にほんご

日本語nihon-go

Japanese Language

Japanese Alphabets

3 different kinds of Alphabets– ひらがな　（ hiragana)

• Used most often

– カタカナ (katakana)• Used for foreign names. Japanese language has many

foreign words.

– 漢字 (kanji)• Chinese characters. Hiragana and Katakana have no meaning by itself

whereas Kanji does.

れいぎ

礼儀　Politeness

Politeness is very important in Japanese language.

There are Verb conjugations and many expressions ( 敬語 – keigo) to show different levels of politeness.

One uses keigo to the elders, bosses, strangers, etc.

Some Other Characteristics

Sentence Structure– Subject + Object + Verb (Subjects are often omitted)

– Particles shows the relationship of a word, phrase or clause. No Articles No strict distinction between plural and singular Masculinity and Femininity are expressed by verb

ending. Onomatopoeias Influence of foreign languages

あいさつＧｒｅｅｔｉｎｇｓ

こんにちは。 - konnichiwa. (Hello.) おはようございます。 - ohayo gozaimasu. (Good morning) こんばんは。 - konbanwa. (Good evening.) さようなら。 - sayonara. (Goodbye.) すみません。 - sumimasen. (Excuse me.) ありがとうございます。 -arigato gozaimasu. (Thank you.) どういたしまして。 - do itashi mashite. (You’re welcome.)

じこしょうかい

自己紹介Introducing Yourself

はじめまして。 Hajimemashite. (Nice to meet you) 私の名前は＿＿＿　です。 Watasino namae wa ___ desu. ＿＿＿　と申します。 ___ to moshi masu. (My name is ___.) ＿＿＿　からきました。 ___ kara kimashita. (I am from___.) よろしくおねがいします。 Yoroshiku onegai

shimasu. (Nice to meet you.)

Traveling in Japan

Most signs have English. Japanese people are not very good at English

but they try to help you. Using public transportations in cities could be

difficult.

Survival Japanese 英語話せますか？

– Eigo hanase 　 masu ka? (Do you speak English/ May I speak English?)

日本語わかりません。 Nihongo wakari masen. (I don’t understand Japanese.) 　

＿＿はどこですか？– ___ wa doko desu ka? (Where is ___?)

ここはどこですか？– Koko wa doko desu ka? (Where am I?)

だいじょうぶです。– Daijobu desu. (I am fine./OK.)

Japanese Restaurants

Food samples outside. You can cook yourself! Delicious and

Reasonable. No tip.

At Restaurants

レストラン– Resutoran (Restaurant)

＿＿をください。– ___ o kudasai. (___ please. / I would like ___.)

いただきます。– Itadaki masu. (before eating)

おいしい！– Oishi! (delicious!)

ごちそうさまでした。– Gochiso sama deshita. (after eating)