1.
plural marker for people
Suffix indicating plural, used with people.
子供達が遊んでいる。
The children are playing.
友達達と出かけた。
I went out with my friends.
私達は日本語を勉強しています。
We are studying Japanese.
学生達は教室で先生の話を聞いている。
The students are listening to the teacher in the classroom.
彼女達は公園で犬と一緒に散歩していた。
They were taking a walk with the dog in the park.
達 is a suffix that indicates plurality, used exclusively with nouns referring to people.
USAGE RULES:
- Attaches directly to nouns: 子供たち, 学生たち
- With pronouns: 私たち (we), 彼ら (they - male), 彼女たち (they - female)
- Often written in hiragana: たち
REGISTER COMPARISON:
- たち: neutral, everyday usage
- 方: polite/honorific (先生方)
- ら: casual/rough (俺ら, 奴ら)
NOTES:
- Can indicate "X and others": 田中さんたち (Tanaka and the others)
- Not used for animals or objects in standard speech
- 友達 already contains たち but can still take たち (友達たち)