Complete Guide To Japanese
: こんにちは~ :
Why learn Japanese?
as you may have noticed new chapters are in bold and italics.Oh yeah, so why learn Japanese?Japan has the 2nd largest economy on earth. There are over 120 million Japanese people and even though they study English for 6 years in public schools many Japanese people cannot speak English.Japan and the western world have strong ties that won't easily be broken. There is a saying in Japan that, "If America sneezes Japan catches a cold". If you consider how much trade goes on between the United States and Japan it is easy to understand why learning Japanese has tremendous benefits.In recent years Japan's influence on the world has been booming. Movies, comic books (manga), animation (anime), video games are now a major part of Japan's offerings to the world. It's not just cars and electronics anymore! Spanish, French and German are fairly traditional languages taught in American schools. Most companies teaching languages teach these languages by default. It is a common misconception that Japanese is harder to learn than other language. This misconception is fueled by the fact that Japanese writing is so foreign looking when compared to the European languages. However Japanese grammar is MUCH more uniform and easier to grasp than the European languages.It is of my personal opinion that Japanese is a much more lucrative language than French or Spanish. Although granted Spanish is an important part of life in America, there are MANY people who can speak Spanish and not so many who speak Japanese. Which one do you think is worth more money in a competitive world? Japanese grammar is almost identical to Korean grammar. And Korea (not North Korea) is a very up and coming country that I believe will be just as important as Japan in the technology sector in years to come as companies like Samsung and Hyundai of Korea have become major players in the world. So learning Korean after Japanese is also an interesting goal. And again, in my opinion, much more interesting than knowing French and Spanish. And also MUCH more lucrative.Chinese grammar is nothing like Japanese grammar, however the writing system called Kanji used in Japan is actually based on Chinese kanji. And although Chinese writing is MUCH more intense than Japanese writing your child will have a big advantage in learning Chinese if they already grasp Japanese.
Slang(may contain unappropriate stuff)
あばよ！Abayo! - Informal term for "good bye", not very polite.
あぶね！ーAbune- That was close!!!
あちいって ー Achi Itte - Impolite phrase meaning "go over there!"
あほ-aho- *** hole
あーそーah so- phrase which means "Oh, I see...", but I would avoid using this phrase because it may have been over-used by American movie studios as a stereo-typical Japanese thing to say.
あれ-are- used for exclamation such as : "Oh my !" "what?" etc.
ばか-baka- word meaning "stupid". This has to be the most commonly used insult in Japan. Being called stupid is quite serious to the Japanese.
べちゃべちゃーBECHA BECHAーSlang used to describe a "chatterbox" or a really noisey converation。
だいーColloquial for DESU KA example: Nan dai? = Nan desu ka?
だめーIt is word that signals a "no" answer.
ださい-dasai-used to express disgust about something uncool.
えとーInterjection that is similar to "uhhh.." or "errr..." and can imply a phrase such as, "well, actually...."
ままーmama-nformal phrase meaning "calm down" or "there there". It is also used to refer to something that is "same as usual"
なるほどーnaruhodo-When you are speaking or chatting with a Japanese person, say this often so they know you are still listening.
わりわりーwari wari-informal way of saying "sorry"
よ！-yo!- used as in greetings such as "hey!"
にゅうよくーNYUUYOKU-This means "take a bath" and is used as a pun because it sounds like the Japanese word for New York. Get it?
ちくしょう-chikushoo-Roughly equivalent to "damn it!"
ばかいみたい-baka mitai-To act stupidly, as in: "You look like an idiot"
いかす-ikasu-cool. It's kind of outdated, though
きもい-kimoi-"Gross". This is a "bad word". Some schools prohibit the use of this word. If used to describe a person, it means: extremely ugly and weird.
まさか-masaka-"No way!", "You don't say", "Well, I declare". Popular expression in Anime.
やっぱ-yappa-"Of course", "I know", "Yeah, that's right". Shortened slang version of "yappari" and "yahari", usually used to begin a response to a question (e.g. a TV interview). Sometimes used as a sentence connector, meaning: "Of course", "as I thought", "after all is said and done".
SLANG TO BE CONTINUED!
Meeting and greetings
A handshake is appropriate upon meeting. The Japanese handshake is limp and with little or no eye contact.Some Japanese bow and shake hands. The bow is a highly regarded greeting to show respect and is appreciated by the Japanese. A slight bow to show courtesy is acceptable.Nodding is very important. When listening to Japanese speak, especially in English, you should nod to show you are listening and understanding the speaker.Silence is a natural and expected form of non-verbal communication. Do not feel a need to chatter.Do not stand close to a Japanese person. Eye contact (staring) is considered rude.Don't show affection, such as hugging or shoulder slapping, in public.Never beckon with your forefinger. The Japanese extend their right arm out in front, bending the wrist down, waving fingers. Do not beckon older people. Sit erect with both feet on the floor. Never sit with ankle over knee.Waving a hand back and forth with palm forward in front of face means "no" or "I don't know." This is a polite response to a compliment.Never point at someone with four fingers spread out and thumb folded in.Restaurant entertaining is crucial to business. A person is judged by his/her behavior during and after business hours. Seldom is a business deal completed without dinner in a restaurant.Drinking is a group activity. Do not say "no" when offered a drink.An empty glass is the equivalent of asking for another drink. Keep your glass at least half full if you do not want more. If a Japanese person attempts to pour more and you do not want it, put your hand over your glass, or fill it with water if necessary.An empty plate signals a desire for more food. Leave a little food on your plate when you are finished eating.When drinking with a Japanese person, fill his glass or cup after he has filled yours. While he is pouring, hold your cup or glass up so he can fill it easily. Never pour your own drink and always pour your companion's.Toasting is very important in Japan and many toasts are offered during the course of an evening. At dinner, wait for the toast before you drink. Respond to each toast with a toast.Wait for the most important person (honored guest) to begin eating. If you are the honored guest, wait until all the food is on the table and everyone is ready before you eat.When offered food, it is polite to hesitate before accepting. You do not have to eat much, but it is rude not to sample each dish.It is acceptable to slurp noodles. Some Japanese believe that it makes them taste better.Do not finish your soup before eating other foods. It should accompany your meal. Replace the lid of the soup bowl when finished eating.Dress is modern and conservative. The Japanese dress well at all times. Dress smartly for parties, even if an invitation says "Casual" or "Come as you are."For business, men should wear dark suits and ties (subtle colors).Women should wear dresses, suits and shoes with heels. Subtle colors and conservative styles are best for business.The ritual of gift giving is more important than the value of the gift.Allow your Japanese counterpart to initiate the gift giving . Present a gift in a modest fashion, saying, "This is just a small token," or "This is an insignificant gift."It is very important to receive a gift properly. Give a gift and receive a gift with both hands and a slight bow. The Japanese may refuse a gift once or twice before accepting it.Do not give anyone a gift unless you have one for everyone present.Correct wrapping is very important. Appearance counts for as much or more than the contents.Be prepared to give and receive a gift at a first business meeting. Gifts are frequently given at the end of a first meeting. Not giving a proper gift could ruin a business relationship.Avoid using the number "four" if possible. It has connotations of death to the Japanese.The Japanese may ask personal questions. This is not intended to be rude, but rather a polite way to show interest. You may give vague or general answers if you feel a question is too personal.
The Japanese do not express opinions and desires openly. What they say and what they mean may be very different.Do not expect a Japanese person to say "no." "Maybe" generally means "no."
vowels
(ア) (あ) a as in father
(イ) （い）i as in tea
(ウ) （う）u as in tube
(エ) （え）e as in let
(オ) （お）o as in load
now you are ready to pronoun these words properly.
the writing system
Hiragana is the set of symbols most akin to a Japanese "alphabet." Unlike the romanized alphabet, however, hiragana is made up of entire syllables, and each syllable has the same name as the sound it represents. It can be used to spell out any Japanese word.
Katakana is used for foriegn words that the Japanese use. Like hiragana, it is a set of syllables used to spell words. Most of the same sounds are used in katakana as in hiragana. If your name is not Japanese, this is the set of syllables that would be used to spell it. Katakana has a sharper look than hiragana and so is often used for emphasis, especially in subtitles for TV programs.
Kanji is a set of symbols derived from the Chinese writing system. Each symbol represents one or more syllables in a word, but unlike just spelling a word, these symbols also have meaning by themselves. Even if two words are spelled the same in Japanese, if their meanings are different, their kanji will also be different. Kanji can be used in compounds and in conjunction with the other two writing systems.
もしもし(moshimoshi)-hello (on phone)
ぐてんもるげん(gu-tenmorugen)ーgood morning
おはようございます(ohayougozaimasu)- good morning
かじつ( kajitsu)-good day
こんいちは(konnichiha)ーgood day
どちらへ(dochirahe)ーHow are you?
電話を使っていいですか? (denwa o tsukatte iidesuka)-can I use your phone?
こんにちは(konnichiwa)- hello.
お元気ですか。(O-genki desu ka?)- how are you?
元気です。(Genki desu.)-fine, thank you
お名前は何ですか。(O-namae wa nan desu ka?)-what is your name?
私の名前は ____ です。(Watashi no namae wa ____ desu.) -my name is___.
始めまして。(Hajimemashite)-Nice to meet you.
お願いします.(Onegai shimasu)- please(request)
どうぞ。(Dōzo.) - please(offer)
どうもありがとう。(Dōmo arigatō)- thank you
どういたしまして。 Dō itashi mashite.- you`re welcome
はい。(Hai.) - yes
いいえ。(iie) - no
すみません。(Sumimasen.) - excuse me
御免なさい。(Gomen-nasai.) - im sorry
more about the alphabets(hiragana,katahana, and kanji)
more to come
: こんにちは~ :Why learn Japanese?
as you may have noticed new chapters are in bold and italics.Oh yeah, so why learn Japanese?Japan has the 2nd largest economy on earth. There are over 120 million Japanese people and even though they study English for 6 years in public schools many Japanese people cannot speak English.Japan and the western world have strong ties that won't easily be broken. There is a saying in Japan that, "If America sneezes Japan catches a cold". If you consider how much trade goes on between the United States and Japan it is easy to understand why learning Japanese has tremendous benefits.In recent years Japan's influence on the world has been booming. Movies, comic books (manga), animation (anime), video games are now a major part of Japan's offerings to the world. It's not just cars and electronics anymore! Spanish, French and German are fairly traditional languages taught in American schools. Most companies teaching languages teach these languages by default. It is a common misconception that Japanese is harder to learn than other language. This misconception is fueled by the fact that Japanese writing is so foreign looking when compared to the European languages. However Japanese grammar is MUCH more uniform and easier to grasp than the European languages.It is of my personal opinion that Japanese is a much more lucrative language than French or Spanish. Although granted Spanish is an important part of life in America, there are MANY people who can speak Spanish and not so many who speak Japanese. Which one do you think is worth more money in a competitive world? Japanese grammar is almost identical to Korean grammar. And Korea (not North Korea) is a very up and coming country that I believe will be just as important as Japan in the technology sector in years to come as companies like Samsung and Hyundai of Korea have become major players in the world. So learning Korean after Japanese is also an interesting goal. And again, in my opinion, much more interesting than knowing French and Spanish. And also MUCH more lucrative.Chinese grammar is nothing like Japanese grammar, however the writing system called Kanji used in Japan is actually based on Chinese kanji. And although Chinese writing is MUCH more intense than Japanese writing your child will have a big advantage in learning Chinese if they already grasp Japanese.
Slang(may contain unappropriate stuff)
あばよ！Abayo! - Informal term for "good bye", not very polite.
あぶね！ーAbune- That was close!!!
あちいって ー Achi Itte - Impolite phrase meaning "go over there!"
あほ-aho- *** hole
あーそーah so- phrase which means "Oh, I see...", but I would avoid using this phrase because it may have been over-used by American movie studios as a stereo-typical Japanese thing to say.
あれ-are- used for exclamation such as : "Oh my !" "what?" etc.
ばか-baka- word meaning "stupid". This has to be the most commonly used insult in Japan. Being called stupid is quite serious to the Japanese.
べちゃべちゃーBECHA BECHAーSlang used to describe a "chatterbox" or a really noisey converation。
だいーColloquial for DESU KA example: Nan dai? = Nan desu ka?
だめーIt is word that signals a "no" answer.
ださい-dasai-used to express disgust about something uncool.
えとーInterjection that is similar to "uhhh.." or "errr..." and can imply a phrase such as, "well, actually...."
ままーmama-nformal phrase meaning "calm down" or "there there". It is also used to refer to something that is "same as usual"
なるほどーnaruhodo-When you are speaking or chatting with a Japanese person, say this often so they know you are still listening.
わりわりーwari wari-informal way of saying "sorry"
よ！-yo!- used as in greetings such as "hey!"
にゅうよくーNYUUYOKU-This means "take a bath" and is used as a pun because it sounds like the Japanese word for New York. Get it?
ちくしょう-chikushoo-Roughly equivalent to "damn it!"
ばかいみたい-baka mitai-To act stupidly, as in: "You look like an idiot"
いかす-ikasu-cool. It's kind of outdated, though
きもい-kimoi-"Gross". This is a "bad word". Some schools prohibit the use of this word. If used to describe a person, it means: extremely ugly and weird.
まさか-masaka-"No way!", "You don't say", "Well, I declare". Popular expression in Anime.
やっぱ-yappa-"Of course", "I know", "Yeah, that's right". Shortened slang version of "yappari" and "yahari", usually used to begin a response to a question (e.g. a TV interview). Sometimes used as a sentence connector, meaning: "Of course", "as I thought", "after all is said and done".
SLANG TO BE CONTINUED!
Meeting and greetings
A handshake is appropriate upon meeting. The Japanese handshake is limp and with little or no eye contact.Some Japanese bow and shake hands. The bow is a highly regarded greeting to show respect and is appreciated by the Japanese. A slight bow to show courtesy is acceptable.Nodding is very important. When listening to Japanese speak, especially in English, you should nod to show you are listening and understanding the speaker.Silence is a natural and expected form of non-verbal communication. Do not feel a need to chatter.Do not stand close to a Japanese person. Eye contact (staring) is considered rude.Don't show affection, such as hugging or shoulder slapping, in public.Never beckon with your forefinger. The Japanese extend their right arm out in front, bending the wrist down, waving fingers. Do not beckon older people. Sit erect with both feet on the floor. Never sit with ankle over knee.Waving a hand back and forth with palm forward in front of face means "no" or "I don't know." This is a polite response to a compliment.Never point at someone with four fingers spread out and thumb folded in.Restaurant entertaining is crucial to business. A person is judged by his/her behavior during and after business hours. Seldom is a business deal completed without dinner in a restaurant.Drinking is a group activity. Do not say "no" when offered a drink.An empty glass is the equivalent of asking for another drink. Keep your glass at least half full if you do not want more. If a Japanese person attempts to pour more and you do not want it, put your hand over your glass, or fill it with water if necessary.An empty plate signals a desire for more food. Leave a little food on your plate when you are finished eating.When drinking with a Japanese person, fill his glass or cup after he has filled yours. While he is pouring, hold your cup or glass up so he can fill it easily. Never pour your own drink and always pour your companion's.Toasting is very important in Japan and many toasts are offered during the course of an evening. At dinner, wait for the toast before you drink. Respond to each toast with a toast.Wait for the most important person (honored guest) to begin eating. If you are the honored guest, wait until all the food is on the table and everyone is ready before you eat.When offered food, it is polite to hesitate before accepting. You do not have to eat much, but it is rude not to sample each dish.It is acceptable to slurp noodles. Some Japanese believe that it makes them taste better.Do not finish your soup before eating other foods. It should accompany your meal. Replace the lid of the soup bowl when finished eating.Dress is modern and conservative. The Japanese dress well at all times. Dress smartly for parties, even if an invitation says "Casual" or "Come as you are."For business, men should wear dark suits and ties (subtle colors).Women should wear dresses, suits and shoes with heels. Subtle colors and conservative styles are best for business.The ritual of gift giving is more important than the value of the gift.Allow your Japanese counterpart to initiate the gift giving . Present a gift in a modest fashion, saying, "This is just a small token," or "This is an insignificant gift."It is very important to receive a gift properly. Give a gift and receive a gift with both hands and a slight bow. The Japanese may refuse a gift once or twice before accepting it.Do not give anyone a gift unless you have one for everyone present.Correct wrapping is very important. Appearance counts for as much or more than the contents.Be prepared to give and receive a gift at a first business meeting. Gifts are frequently given at the end of a first meeting. Not giving a proper gift could ruin a business relationship.Avoid using the number "four" if possible. It has connotations of death to the Japanese.The Japanese may ask personal questions. This is not intended to be rude, but rather a polite way to show interest. You may give vague or general answers if you feel a question is too personal.
The Japanese do not express opinions and desires openly. What they say and what they mean may be very different.Do not expect a Japanese person to say "no." "Maybe" generally means "no."
vowels
(ア) (あ) a as in father
(イ) （い）i as in tea
(ウ) （う）u as in tube
(エ) （え）e as in let
(オ) （お）o as in load
now you are ready to pronoun these words properly.
the writing system
Hiragana is the set of symbols most akin to a Japanese "alphabet." Unlike the romanized alphabet, however, hiragana is made up of entire syllables, and each syllable has the same name as the sound it represents. It can be used to spell out any Japanese word.
Katakana is used for foriegn words that the Japanese use. Like hiragana, it is a set of syllables used to spell words. Most of the same sounds are used in katakana as in hiragana. If your name is not Japanese, this is the set of syllables that would be used to spell it. Katakana has a sharper look than hiragana and so is often used for emphasis, especially in subtitles for TV programs.
Kanji is a set of symbols derived from the Chinese writing system. Each symbol represents one or more syllables in a word, but unlike just spelling a word, these symbols also have meaning by themselves. Even if two words are spelled the same in Japanese, if their meanings are different, their kanji will also be different. Kanji can be used in compounds and in conjunction with the other two writing systems.
もしもし(moshimoshi)-hello (on phone)
ぐてんもるげん(gu-tenmorugen)ーgood morning
おはようございます(ohayougozaimasu)- good morning
かじつ( kajitsu)-good day
こんいちは(konnichiha)ーgood day
どちらへ(dochirahe)ーHow are you?
電話を使っていいですか? (denwa o tsukatte iidesuka)-can I use your phone?
こんにちは(konnichiwa)- hello.
お元気ですか。(O-genki desu ka?)- how are you?
元気です。(Genki desu.)-fine, thank you
お名前は何ですか。(O-namae wa nan desu ka?)-what is your name?
私の名前は ____ です。(Watashi no namae wa ____ desu.) -my name is___.
始めまして。(Hajimemashite)-Nice to meet you.
お願いします.(Onegai shimasu)- please(request)
どうぞ。(Dōzo.) - please(offer)
どうもありがとう。(Dōmo arigatō)- thank you
どういたしまして。 Dō itashi mashite.- you`re welcome
はい。(Hai.) - yes
いいえ。(iie) - no
すみません。(Sumimasen.) - excuse me
御免なさい。(Gomen-nasai.) - im sorry
more about the alphabets(hiragana,katahana, and kanji)
more to come
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and say 「え？どういう意味ですか？」 or other such phrases.
