How to Describe Personality in Japanese: 'He's Outgoing' and 'She's a Bit Shy'
Learn to describe people's personalities in Japanese using na-adjectives and i-adjectives, and compare character with yori and hō ga.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
Describing what someone is like on the inside is different from describing how they look. In Japanese, personality descriptions rely heavily on na-adjectives such as shakō-teki (sociable) and i-adjectives such as akarui (cheerful). This lesson teaches you how to say 'He's outgoing' and 'She's a bit shy,' how to soften those statements, and how to compare two people's characters. You will also learn why Japanese often avoids direct labels and prefers phrases like 'He has an outgoing personality.'
By the end, you can…
- describe someone's personality using na-adjectives and i-adjectives in Japanese.
- soften a personality description with chotto or sukoshi.
- compare two people's characters using yori and hō ga.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
彼は外交的です。
He is outgoing.
Kare wa gaikō-teki desu.
Gaikō-teki is a na-adjective meaning outgoing or sociable. Use desu for polite speech.
彼女は少し内気です。
She is a bit shy.
Kanojo wa sukoshi uchiki desu.
Uchiki is a na-adjective for shy or reserved. Sukoshi softens the statement.
彼は明るい性格です。
He has a cheerful personality.
Kare wa akarui seikaku desu.
Akarui is an i-adjective meaning cheerful. Seikaku means personality. This pattern avoids labeling the whole person.
彼女は恥ずかしがり屋です。
She is a shy person.
Kanojo wa hazukashigariya desu.
Hazukashigariya is a noun meaning a shy person. It is gentler than calling someone uchiki.
彼は彼女より社交的です。
He is more sociable than she is.
Kare wa kanojo yori shakō-teki desu.
Yori marks the standard of comparison. Shakō-teki means sociable.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Japanese personality descriptions often use two adjective types. Na-adjectives take na before a noun and desu at the end of a sentence: kare wa gaikō-teki desu (he is outgoing), gaikō-teki na hito (an outgoing person). I-adjectives end in i and change form: akarui desu (is cheerful), akarui hito (a cheerful person). To say 'a bit,' place sukoshi or chotto before the adjective: kanojo wa chotto uchiki desu (she is a bit shy). To compare, use A wa B yori + adjective: kare wa kanojo yori shakō-teki desu (he is more sociable than she is). You can also use no hō ga: kanojo no hō ga uchiki desu (she is the shyer one).
When to use it
Use these patterns when talking about friends, coworkers, or classmates in casual conversation. Direct labels like uchiki can sound blunt, so add chotto or sukoshi when the person might hear you. For written or formal contexts, seikaku (personality) plus an adjective is safe: kare wa akarui seikaku desu. Avoid saying hito wa uchiki desu about someone present; instead say chotto hazukashigariya desu. When comparing, yori is neutral, while no hō ga often implies a gentle preference or observation, as in kanojo no hō ga ochitsuite imasu (she is the calmer one).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
田中さんはどんな人ですか。
What kind of person is Tanaka-san?Tanaka-san wa donna hito desu ka.彼はとても外交的で、話しやすいです。
He is very outgoing and easy to talk to.Kare wa totemo gaikō-teki de, hanashiyasui desu.佐藤さんはどうですか。
How about Sato-san?Satō-san wa dō desu ka.彼女は少し内気ですが、とても親切です。
She is a bit shy, but very kind.Kanojo wa sukoshi uchiki desu ga, totemo shinsetsu desu.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese, describing someone's personality directly can feel intrusive. Softeners such as chotto, sukoshi, and the noun pattern hazukashigariya help maintain politeness. When speaking about a superior or someone older, use seikaku with a neutral adjective rather than a blunt label, and avoid comparing people in a way that ranks them.
One thing to watch for
Using an i-adjective ending with a na-adjective, as in kare wa gaikō-tekii desu.
Try this instead: Gaikō-teki is a na-adjective, so it does not take i. Say kare wa gaikō-teki desu or gaikō-teki na hito. If you want an i-adjective, use akarui: kare wa akarui desu.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'She is a bit shy' politely?
Show a sample answer
彼女は少し内気です。 (Kanojo wa sukoshi uchiki desu.)
Sukoshi softens uchiki, and desu keeps it polite. Chotto uchiki desu is also acceptable in casual speech.
2Make a comparison: 'He is more outgoing than she is.'
Show a sample answer
彼は彼女より外交的です。 (Kare wa kanojo yori gaikō-teki desu.)
Yori marks the person being compared against. You could also say kare no hō ga gaikō-teki desu, which emphasizes him as the more outgoing one.
3Which word means 'cheerful' and what type of adjective is it?
Show a sample answer
明るい (akarui), an i-adjective.
Akarui ends in i and can directly modify a noun: akarui hito (a cheerful person). It does not need na.
Use na-adjectives like gaikō-teki and uchiki with desu, add sukoshi or chotto to soften, and compare with yori or no hō ga. When in doubt, describe seikaku (personality) rather than labeling the person.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Japanese into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr