japanese 101
TRANSCRIPT
はじめまして！Hajimemashite!私はペリーです。
Watashi wa Perry desu.よろしくお願いします。
Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
(Hello, it’s nice to meet you!
I’m Perry.
Please treat me well.)
こちらはコネリアスさんです。
Kochira wa Koneriasusan desu.
This Is Cornelius.
私が飼っている猫です。
Watashi ga katteiruneko desu.
He is my pet cat.
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• When introducing yourself for the first time to someone, introduce yourself by your last name to people you want to be professional with (teachers, your boss, etc.)
• You can add your first name if you would like, though. If you don’t have a Japanese name, present your name in Western order (Christine Perry, not Perry Christine)
???
• The meanings of “hajimemashite” and “yoroshiku onegaishimasu” do not translate gracefully to English. But they are necessary to self introduction, similar to how we would say “Pleased to meet you.”
• “Self introduction” is “jikoshoukai”
(自己紹介）
自己紹介してみましょう
• 1. Hajimemashite!
• 2. Watashi wa _____ desu.
• 3. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
• After finishing your introduction, bow slightly or incline your head towards your partner. Don’t bow too much or too low.
Polite, more polite, most polite?
• There are three (kind of) levels of politeness in Japanese.
• “desu-masu”form is generally acceptable in most situations.
• When you use “kudaketa hanashikata”, you will be talking to friends. It is casual.
• When you use “son-keigo”, you are likely talking to your boss/at a job interview. It is most formal.
Hiiiiii!
• Ohayou gozaimasu! (Good morning!)
• Konnichiwa! (Good afternoon/day!)
• Konban wa! (Good evening!)
How are you?
Ogenki desu ka? (How are you?)
Genki desu! (I’m doing well!)
Watashi wa chotto… (I’m a little under the weather…)
How to ask___?
“Nan”, “doko”, “dare”, “itsu”? (What, where, who, when?)
_______wa_______desu ka?
“wa” indicates the preceding noun as the subject of the sentence. “desu” is a politeness marker. “ka” indicates that you are asking a question.
“Kore wa nan desu ka?” (What is this?)
Interjecting with “sumimasen”
• Appending “ga” to “sumimasen”, in this context, would imply that you are interjecting/attempting to get someone’s attention/attempting to ask a favor. It means “but”.
• “Sumimasen ga, otearai wa doko desu ka?”
(Excuse me, but where is the restroom?)
• “Sumimasen ga, kore wa ikura desu ka?”
(Excuse me, but how much does this cost?)
What are they gonna say back to me???
• Well, many answers are possible.
• Gauge body language.
“Ah, otearai nara, ichiban chikai no wa Shinjuku ekidesu.” (Ah, if you’re asking about a bathroom, the closest is Shinjuku station.)
“Sanbyakuen desu.” (It is 300 yen.)
For prices, it’s good to know numbers 1-10,000.
The –en suffix indicates that we are talking about a price, in yen.
How to get rid of someone(I mean, how to imply that you need to
part with someone…)
Jitsu wa, ima kara yotei ga arun desu kedo…
The truth is, I have some plans right now…
Kore kara shitsurei shimasu.
I’ll excuse myself now.
Byeeee!!!!
• Mata ne! (See you later!)
• Ja, mata ne!/Ja, ne!/Ja, mata! (Well then, see you!)
• Bai bai! (Bye bye! *quite informal, use only with friends)
• Oyasuminasai! (Good night!)
• Sayounara (GOODBYE FOREVER *possibly
accompanied by running away in tears.)
Apologize and say thank you a lot.
• Sumimasen! (Excuse me/I’m sorry!)
• Hontou ni sumimasen! (I’m really sorry!)
• Arigatou. (Thanks.)
• Arigatou gozaimasu. (Thank you so much.)
• Doumo arigatou gozaimasu. (Thank you very much) *extra polite
And when you are apologized to/thanked…
• iie, iie…/ie, ie… (No, no…)
• iie, daijoubu desu. (No, it’s fine.)
• Ki ni shinaide kudasai. (Please don’t worry about it.)
• Do itashimashite. (You’re welcome. *only when
thanked, use only when you’ve done something really great for
someone…)
よく使う単語（Useful vocab)
• Eki• Densha• Konbini• Kuukou• Otearai/toire• Denwa• Eigo• Nihongo• Amerikajin• Byouin• Basu• Takushii
• Train station• Train• Convenience store• Airport• Restroom• Phone• English language• Japanese language• American person• Hospital• Bus• Taxi
またよく使う単語(More useful vocab)
• Kore• Sore• Are• Koko• Soko• Asoko• --ji• Jikan• Ima• Hai• Iie
• This• That• That over there• Here• There• Over there• --o’clock• Time/hours• Now• Yes• No
Directionals
Kore= This (this thing close to me)
Sore= That (that thing close to you)
Are= That (that thing over there)
Dore?= Which?
Koko= Here (close to me)
Soko= There (close to you)
Asoko= Over there (away from both of us)
Doko?= Where?
Kono= This ___
Sono= That ___
Ano= That ___ over there
Dono= Which___?
POP QUIZ HUHUHU
• Sumimasen ga, eki wa doko desu ka?
• Sumimasen ga, ima wa nanji desu ka?
• Watashi wa Amerikajin desu.
• Ah, byouin wa asoko desu. Daijoubu desu ka?
• Koko wa Shinjuku desu. Masaka, mayotteiruno desu ka?*
*To self: you didn’t explain this, you jerk!!!! Zurui!!!!
Phrases you will want
• “Sumimasen ga, nihongo ga wakarimasen.” (I’m sorry, but I don’t understand Japanese.)
• Eigo de iin desu ka? (Can we speak in English?)• Sore wa chotto… (That’s a little… *indicates that you are
wanting to refuse)• Kore wa ikura desu ka? (How much does this
cost?)• Sou desu ne. (That’s right/I agree. *implies that you are
listening)• Sou desu ka? (Is that so?)
Tomodachis forever!!!!!
• Tomodachi= friend
• Be persistent! (but don’t push)
• Physical contact- leave it to the discretion of your friend.
• Address by last name until told that using the first name is fine.
• A good way to express that you’d like to be friends is to tell them to address you by your first name.
Japanese is a nuanced language!
• People read between the lines.
• Not much is explicitly said, only implied.
• If the person you are speaking with knows you are American, they will probably understand that there is some language barrier and that Americans often speak in more direct terms.
• Use body language.
• Overasserting yourself can be intimidating.
At the same time…
• Don’t let yourself be a stereotype.
• Be polite, reserved if possible, and respectful.
• Say “sumimasen” and “arigatou gozaimasu” at frequent opportunities.
• Be self-aware, as you should be in any foreign country.
• Be open to cultural differences, but also realize that people will view you as an “other”.
How to read?
• In major cities, train station names and location signs will be in romaji as well as kanji and hiragana.
• English is prevalent (though sometimes broken)
• There are 3 writing systems: hiragana, katakana, kanji.
• Know katakana for your visit.
Renshuu shimashou! (Let’s practice!)
Jikoshoukai!
1. Hajimemashite.
2. Watashi wa ____ desu.
3. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
4. Bow slightly.
A short conversation
Konnichiwa! (Or other greeting!)
Ogenki desu ka? (Exchange)
Jitsu wa, ima kara yotei ga arun desu kedo…
Sou desu ka?
Kore kara shitsurei shimasu.
Ja, mata ne. (Or other parting phrase)
Where is ___? ___ is ___!
Sumimasen ga, otearai wa doko desu ka?
Otearai wa (koko/soko/asoko) desu.
Koko= here (close to me)
Soko= there (close to you)
Asoko= over there (apart from both of us)
Kono, sono, ano
Kore/sore/are wa ikura desu ka?
How much does this/that/that over there cost?
Kono/sono/ano ___ desu ka? (pen, keeki, shaatsu?)
This/that/that ___?
Hai, kono/sono/ano ___ wa ikura desu ka?
Yes, how much is this/that/that ___?
Kono/sono/ano ___ wa sen-en desu.
This/that/that ___ is 1000 yen.
How to grammar???
• Basic Japanese sentences are constructed in the order of subject, object, verb (SOV).– English sentences are subject, verb, object (SVO)
• Watashi wa keeki wo tabemasu.(I eat the cake.)
Watashi= IKeeki= cakeTabemasu= eat (the verb, taberu, in –masu form)• “wa” and “wo” are particles that mark the
subject and object, respectively.
Intro to Particles
Japanese uses particles to denote grammatical constructions and to mark subjects, objects, and verbs.
は (wa): Watashi wa josei desu.
I am a girl.
の (no): Watashi no keeki.
My cake.
More particles
を (wo): Watashi wa keeki wo tabemasu.
I eat the cake.
- “wo” is an object marker than marks the thing being acted on by the subject with the verb action.
に (ni): Watashi wa nihon ni ikimasu.
I go to Japan.
- “ni” is used when the verb is directional (coming and going and being).
Watashi= I
Tabemasu= eat
Tsukurimasu= make
Tsukaimasu= use
Shimasu= do
Agemasu= give
Moraimasu= receive
Keeki= cake
Asagohan= breakfast
Hirugohan= lunch
Bangohan= dinner
Puresento= present
Tenisu= tennis
Sentaku= laundry
Watashi wa keeki wo
tsukurimasu.
を
Watashi= I
Ikimasu= go
Hairimasu= enter
Nihon= Japan
Amerika= America
Doitsu= Germany
Kanada= Canada
Ofuro= bath
Mise= store
Otera= temple
に
Recommended texts and resources
• Genki I, Genki II, Genki Intermediate
• http://jisho.org/ (beta version has write-in kanji look up tool)
• Rikaikun/rikaichan browser extension
• Erin, Japan Foundation videos
https://www.erin.ne.jp/en/
Visit my Facebook for this presentation and more!
www.facebook.com/muffinmash
Thank you for coming!
Where’d the pics come from?
• The anime pictures are from Azumanga Daioh, Kuragehime, Japan Foundation, and Uta no Prince Sama, respectively.
• Some images used are personal photographs taken from my adventures in Japan.
• Some of them are also personal photographs of my cats because I love cats.
• Hope you enjoyed.