Hi,
I Just started the course, and am really enjoying it so far. Japanese is a beautiful language. :D
I have only reached the end of audio lesson 1.2, and read the grammar newletters that go with them. So I understand that the -san suffix to a person's name is a polite honorific.
However I have heard people using other ones as well, and maybe it is covered in later lessons but I am curious about what they mean;
-sama
-sa
-kun
-dono
-riu
I have an idea of what they might mean based on the context they were used in, but I'm not really sure, could you explain the differences to me pls?
Name Suffixes (eg. -San)

Psymon
August 2, 2008

Sayaka-Matsuura
August 3, 2008
Konnichiwa!
Thank you for choosing our course! and we're glad you're enjoying it!
There are various name suffixes, but here are the main ones that you'll often hear :shock:
*-CHAN*
For children, used after boy or girl's give name
For example:
Suzan-CHAN
*-KUN*
Used after boy's given name
ALSO used after a subordinate's family name (regardless of gender)
For example:
Ken-KUN (boy's name + KUN)
and
Yamada-KUN (Subordinate's last name + KUN)
*-SAMA*
Used after a superior's or customer's name (regardless of gender)
For example:
Tanaka-SAMA
*-DONO*
More honorific than *SAMA*. It is sometimes used in letters, but scarcely used in conversations today.
Enjoy learning Japanese! Tanoshiku benkyou shite kudasai! :D

Psymon
August 7, 2008
o Arigato for clearing that up :)