating a “god.”įrom there it became a prefix indicating utmost reverence and respect. Oh man, why did I start with this one? It’s a confusing bit of history-seriously, go check out the wiki entry on it! The short form is that it was taken from Chinese about one and a half millennia ago. So, what is the pronunciation anyway? The standard way to pronounce it sounds almost like “oh my.” If you wanted to pronounce it the intense way, you’d go with “oh may.”Īs noted above, omae can be written with two different kanji. If you wanted to make it more intense, you could write it in katakana, and even change the pronunciation a bit: オメー. However, it’s never written as 御まえ-not for any serious reason, it just feels weird to do it that way. It’s often written as a combination as お前. Omae can be written and said quite a few different ways. There will be embarrassment and misunderstanding. Or, if you really want to venture into the great unknown, then do it loins firmly girded. Only real-life experience will show you that. It won’t help you understand 100% how to use it. This article will help you understand how it’s used in the world around you and in media. If you’re a Japanese master, you probably don’t need this article to begin with. So, unless you’re a Japanese master, avoid using omae in real life. The lines of distinction between these forms are thin and difficult to see. For 4 of the 5% remaining, you’ll prefer to use the actual name of the person to indicate who you’re talking about. In Japanese, you go by context 95% of the time. In Spanish, you can usually leave out the pronoun, as long as your verb is conjugated properly. In English, the person must be specified. Even for my European language speakers out there, this pushes things to the next level. For my native English speakers out there, this might be really disorienting. Let me give you a fantastic rule of thumb… Heck, even Japanese people would be hard pressed to fully express the full extent of the use of the word. It signals their masculinity and strength and protectiveness.Īlright, I understand the use of omae and now I shall go forth and use it! That said, because of this masculine angle, the word can actually be a bit romantic when being spoken by a man to a (romantically interested) woman (let me get back to you if that works as well in queer relationships). Take that with a grain of salt-in fact, take it with a fistful of salt-especially as Japan increases the pace of its rapid socio-cultural changes. It’s also typically more masculine leaning. From a stranger to a stranger it’s rude and very possibly aggressive. If I had to give an equivalent in English, it would be how we contract “you” into ya when we’re speaking quickly and in an informal situation.īetween peers, omae is simply informal and friendly.įrom a boss to an underling, it’s condescending. So, with that in mind, let’s discuss what omae really means in regular usage.Īs we covered, it means “you.” But depending on who you say it to, it can mean “you jerk” or “you, my friend.” In English, we don’t really have these distinctions.įor example, Spanish has both tu and usted, and French has tu and vous. Ultimately, usage makes up a giant part of communication, and it’s not enough to simply comprehend a definition. You want to know how words are used in a language. But I don’t think you’re really interested in what’s “technically” true. It’s just a simple pronoun meaning “you.” Technically, it’s no different from anata, kimi, kisama, or temee. Omae really isn’t that complicated when you get down to it. Because of this, when used between close friends it can be a sign of that closeness, but will come across as disrespectful, or even aggressive when used with people outside one’s inner social circle. Omae (alternatively written おまえ or お前) is a pronoun meaning “you.” It is very informal. They’re hard to truly grok, and so, today, instead of overwhelming you with a discussion of a ton of different Japanese pronouns, I’m going to guide you through all the nuances of just one: omae.Īs usual, let’s start with a birds eye view… This word shares good company with other pronouns in Japanese. Is it rude? Offensive? Friendly? Intimate? Just something said in anime and dramas? This is a contentious and often misunderstood word in Japanese.
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