A letter to an old friend

[xNekoluvx]

Hello, I am going to send a letter to a friend is is older than me, and who I haven't seen in about 5 years. I want to let my friend know that I am going to visit Japan later this year, and that it would be great if we could get together. Here is what I have written so far:
こんにちは、〇〇です。
お久しぶりですね。
お元気ですか。(here I want to say, "I hope you are doing very well"...how can I say that?)
私は一所懸命日本語を勉強続けています。
そして、今年の冬にまた名古屋へ行くつもりです。お友 達に会いに行きます。
△△さんにも会いたいのですが、(from here, I want to say in a somewhat formal way, not too abrupt or pushy.."If it is possible", or "if you have the time when I am there, it would be great to get together", and/or" please let me know when a good time is." Something along these lines.)
Also, is there a formal ( but not really formal) way of saying, 会いたい？
Could it be お会いたい?

 

[Toritoribe]

お友達に会いに行きます。

It should be 友達. You can't use honorifics to your friends here. 友達 is treated as inner group.

Could it be お会いたい?

お会いしたい

 

[xNekoluvx]

Thank you for clearing that up for me. I kind of had a feeling it was 友達, not お友達. My mistake.
I also just thought it could be respectful to say, even though my friend is not in the affected area of the recent earthquake/tsunami, "my deepest sympathy/condolences to Japan ( or your country), I feel very sad, and I really want to help". something like that at the end of my letter.

 

[Toritoribe]

お元気ですか。(here I want to say, "I hope you are doing very well"...how can I say that?)

お元気にお過ごしのことと思います is the phrase, but I think just お元気ですか is fine.

私は一所懸命日本語を勉強続けています。

私は一所懸命日本語の勉強を続けています。/私は一所懸命日本語を勉強し続けています。

△△さんにも会いたいのですが、(from here, I want to say in a somewhat formal way, not too abrupt or pushy.."If it is possible", or "if you have the time when I am there, it would be great to get together", and/or" please let me know when a good time is." Something along these lines.)

できれば△△さんにもお会いしたいのですが、もしご都 合のいい日があればお教え願えませんか？

I also just thought it could be respectful to say, even though my friend is not in the affected area of the recent earthquake/tsunami, "my deepest sympathy/condolences to Japan ( or your country), I feel very sad, and I really want to help". something like that at the end of my letter.

日本のことについて深く心を痛めています。何かお役に立ちたいと心の底から 願っています。

And thank you for that, as one of Japanese.

 

[xNekoluvx]

Thank you again for the help

Here is all of my letter since I have a couple of more questions:

"こんにちは、〇〇です。

お久しぶりですね。

お元気ですか。

私は一所懸命日本語の勉強を続けています。

そして、今年の冬に名古屋へまた行くつもりです。友達に会いに行きます。

できれば△△さんにもお会いしたいのですが、もしご都 合のいい日があればお教え願えませんか。

日本のことについて深く心を痛めています。何かお役に立ちたいと心の底から 願っています。

〇〇より"

So, first of all, since I am writing this letter a few months ahead of the time I am going to Japan, I would like to put something like "その時に"、"日本にいたら",
or、"ちょっと早いですが" in front of "できれば△△さんにもお会いしたいのですが、もしご都 合のいい日があればお教え願えませんか。" Since my friend probably doesn't know yet which day we could get together. Which do you think would be appropriate?

Also, because the main point of this letter really is to just express sympathy for what happened in Japan, I want to know since there is a chance we may not be able to meet up,
if the phrase you gave me gives my friend the impression that I am expecting for sure to get together, which I am not expecting it for certain. How can I let my friend know that it is fine if you can't get together?

 

[Toritoribe]

今年の冬 is too vague. If the date your going to Japan is already determined, one way is to write it.

そして、今年の冬、予定では12月10日から一週間くらい 名古屋へまた行くつもりです。友達に会いに行きます。
そのときできれば△△さんにもお会いしたいのですが、 もしお会いできるようならご都合のいい日をお教え願え ませんか。

Another one, if you don't determine the date yet, is to tell that you're going to inform her of the schedule later.

そして、今年の冬名古屋へまた行くつもりです。友達に 会いに行きます。
そのとき、できれば△△さんにもお会いしたいです。詳 しい日程はまだ未定ですが、決まればまた連絡しますの で、もしご都合が合うようなら会っていただけませんか 。

In either cases, if she can't meet you, she would reply 残念ながらその頃は都合が悪いかもしれません or like that.

 

[xNekoluvx]

I see, thank you!

So since my friend is a guy,actually he is one of my Japanese teachers who taught me for awhile, Would I still use what you have told me?

 

[Toritoribe]

Oh, I assumed he was a woman. Then, the letter should be like this.


△△先生、ご無沙汰しております、〇〇です。

お元気でいらっしゃいますか。

私は一所懸命日本語の勉強を続けています。

そして、今年の冬に名古屋へまた行くつもりです。友達に会いに行きます。

そのとき△△先生にもお会いできる機会があれば、と考えています。

詳しい日程はまだ未定ですが、決定次第また連絡いたしますので、もしご都合が合うようならお会いいただけませんか。

このたびの日本のことについて深く心を痛めています。何かお役に立ちたいと心の底から願っています。

〇〇より


But it might be better to write the letter in your own words, especially, since it's for your Japanese teacher. If you're nervous about the correctness of the grammar or wording, how about to write it with the original English sentences? I think he will not care about it.

 

[xNekoluvx]

This would be the letter in my own words:

"こんにちは、〇〇です。

お久しぶりですね。

お元気ですか。

私は一所懸命日本語の勉強を続けています。

そして、今年の冬に名古屋へまた行くつもりです。友達に会いに行きます。

そのとき、できれば△△先生にもお会いしたいです。詳 しい日程はまだ未定ですが、決まればまた連絡しますの で、もしご都合が合うようなら会っていただけませんか 。

日本のことについて深く心を痛めています。何かお役に立ちたいと心の底から 願っています。

〇〇より"

I would kind of like to write it in Japanese, since it is good practice for me, and the letter is to my Japanese teacher..do you think it would be ok if I were to use English on some parts, and Japanese on other parts in the letter?
Also, should I say I will contact him? (決まればまた連絡しますの で、) or should I leave that up to my teacher? Like to my friends, i want to send this letter ahead of time because my teacher and friends both have work to move their schedules around. Does it make sense what I'm saying?

I just thought also that maybe I should give him my e-mail as another option of contact. Would a P.S under "〇〇より" saying something like, "Here is my e-mail" but of course in Japanese, be just fine? How would I say this to my teacher? I am used to talking to friends the most! lol

 

[Toritoribe]

I'm afraid I think that half of those sentences are MY words.;-) I meant so by "in your own words".
What I wanted to say is to write both your own Japanese sentences and the original English ones in the letter.

I just thought also that maybe I should give him my e-mail as another option of contact. Would a P.S under "〇〇より" saying something like, "Here is my e-mail" but of course in Japanese, be just fine?

Yes, that's good idea.

 

[xNekoluvx]

Sorry about that!

So, you are saying that it would be ok to write Japanese in my own words in some parts, and then on the sentences I feel uncomfortable about, I can write in English? If that is the case, my letter will be like this,
"こんにちは、〇〇です。

お久しぶりですね。

お元気ですか。

私は一所懸命日本語の勉強を続けています。

I am planning to go to Nagoya again this year around December to see my friends. I would like to see you again to if you would be able to meet with me. I don't know the exact dates yet when I am going to Nagoya, but when I do know, I will tell you if you are able to see me.

日本のことについて深く心を痛めています。何かお役に立ちたいと心の底から 願っています。

〇〇より

P.S.
Here is my e-mail address:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

 

[Toritoribe]

No, I mean to write it in Japanese even if you are not so confident about the correctness, and add the original English sentences after that to prevent being misunderstood.
e.g.
そして、今年の冬に名古屋へまた行くつもりです。友達 に会いに行きます。
I am planning to go to Nagoya again this year around December to see my friends.