Inclusive and Exclusive 'We': 咱 and 阮

01

咱 — You and I

Use 咱 (lánlánlan2) when the listener is part of the group. It is the natural word for suggestions and invitations, which is why it so often begins a sentence with 來 (lâilâilai5).

• 咱來食披薩。

  lán lâi tsia̍h phi-sàlán lâi chia̍h phi-sàlan2 lai5 tsiah8 phi1-sa3

  Let's eat pizza.

• 咱買一本新的。

  lán bé tsi̍t pún sin êlán bé chi̍t pún sin êlan2 be2 tsit8 pun2 sin1 e5

  Let's buy a new one.

02

阮 — Us, But Not You

Use 阮 (guángoánguan2) when you are reporting on your own side — your family, your household, your group — to someone outside it. It also serves as our.

• 阮佇咧食中晝。

  guán tī-leh tsia̍h tiong-tàugoán tī-leh chia̍h tiong-tàuguan2 ti7-leh4 tsiah8 tiong1-tau3

  We're having lunch.

• 阮後生無頭路。

  guán hāu-senn bô thâu-lōogoán hāu-seⁿ bô thâu-lō͘guan2 hau7-senn1 bo5 thau5-loo7

  Our son doesn't have a job.

Both work as possessives too. Add 的 (êêe5) and you get 咱的 (lán êlán êlan2 e5) our (yours and mine) against 阮的 (guán-êgoán-êguan2-e5) our (not yours) - the same choice, carried over to ownership.

• 咱的老母猶閣少年。

  lán ê lāu-bú iáu-koh siàu-liânlán ê lāu-bú iáu-koh siàu-liânlan2 e5 lau7-bu2 iau2-koh4 siau3-lian5

  Our mother is still young.

03

Why It Matters

English cannot show the difference, so it is easy to ignore — but to a listener the choice is obvious and it is social, not grammatical. Saying 咱 (lánlánlan2) draws the other person in; saying 阮 (guángoánguan2) politely shuts them out. Using the wrong one does not sound like a grammar mistake, it sounds like you meant to exclude them. That is also why 咱 (lánlánlan2) turns up in questions and proposals so often — it makes the listener a partner in whatever is being suggested rather than the target of it.

• 咱去看電影好無？

  lán khì khuànn tiān-iánn hó --bôlán khì khoàⁿ tiān-iáⁿ hó --bôlan2 khi3 khuann3 tian7-iann2 ho2 --bo5

  Shall we go and see a film?

• 咱愛來講一下仔話。

  lán ài lâi kóng tsi̍t-ē-á uēlán ài lâi kóng chi̍t-ē-á ōelan2 ai3 lai5 kong2 tsit8-e7-a2 ue7

  We need to have a little talk.

04

咱 as Politeness

Speakers stretch the inclusive further than its literal meaning. 咱 (lánlánlan2) is used to soften something that is really about the listener alone — asking a stranger what amounts to where do we live? when what is meant is where do you live?. Folding yourself into the group takes the edge off a direct question, much as English shifts to shall we when a nurse means you.

05

The Other Plurals

The remaining plural pronouns are separate words rather than a plural ending: 恁 (línlínlin2) you (more than one) and 𪜶 (ininin1) they. Note that 伊 (iii1) covers he, she and it — pronouns here do not mark gender.