Titles used like name suffixes: せんせい and せんぱい
Job titles and seniority words that follow a name, or replace it.要点The idea
Some job titles and seniority words work like name suffixes, and they can also replace the name entirely.| Title | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜先生せんせい~sensei | teachers, doctors, lawyers, authors | 山田やまだ先生せんせいyamada-sensei |
| 〜先輩せんぱい~senpai | someone senior to you at school or in a club (at work, seniors are usually 〜さん) | 佐藤さとう先輩せんぱいsatou-senpai |
| 〜部長ぶちょう · 〜社長しゃちょう~buchou · ~shachou | department head · company president | 鈴木すずき部長ぶちょうsuzuki-buchou |
山田やまだ先生せんせい、 おはよう ございます。yamada-sensei, ohayou gozaimasu.Good morning, Mr/Ms Yamada (to a teacher).
先生せんせい、 質問しつもん が あります。sensei, shitsumon ga arimasu.Excuse me (teacher), I have a question.Students call their teacher just 先生せんせい: no name, and never あなた.
先輩せんぱい、 お疲つかれ様さま です。senpai, otsukaresama desu.Thanks for today (to a senior).お疲つかれ様さまです is also a greeting, at any time of day.
鈴木すずき部長ぶちょう は 今日きょう 休やすみ です。suzuki-buchou wa kyou yasumi desu.Mr/Ms Suzuki, our department head, is off today.Said inside the company. To a client you'd say 部長ぶちょうの鈴木すずき: see the uchi/soto lesson.
A佐藤さとうさん、 これ を 見みて ください。satou-san, kore o mite kudasai.Sato-san, please look at this.
B佐藤さとう先輩せんぱい、 これ を 見みて ください。satou-senpai, kore o mite kudasai.Sato, please look at this (to a senior in your club).