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It’s something of a hallmark by now for the Persona series to include social stats you need to work on, and Persona 4 Golden doesn’t disappoint there. Between dungeon-crawling and saving the sleepy town of Inaba, you’ll be tasked with raising your Courage, Diligence, Expression, Knowledge, and Understanding as well.

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In Persona 4 Golden, your Expression stat is tied to how you interact with the residents of Inaba. It allows you to choose more emotional dialogue options, and it’s pivotal to a few social links, too. Here’s our guide for how to raise your Expression in Persona 4 Golden.

What Does Expression Impact?

persona 4 golden yu dojima and nanako junes song

It won’t come as a surprise that your Expression stat influences your speech checks. Like Understanding, you’ll need a higher level for Expression to choose more emotional dialogue options.

You’ll occasionally come across responses in dialogue that you cannot choose before reaching a certain level of Expression. These are typically the responses that yield the most affinity, so it’s wise to level up your Expression sooner than later.

Like the other social stats, there are five ranks to your Expression stat. They are:

  1. Rough
  2. Eloquent
  3. Persuasive
  4. Touching
  5. Enthralling

While you do not need a set level of Expression to begin any of your social links, there are two whose ranks you cannot progress until you’ve reached a certain level.

Character's Scene

Expression Rank Required

Ryotaro Dojima, Rank 2

Rank 2

Nanako Dojima, Rank 3

Rank 3

Ryotaro Dojima, Rank 4

Rank 3

Ryotaro Dojima, Rank 5

Rank 4

Nanako Dojima, Rank 5

Rank 5

How To Raise Your Expression

persona 4 golden meeting shu nakajima in his room

For the most part, you’ll be leveling your Expression by communicating with the residents of Inaba, as well as working a few of your jobs.

Eating At Chinese Diner Aiya (Random)

While attempting the Mega Beef Bowl Challenge at Chinese Diner Aiya on rainy days will run you ¥3,000, the juice is well worth the squeeze.

Though you need to have maxed all five stats in order to finish the bowl, simply attempting to do so will raise three random stats each time you try.

Part-Time Jobs

There are two part-time jobs that will reliably raise your Expression.

The easier between the two of them is the Translator job. You can do this work any time so long as you’ve begun working on your Knowledge stat, and each pass through the work will raise your Expression.

You can permanently increase the Expression gained from translating by finishing the book English Made Easy.

And while it may be inaccessible until later in the game, the Tutoring job will also raise your Expression. However, you need to have reached Rank 5 Understanding before you’re able to start the Tutoring job.

The Translator position unlocks on 4/23, while the Tutoring job doesn’t unlock until 5/25.

At School: Answering Questions And Going To Clubs

It’s far from the most reliable way to improve your Expression in P4G, but occasionally, answering a question correctly in class will yield a few points toward your Expression.

Yumi performing in drama club in Persona 4 Golden

Additionally, you’ll be given the choice between two cultural clubs, and you’re able to choose between the drama club or the school band.

Each club will introduce you to the girl who serves as your Sun arcana for P4G – Yumi in drama, or Ayane in band. Though two characters serve as this arcana, you only need to befriend one for it to count.

In fact, you only can befriend one. If you want to meet the other girl, you’ll need to play the game again.

By going to practice on the scheduled days, not only do you bolster your Sun social link (whoever she may be), but you’ll also reliably gain points toward your Expression as well.

Books That Raise Expression

As with all social skills, there are a handful of books that you can read to boost your Expression. Books will consume one time slot per chapter.

Title

Chapters

The Divine Way

4

The Gentle Way

4

The O'Cha Way

4

The Punk's Way

4

The Ramen Way

4

English Made Easy *

3

By finishing Hyperspeed Reading, you’ll be able to read two chapters per time slot instead of just one.

NEXT: Persona 4 Golden: Every Dungeon, Ranked