How to describe personalities in Japanese

How to describe personalities in Japanese

Welcome back to another “Video & Article” series, this time for another live-stream with tutor Erika. In this live-stream we will take a look at how to describe personalities in Japanese. There are a couple of phrases and words that are commonly used to describe people’s dispositions in Japanese. In this article, we will introduce some of them to help you describe the people around you with natural Japanese expressions!

Table of Contents
[Introduction: 性格( せいかく ) ]
[Expressions to describe dispositions]

[Introduction: 性格( せいかく ) ]

みなさんは自分( じぶん ) 性格( せいかく ) 日本語( にほんご ) 説明( せつめい ) することが出来( でき ) ますか? Have you ever tried to describe your own personality in Japanese? Well, in order to talk about personalities, let’s first of all look at the word personality itself: 性格( せいかく ) . Here is how it is often used in a sentence:
性格( せいかく ) がいい
To have a good personality
性格( せいかく ) ( わる )
To have a bad personality
For example:
( かれ ) 性格( せいかく ) がいい。
He has a good personality.
Let’s look at another example:
理想( りそう ) 男性( だんせい ) は?
What’s your ideal man like?
性格( せいかく ) ( ) ければ( かお ) はどうでもいいよ。
I don’t care about his face as long as he has a good personality.

[Expressions to describe dispositions]

( つぎ ) にその( ひと ) ( あらわ ) 言葉( ことば ) 想像( そうぞう ) してみてください。

Next, let’s try to come up with some stereotypical people and describe their personalities. We’ll be introducing lots of examples!

たくやくんは、友達( ともだち ) をカラオケに( さそ ) ったり、にこにこして( はなし ) をきいてくれるので人気( にんき ) があります。

Takuya invites his friends to Karaoke and smiles all the time. He also listens to his friends, so he is popular.

This kind of personality would be called “( ) さく” and “社交的( しゃこうてき ) ”.

( ) さく Friendly, good humored

社交的( しゃこうてき ) Sociable

Example:

( わたし ) 社交的( しゃこうてき ) 性格( せいかく ) です。 I’m a sociable person.

( かれ ) ( ) さくな人です。 He is a friendly person.

太郎( たろう ) ( くん ) は、試合( しあい ) ( ) けるといつまでも( くや ) しがります。

When Taro loses a game, he can’t let it go for a long time.

This kind of personality would be called “( ) けず( ぎら ) い” in Japanese.

( ) けず( ぎら ) い Hating to lose, determined, sore loser, competitive

Example:

( わたし ) ( ) けず( ぎら ) いです。 I’m competitive.

Or:

( わたし ) は、( ) けるのが( きら ) いです。 I really hate losing.

テイラー、あなたは本当( ほんとう ) ( ) けず( ぎら ) いです。 Taylor, you really are a sore loser.

その( とお ) りです。 Yes, that’s right.

かなこさんは、試合( しあい ) でペアを( ) んだ相手( あいて ) 何度( なんど ) 失敗( しっぱい ) しても、( いかる ) らないで試合( しあい ) ( つづ ) けます。また最後( さいご ) まであきらめず、頑張( がんば ) ります。

Kanako continues the game without getting angry, even if the person she’s paired with in the game fails many times. And also she will not give up to the end and do her best.

This kind of personality is called “我慢強( がまんづよ ) い” or “( ねば ) ( づよ ) い”.

我慢強( がまんづよ ) い Patient

( ねば ) ( づよ ) い Persevering, stubborn

Example:

( かれ ) のお( にい ) さんは( かれ ) よりも我慢強( がまんづよ ) い。 His older brother is even more patient than he is.

けんさんはいつも時間( じかん ) ( おく ) れたり、( わす ) ( もの ) をします。 Ken is always late and loses his stuff all the time.

This disposition is called “だらしない”.

だらしない Sloppy, irresponsible

Example:

なんでそんなにだらしないの…? Why are you so irresponsible...?

Zackはマネージャーなので練習( れんしゅう ) 時間( じかん ) の30分前( ふんまえ ) にコートに( ) て、ネットやボールの準備( じゅんび ) をします。いろいろな連絡( れんらく ) ( わす ) れたことがありません。

Zack is the manager, so he arrives at the coat 30 minutes before practice time to prepare the net and balls. He never forgets to take care of his many contacts.

In Japanese, you can refer to a person like this as “責任感( せきにんかん ) がある”.

責任感( せきにんかん ) がある To be responsible, to have a strong sense of responsibility

Example:

彼女( かのじょ ) 責任感( せきにんかん ) があり、いつも( ) ( ) りを( まも ) る。 She has a strong sense of responsibility and always meets her deadlines.

So, what kind of personality do you have? Try describing each other’s personality with a friend to practice!

That’s it for today. If you have any questions, you can always clear them up by booking a lesson with one of our native Japanese tutors. See you next time!
単語たんごリスト(Vocabulary list)
性格( せいかく ) Character, personality
性格( せいかく ) がいい To have a good personality
性格( せいかく ) がわるい To have a bad personality
理想( りそう ) Ideal
( あらわ ) To represent, to show
想像( そうぞう ) する To imagine
( さそ ) To invite
にこにこする To always be smiling
人気( にんき ) がある To be popular
( ) さく Friendly good humored
社交的( しゃこうてき ) Social
試合( しあい ) Match, game
( ) ける To lose
( くや ) しがる To feel bitter, to feel vexed
( ) けず( ぎら ) Hating to lose, determined, sore loser, competitive
相手( あいて ) Partner, companion
失敗( しっぱい ) する To fail
( いか ) To get angry, to get mad
( つづ ) ける To continue, to keep up
我慢強( がまんづよ ) Patient
( ねば ) ( づよ ) Persevering, stubborn
( わす ) ( もの ) Lost items
だらしない Sloppy, irresponsible
責任感( せきにんかん ) がある To be responsible, to have a strong sense of responsibility
( ) ( ) Deadline