How to say I have a tatoo in Japanese?

ByTheWay · (#1 (**permalink**))

I'm writing descriptions of people and I'm trying to say that someone has a tattoo, but I'm having trouble finding examples.

One google entry is タトゥーを入れています but I'm not sure if this correct. If it is correct than how do you pronounce the kanji?

Thanks for any help.

BenBullock · (#2 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by ByTheWay

I'm writing descriptions of people and I'm trying to say that someone has a tattoo, but I'm having trouble finding examples.

One google entry is タトゥーを入れています but I'm not sure if this correct. If it is correct than how do you pronounce the kanji?

入れて is "irete". But I'm not sure that is right. タトゥーがあります would be OK.

rainysidewalks · (#3 (**permalink**))

just btw -- another word for tattoo is "irezumi" (文身).

Sashimister · (#4 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by ByTheWay

I'm writing descriptions of people and I'm trying to say that someone has a tattoo, but I'm having trouble finding examples.

One google entry is タトゥーを入れています but I'm not sure if this correct. If it is correct than how do you pronounce the kanji?

That is 100% correct and natural. However, some speakers will find 入れる to be too direct a word and will prefer saying タトゥーをしています, which is just about the "safest" way of saying it as well as being the native speaker's choice.

The sentence that BenBullock gave you is also good. If you are writing a piece in which you must keep repeating the phrase "someone has a tattoo and someone doesn't", then BB's phrase will be a very good one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rainysidewalks

just btw -- another word for tattoo is "irezumi" (文身).

There is a world of difference in nuance between タトゥー and 入れ墨(It isn't generally written 文身 as you said.).

タトゥー is mainly for fashion.

入れ墨 is for the people in certain professions that historically practice extensive tattooing.

ByTheWay · (#5 (**permalink**))

Thanks for all the posts.

I found the phrase タトゥーをしています interesting. This pattern is used when describing certain accessories that people are wearing, isn't it?

ie ネクタイをしています。

Thanks for the posts everyone, I'm very grateful!

Sashimister · (#6 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by ByTheWay

I found the phrase タトゥーをしています interesting. This pattern is used when describing certain accessories that people are wearing, isn't it?

ie ネクタイをしています。

Exactly, man. There are multiple ways of saying many things and usually only one (sometimes two) of them sounds "just right".