Translation guide
A person employed to care for children in a private home. In Japanese, the concept is often expressed by describing the role or using specific terms for childcare workers.
A person hired to look after children in the family's home, often full-time or live-in.
The most common and widely understood term for a babysitter or nanny, though it can imply more occasional care. Use this for general situations.
We have a babysitter look after the kids on weekends.
A direct loanword from English, used in more international or upscale contexts. It implies a professional, often trained, childcare provider.
An older term for a female childcare worker, often in a nursery or institutional setting. Now largely replaced by 保育士, but may still be encountered.
A qualified person who works in a nursery, daycare, or kindergarten.
Explaining that someone takes care of children in a home, without using a job title.
A natural phrase meaning 'a person who takes care of children'. Use this when a specific term like ベビーシッター doesn't fit.
She is looking for someone to take care of the children at home.
Literally 'a person who does babysitting'. 子守 (こもり) is a traditional word for babysitting, but the phrase is slightly old-fashioned.
ベビーシッター is the everyday word for someone who looks after children in the home, often on a temporary basis. ナニー implies a more formal, trained, and often live-in arrangement, common in Western contexts. 保育士 is a licensed professional working in daycare centers or nurseries, not in private homes.
Today is the day the babysitter comes.
They hired a British nanny for their children.
I'm studying to get a childcare worker license.
保母 is an outdated term and may be considered inappropriate or sexist. Use 保育士 for professional childcare workers, or ベビーシッター/ナニー for private nannies.
We're looking for a nanny to help with the twins.
Using ベビーシッター is natural here.
She works as a nanny for a wealthy family in Tokyo.
ナニー fits the upscale, professional context.
She works as a nanny in London.
She worked as a childcare worker for many years.
Specifically a kindergarten teacher, not a nanny, but sometimes confused in translation. Use only for kindergarten settings.
My older sister works as a kindergarten teacher.
I heard my grandmother used to babysit when she was young.