Why Do Japanese People Say さん ‘San’ After Names? And When NOT to Use It!

Ever wondered why Japanese people say “san” (さん) after names like Suzuki-san or Yuki-san? 🤔 In this lesson, I’ll explain what “san” really means, when to use it, and when NOT to! You’ll also learn the differences between さん (san), くん (kun), ちゃん (chan), and さま (sama) so you can avoid common mistakes and sound respectful in Japanese conversations. 0:32 - Why do Japanese people say "san" after names? 1:51 - Calling others by their names alone (よびすて YOBISUTE) 3:03 - さま and When to Use It 3:38 - くん and When to Use It 4:44 - ちゃん and When to Use It 6:29 - したしきなかにも、れいぎあり "There should be courtesy even between close friends" 7:38 - When NOT to Use さん (Avoid This Mistake!) 8:39 - Test Your Knowledge! (Comment Your Answers) 9:31 - Let's learn Japanese together! こんにちは！I’m Yuko Sensei, a native Japanese instructor with many years of experience teaching Japanese at colleges in the U.S. I create all the lessons in my online courses based on what has helped my students succeed — clear explanations, step-by-step structure, and practical application. If you’re looking for thoughtful, well-organized lessons to build a solid foundation in Japanese, I’d be honored to guide you. Let’s enjoy your learning journey together! 😊 🌟 Get your Learning Pass https://smilenihongo.com/learningpass 👉 Starter Pass Curriculum https://smilenihongo.com/starterlist 👉 Pro Pass Curriculum https://smilenihongo.com/prolist = Let's connect! = Blog: https://smilenihongo.com Facebook:   / smilenihongo   Instagram:   / smilenihongo   Music Credit: Song Invisible Beauty Artist Aakash Gandhi (YouTube Library) Licensed to YouTube by YouTube Audio Library #japaneselesson #learnjapaneselanguage #japaneseculture #yukosensei