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Is there a difference?

a51ts4

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1 May 2007
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Is there a difference in the way you say some japanese words? For ex: the word "oyahoo gozaimasu". I hear it being said as "oh ya oo goh zai mas", and I also hear it being said as " oh yah oo goh zai mas oo".

Would it be wrong to say it either way? Or is it based on who is saying it (male or female). I hear it both ways in Japanese movies/anime.

Domo arigato gozaimasu!
 
Hi! I wrote about this question a while back. I can't link you to it because I never learned how to do that...or never tried. However if you search "su ending question" or something close you'll get a lot of good information on your question. I was baffled by the same issue!
 
Domo arigato goazimasu!! Goman hasai, I should have searched before posting this.
 
Several Japanese words can be pronounced differently, sometimes causing small nuances in their meanings. One example that comes to mind is すみません (excuse me). Although students learning Japanese are usually taught it that way, Japanese usually pronounce it as すいません. I've never heard おはようございます pronounced any differently, but Japanese love to mess around with words. Maybe it's a character trait of a character in the anime/movie you're watching?
 
Is there a difference in the way you say some japanese words? For ex: the word "oyahoo gozaimasu". I hear it being said as "oh ya oo goh zai mas", and I also hear it being said as " oh yah oo goh zai mas oo".
Would it be wrong to say it either way? Or is it based on who is saying it (male or female). I hear it both ways in Japanese movies/anime.
Domo arigato gozaimasu!


its pronunced "oh-hah-yoh[held] goh-zah-ee-mas" or something like that...


"ohayou gozaimasu" = 「おはようございます」
 
I though it was just a trait in the movies. At first, I only heard the (u) in gozaimasu being pronounced only by females. But after watching a couple of movies and other anime, I find both males and females do it at random times.

I wasn't sure if it was required to not pronounce the u to be speaking properly, but I guess it's just personal preference.

No need for appologies goldengirl, I found the link with no problems with your search suggestion!

Arigatou!
 
I don't mean any offense, but first of all your romaji spelling is totally off. I originally thought you were hearing おはようございます (ohayougozaimasu) as "oyahoogozaimasu," but it's now clear to me that it was a typo.
As Goldiegirl said, the link ...su...ending question? | Japan Forum
should explain the role of "su" in spoken Japanese for you. Occasionally you'll hear the "u" pronounced on words at the end of sentences. It's just another kind of nuance, probably to add a little emphasis.
 
Yah it was a typo. I have it written down as Ohyaoo gozaimasu.
When writting it in hiragana, you don't use spaces correct?
Is it ok to write romaji without spaces as well?
Arigatoo (or Arigatou, have seem them spelled both ways ☝ )
 
Yah it was a typo. I have it written down as Ohyaoo gozaimasu.
When writting it in hiragana, you don't use spaces correct?
Is it ok to write romaji without spaces as well?
Arigatoo (or Arigatou, have seem them spelled both ways :geek: )

That's right, there are no spaces in Japanese writing like there are in English. But when writing in romaji, it's usually best to use spaces, otherwise it all runs together. With popular expressions like "ohayougozaimasu," it's OK to write it out like that or split it at gozaimasu, it's really just personal preference. Since romaji really isn't a real script but more of an aid for foreigners learning Japanese, mostly it's personal preference.

I think most Japanese speakers will write out words like "arigatou" by dropping the final u and making it "arigato." Don't worry about it too much though, you know, it's best to master hiragana and katakana as soon as you can, and get in the habit of reading and writing with them. Then there's kanji...

がんばれ! (ganbare!) :p
 
imo the "su" is optional. but things like "sumimasen", its inevitable and u have to say the "su". words like "suki" u can pronounce like "ski" and japanese speaking people will still understand. "masu" "desu", as far as i've seen can be used in both ways. neither are wrong, but i think pronouncing it as "mas" or "des" is more common
 
lol, kanji seems to be the tough part to learn :eek:. I'm learning hiragana right now, then katakana. Hopefully i'll be able to learn kanji sometime in the future.
 
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