How to apologise for a slight misunderstanding ...!

[tomodachi_dan]

Hey everybody.

I think I may have (accidently) offended one of my Japanese friends. How, you ask yourselves ... well, I'll tell you. I met my new friend Mariko for a coffee last week and we had a really good chat, and her English was pretty good for someone who's only been in the country for three weeks.

Anyway, after she left, she sent me a text message saying: "Kono eeigo wa hen desuka?". Since I didn't have a dictionary at hand, I assumed that this meant "this English (as in, the English language in general) is strage, right?". So I replied saying "Hai, eeigo wa hen desu". When I told another Japanese friend about this later, he started laughing! I felt so bad for Mariko when he told me what it meant. My friend then composed a message for me to send back: "watashi tada eeigo wa muzukashi to ii taka ta dake desu, gomenasai. Anata no eeigo wa tadashi desu". Mariko sent me another message saying it was alright, and that she'd found my message quite funny!

As if that wasn't enough ... she sent me another message the next day saying that she'd watched a Japanese film that I'd let her watch. The message I sent back read: "Subarashii desu! Watashi wa sore no eega ni kandoo shita! (Eto ... itsuka dokoka de mata aimashou!). My Japanese teacher had told me that this meant 'I would like to see you again soon'. But Mariko sent me a message telling me that this implies that you don't wanna see someone again!! I couldn't believe it! My second mistake in two days! I apologised again, and she said it was okay ....

So, could someone give me some tips on how I can apologise for the misunderstanding? Arigatogozaimasu!

Crappy Japanese speaker, Dan

 

[Elizabeth]

How about this : "Fuchuuinimo joudan no tsumori de kaita bunshou wo okuru no ga
watashitachi noﾂ kankei ni warui koto wa wakatte iru kedo, yamerarenain da yo." Gomennasaine. ﾂ ﾂ

 

[epigene]

Since your friend Mariko-san speaks English quite well, I am sure she understands very well the bloopers committed by people learning foreign languages. (She probably committed similar mistakes herself.) That's why she says she doesn't mind. She also knows you already and probably found you to be a good person. So, she believes that anything you say is meant well and understands anything said in error is unintentional.

Why not just ask her to correct your mistakes? That should start good communication between you and your friend. Don't worry too much about this!
Good luck and learn from mistakes!

 

[phelonious]

explain: datte, baka-gaijin da ne. gomen-kudasai!!

 

[MtoM]

「すみません！！ 誤解、誤解です！申し訳ありません！」など。

 

[Elizabeth]

"Subarashii desu! Watashi wa sore no eega ni kandoo shita! (Eto ... itsuka dokoka de mata aimashou!). My Japanese teacher had told me that this meant 'I would like to see you again soon'. But Mariko sent me a message telling me that this implies that you don't wanna see someone again!! I couldn't believe it! My second mistake in two days! I apologised again, and she said it was okay ....

I think it is taken roughly the same as telling someone in English "Hey, well...let me see, lets get together sometime soon!" Depending on the standing between you, it could easily be taken as a brush-off for acquaintances whereas friends would see it as a genuine apology and desire to meet. Your teacher probably didn't see it in context or completely appreciate the delicate spot you were in.

さて、そういう招きのはじめに「えっと、うん」を持ってくると、悪い印象を与えるかもしれませんね。 :? 多分、「Danさんが気を使うようだったら、無理に出かける 必要はない」という風に彼女の反応でしたね。