Translation guide
The English word "personal" covers several distinct meanings. This guide breaks them down into practical uses and shows how to express each naturally in Japanese.
Describing something that is one's own, private, or not for public use.
Used to indicate something belongs to an individual, often in contrast to group or public ownership. Common in formal and everyday contexts.
This is my personal opinion.
Please write your name on your personal belongings.
Emphasizes privacy or non-official nature. Often used for matters not related to work or public life.
Please refrain from personal phone calls.
Literally 'for one's own use'. Natural for items you keep for yourself rather than sharing.
Keep a personal copy for yourself.
Distinguishing between work/official matters and private matters.
A loanword from English, very common in modern Japanese to mean 'private' or 'personal' as opposed to work-related.
Please don't ask about personal matters.
I value my personal time on weekends.
Refers specifically to one's private life outside of work or public duties.
He doesn't talk much about his personal life.
Emphasizing direct involvement or physical presence.
Means 'direct' and is used when someone does something in person, without intermediaries.
Personal guidance is necessary.
Refers to the person themselves, often used for signatures, attendance, or direct involvement.
A personal signature is required.
A formal/literary adverb meaning 'personally' or 'oneself'. Used when someone does something in person, often with a sense of initiative.
Relating to physical contact, appearance, or space.
Describing criticism, remarks, or questions directed at a person rather than an issue.
Referring to items one owns, especially in legal or formal contexts.
Legal term for 'personal property' (movable property), as opposed to real estate.
Please explain the difference between personal property and real estate.
These three can all translate 'personal', but have different nuances. 個人の is neutral and often used for 'individual' vs 'group'. 私的な emphasizes privacy and non-official capacity. プライベートな is a common loanword for private life matters. Choose based on context.
個人の意見 (individual opinion) / 私的な用事 (private errand) / プライベートな問題 (personal problem)
While パーソナル is understood in some compounds (パーソナルスペース, パーソナルトレーナー), it is not a general-purpose adjective. Use 個人の or プライベートな instead for most cases.
社長が自ら出迎えた。
The president personally welcomed them.
Loanword for 'personal space', commonly understood in modern Japanese.
Let's respect personal space.
Let's not make it personal and blame individuals instead of addressing the issue.