1.
we; us; our group
Standard first-person plural pronoun. Polite enough for most situations: classroom, workplace, and public-facing speech. Inclusive when the listener is part of the group; otherwise refers to the speaker and others.
私たちは学生です。
We are students.
日本の文化は私たちの誇りだ。
Japanese culture is our pride.
今度の週末、私たちは京都に旅行に行く予定です。
We're planning to travel to Kyoto this coming weekend.
Standard plural of 私 (I). Politeness-neutral and safe in nearly any context. Choice of first-person plural depends on speaker register and group composition.
FIRST-PERSON PLURALS:
- 私たち: we (standard, neutral)
- 私したち: we (very formal)
- 僕たち / 僕ら: we (masculine, casual to neutral)
- 俺たち / 俺ら: we (masculine, casual/rough)
- うちら: we (feminine, casual)
- 我々: we (formal speeches, in-group identity)
USAGE NOTES:
- INCLUSIVE: includes the listener when context allows (私たちで決めよう Let's decide together).
- EXCLUSIVE: excludes the listener in most narrative contexts (私たちは昨日映画を見に行きました We went to a movie yesterday).
GRAMMAR:
The possessive is 私たちの (our). たち can attach to other personal nouns to mean 'and others' (先生たち the teachers).