たちplural for people; "and the others"
たち makes a group out of one person: 私 is "I", 私たち is "we". After a name, it means that person and the people with them.
We are going to Kyoto next month.
The children are playing in the schoolyard, full of energy.
Tanaka and the others have already gone home.
How to form it
Person + たち
私たち, 学生たち, 田中さんたち. Particles come after it: 私たちの, 子どもたちが.
- Before it
- A word for a person: 私, あなた, 彼女, 子ども, 学生, あの人, or a name. Pets and other animals can take it too.
- Said about
- Anyone, yourself included. For people you look up to there is a politer one, 方: 先生方.
- Where you'll meet it
- Everywhere, in conversation and in writing.
In use
Those people are the new teachers.
Our school is near the station.
The dogs are sleeping at their owner's feet.
Three things to know
After a name, it is "and the others"
美咲さんたち isn't several people called Misaki. It is Misaki and whoever is with her.
Where are Misaki and the two international students?
Misaki and the others are waiting at reception.
Most plurals don't have it
A Japanese noun is one or many as it stands: 学生 is "a student" or "students". たち is for when you want it clear that you mean several people. On a thing it sounds odd.
Sounds odd: 机の
There are books on the desk.
This turns the books into little characters. 本があります already means "books".
友だち is one word
It looks like a plural and isn't. 友だち is one friend or several.
Close neighbours
らN4
On a few words it does the same job: 彼ら is the usual "they", これら is "these". On others it is rougher or more casual than たち, or newspaper style.
They are moving to Japan next month.
一人・二本・三冊N5
To say how many, a number and a counter do the job, and たち isn't needed.
There are four students in the classroom.
Check yourself
1What does this mean?
ケンさんたちが
Choose an answer to see why.
2"There are pens in the bag." Which sounds natural?
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
"We" follows whichever "I" you use: 僕たち, 俺たち.
To speak to a group, people say 皆さん. あなたたち is as blunt as あなた.
More sentences
The students are studying in the library.
The players shook hands after the match.
The cats are napping by the window.
My younger brothers have already gone home.
It can also be your brother and his friends.