Japan - Learn a little Japanese painlessly

I watched ‘Lost in Translation’ and thought – if that girl is so darn smart, why doesn’t she just learn a few Japanese words. She never even said thank you once. Maybe it’s just me, but I used BBC’s tiny ‘Talk Japanese’ book and learnt about 50 words, and Tokyo just opened up for me.

Here’s a technique for learning Japanese words – the trick is to close your eyes and picture the image/situation and concentrate for at least ten seconds.

And don’t get too lost! Buy Kodansha’s excellent bilingual map of Tokyo.
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Essential vocabulary:

YES
Hai
- High

NO
Iie
- Yeah

THANK YOU
Arigatou
- Arid gateaux
A cake without cream from a hot, starving desert country. If you are offered some, you should be very VERY thankful.

EXCUSE ME / SORRY
Sumimasen
- Sue me, mass end
You’re sorry enough to invite somebody to sue you. You’re especially sorry because you are at church at the time. Sue me (at) mass end

WHERE IS IT?
Dochira desu ka?
- Dot Cheerer Desk Car
You’ve heard of polka dotted cheerleaders and their cute little desk top cars. You REALLY want to know where they are so you can get one.
notes on using Dochira desu ka: Just add the place you want to ask directions for at the beginning of the phrase. eg.
Sumimasen. Tokio Eki. Dochira desu ka. – Excuse me. Tokyo Station. Where is it?
Tricky one this as I need to explain first that Heck is often substituted for Hell
RAIL STATION
Eki
- (H)ecky.
Shinjuku train station is pretty Hecky (Hellish)

TOILET
Otearei
Remember "Hot hair Ray" (Pronounce it Cockney style: 'Ot 'air Ray) who whizzed on the electric fence :eek:

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Useful vocabulary:

GOOD MORNING
Ohayou
- Ohio

HELLO
Konnichiwa
- Gone itchy, wah!!
Stupidly, you paid for sex the night before. It’s morning now, and there’s a horrible rash on your groin. This is your reaction.

SORRY / I APOLOGISE
Gomen nasai
- Go men, as I (pronounce it slightly better saying: ‘Got men as I’)
You’re very very VERY sorry. You say: “Go men, as I…. must cry”

PHRASE OF THANKS BEFORE STARTING A MEAL
Itadakimasu
- Eat a duck in mass

CHEERS – when drinking
Kanpai!
- Canned pie!
Nothing goes better with a drink than a lovely piece of canned pie.


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How to be polite:

Gozaimasu
- God, same as…
(Say this after good morning or thank you to be polite
Ohayo gozaimasu
Arigatou gozaimasu)

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Weather words (instant small talk - how to be a hit with older Japanese folks)

HOT (weather*)
Atsui
- (H)at, swee(t)
Sarcasm - When it’s hot, your hat is really not so sweet at all

HOT AND STICKY (weather*)
Mushiatsui
- Mushy (H)at swee(t)
When it’s hot and humid, that sweaty sweet hat of yours gets pretty mushy too

COLD (weather*)
Samui
- Sam Wee
When it’s cold and he hits the streets, Sam really needs to wee

LOVELY DAY (weather*)
Ii tenki
- Eat Ten Quay
Oh it’s such a beautiful day, I’m going to down to the harbourside to eat at the Ten Quay restaurant.

HORRIBLE DAY (weather*)
Iyana tenki
- Eeh! Anna Ten Quay
Eeeeh! Anna is at the Ten Quay Restaurant. How horrible!
*Weather words – saying Desu ne after them (pronounce 'Des Neh' - remember: 'Disney') makes them into a question
Mushiatsui desu ne - Mushy Hatsweet Disney? (Hot sticky day, isn’t it?)
You can reply to any these questions with

Hai, so desu ne – High, so Disney (yes, it is, isn’t it?)
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nice to know:

DRINK
Nomimono
- No, me mono
You’re sitting in the airplane with a drink watching a film. Some one asks about your headphones: “You stereo, yes?”. You reply: “No, me mono”.

WATER
Mizu
- Me zoo
What do all the animals at the zoo drink? Water! Me zoo!

EXCUSE ME (alternative version - useful to draw attention to yourself, i.e. entering an Inn)
Sh!tsurei shimasu
- Schitz! Your eye shimmers!
Excuse me, it's not my place to tell you but; Schitz! Your eye shimmers.

DELICIOUS/DELECTABLE
Oishii
- Oh, is she?
You're fed up with an acquaintance telling you how delectable a certain lady is. Dryly you reply "oh, is she?"

PAIN/IT HURTS - please see post #5

room for one more:

SET PHRASE OF THANKS AFTER A MEAL
Gochisosama desh!ta
- Got cheese(?) Aww. Some are dish tar. (pronounce dish as 'desh')
At the end of a delicious meal, you're looking forward to the cheese board. You can't contain your disappointment ('Aww') when you're presented with a dish caked with hard lumpy bits of yellow stuck to the bottom. That's not even cheese you think to yourself, that's dish tar.

.

Painlessly?

Painlessly?

Ah well... learning a language is like losing weight - there aren't really any true 'quick fixes'.

Still, the examples above have worked for a couple of friends of mine, and it shouldn't take anybody more than half an hour to learn the 15 or so words and phrases described above (the flights over are plenty long enough). The memory principles involved are well established. But, agreed, they won't work for everybody.

I was compelled to send this in as both you and I are aware of someone who's been in Japan for nearly a week who is still stymied because of the language barrier. And it's such a shame, you can get so far with such small vocabulary there.

I was compelled to send this in as both you and I are aware of someone who's been in Japan for nearly a week who is still stymied because of the language barrier. And it's such a shame, you can get so far with such small vocabulary there.

Agreed. My view is that "hello", "excuse me", and "thank you" are all you are going to really need to get around in Tokyo.

The Japanese word for "excuse me" is one of the most useful words in ANY language, simply because in Japanese you are allowed to yell this at the top of your lungs in any restaurant to get attention from the waitstaff and IT ISN'T REGARDED AS RUDE!

I sure wish we had the equivalent in English; hopelessly semaphoring with one's arms is a sorry equivalent.

The word for "pain" is "ee-tie." I have found that I can frequently get something helpful in a Japanese pharmacy by saying "ee-tie" and pointing to the area that hurts.

Agreed. My view is that "hello", "excuse me", and "thank you" are all you are going to really need to get around in Tokyo.

Also agreed.

But you can have SUCH a nice time with the obaasans (older ladies) when you can reply to their comments on the weather. Those little chats, and recognising a heartfelt 'Gambatte' - loosely translated as 'way to go!' or 'good luck' - gives me so much pleasure when I go to Japan.

Thank you for the tip on pain RichardInSF, I shall lock it into my memory by thinking of a badly tied neck tie that is nearly strangling me. I can barely talk and all I can say is: Eeh! Tie! while I gesticulate wildly for help.

それに、日本語を読めるのも大事だと思う。
And for those of you who can't read that (View->Encoding->Japanese (Auto-Select)...
Sore ni, nihon-go o yomeru no mo daiji da to omou.

aloha (aroha)

それに、日本語を読めるのも大事だと思う。
And for those of you who can't read that (View->Encoding->Japanese (Auto-Select)...
Sore ni, nihon-go o yomeru no mo daiji da to omou.

aloha (aroha)

Well, yea, then you wouldn't really need to speak it to get around, eh?

Well, yea, then you wouldn't really need to speak it to get around, eh?

Yes, which would be my point. :)

aloha

それに、日本語を読めるのも大事だと思う。
And for those of you who can't read that (View->Encoding->Japanese (Auto-Select)...
Sore ni, nihon-go o yomeru no mo daiji da to omou.

aloha (aroha)

Knowing the kanji for lady, man, (otearei) in, and out (for finding your way out of Shinjuku) are certainly important.

It would be nice if people tried saying a few words first, and then maybe look at taking it further. People are already intimidated enough as it is by Japanese :p
And I'll spare you my tedious and convuluted techniques for learning characters - in my head 事 really is a hand holding a brush. It's a scary place.

And I'll spare you my tedious and convuluted techniques for learning characters - in my head 事 really is a hand holding a brush.

The "Heisig method" for learning Kanji is based on these kinds of memory tricks (Google for "Heisig kanji"). It's controversial with real scholars, who think you need to know the real origins of the characters, but is great for those who just want to get a smattering.

In my experience, it's worth learning a few dozen kanji, not only because they are useful in themselves, but because they familiarize you with the radicals, and that makes it easier to temporarily memorize new characters (like those for the streetname of your destination).

It goes without saying that you must also learn Hiragana and Katakana, but they take only a couple of days.

There's a useful Palm app called "Hanabi" that works as a set of electronic flash cards for Kana and Kanji (the free version does only the first couple of hundred, but that's enough for these purposes).

The "Heisig method" for learning Kanji is based on these kinds of memory tricks (Google for "Heisig kanji"). It's controversial with real scholars, who think you need to know the real origins of the characters, but is great for those who just want to get a smattering.
.

Thanks so much for that. I've just ordered his first volume from Amazon.
I've been using Len Walsh's 'Read Japanese Today' which has been incredibly useful. I have a natural tendancy to add Mnemomic stories, so Heisig may be better suited to my own style.

One last word verbal mnemomic now. (I promise!)
It's another way to say excuse me - most useful when pushing past people in the subway.

Schitsurei shimasu (but remove the 'ch')
- Schitz! Your eye shimmers!
Excuse me, it's not my place to tell you but; Schitz! Your eye shimmers.

If you're in Tokyo, feeling alienated. I promise you, you can spend one or two hours in Tsukiji fishmarket in CONSTANT conversation with the locals using just three phrases.

Ohayou gozaimasu
Sumimasen
&
Schitsurei shimasu - (loosely - excuse me for making my way through)

I originally opened up this thread thinking there might be somebody out there who I'd be helping.

In the end, I think the person who has benefited most has been me - thanks to SOMEOTHERGUY.
I received the book by W. Heisig he recommended just last Friday, started looking through it that evening and now it is late Sunday afternoon and I already can write and remember 200 new Kanji (that's in addition to the 50 or so I already knew).

And I have to admit to being a real klutz at picking them up - or so I thought. I more or less had learned Hiragana (about 10 still prove enigmatic), and despite learning and relearning Katakana, time and time again, they just haven't stayed - so I'm not exactly doted with photographic memory.

I actually believe I will have memorised the remaining 1,800 Kanji by Xmas (200 a week).
This is probably one of the most useful pieces of advice I have ever received. And I mean EVER.
If you are interested, the mnemonic systems Heisig introduces are not so disimilar to the ones I've described. But they are grounded (for the most part) on the actual meanings or etymologic sources - so there is a structure. If you violently hate the kind of memory props I've used to describe the words at the start of this thread, this might not be the system for you.
Personally, it's been a revelation, and I'm almost tearfully grateful for SOMEOTHERGUY's suggestion.

-One week later, another 200 kanji in the bag (400 now). It isn't a fluke! My Doraemon comics are starting to come alive!
Yasuki san, arigatou gozaimas-hita.

Try your best!
(ganbatte kudasai)
頑張って下さい。 ;)

EXCUSE ME / SORRY
Sumimasen
- Sue me, mass end
You’re sorry enough to invite somebody to sue you. You’re especially sorry because you are at church at the time. Sue me (at) mass end




By far, the most important word you'll need to know when you navigate the subway system. The Japanese don't respond when you say excuse me in English. Now say it in Japanese and you catch them totally off-guard. :D

Imagine if you will, this New Yorker, with a somewhat LOUD voice saying, Sumimasen. They move out of your way every time! :o

Even better, try saying this to a Japanese tourist in your town!!

The "Heisig method" for learning Kanji is based on these kinds of memory tricks (Google for "Heisig kanji"). It's controversial with real scholars, who think you need to know the real origins of the characters, but is great for those who just want to get a smattering.

I don't agree with the 'just get a smattering part'. Heisig says quite clearly in his introduction, and those who've studied kanji his way agree, that the methodology is only valid if you intend to learn all of the 2,000+ daily use kanji.

You're absolutely right, Craig.
I wrote that before I became fully indoctrinated into Heisig's method. I'm happy to stand corrected.

I just wanted to thank you all for the info in this thread. I printed out this thread and took it on a recent trip to Japan and found it to be very helpful. ^

...- thanks to SOMEOTHERGUY.
I received the book by W. Heisig he recommended just last Friday, started looking through it that evening and now it is late Sunday afternoon and I already can write and remember 200 new Kanji (that's in addition to the 50 or so I already knew).
I actually believe I will have memorised the remaining 1,800 Kanji by Xmas (200 a week).
... Were you able to memorize the 2,000 Kanji by Xmas, 2004? I've failed miserably in my attempts to learn Nihongo. My next effort will involve The Japan Times' "Genki." But, I'm really pinning my hopes on a Japanese family home stay. One of my friends has offered up a room with her non-Eigo speaking family, in Saitama. The plan would work something like this: Next summer, I'll semi-retire, allowing me the freedom to travel to Japan, without a need to work for a year (or two or three...). While living with a Japanese family, I could also attend a school. So far, the schools seem pricey. (edited to add: Maybe not too pricey.) (http://www.naganuma-school.or.jp/school_2/en/lifestyle/cost.html) There is probably the option of trading Eigo lessons for Nihongo lessons, but I'm not too sure about that. I think I would do best with some structure and with other students.

Were you able to memorize the 2,000 Kanji by Xmas, 2004? I've failed miserably in my attempts to learn Nihongo. My next effort will involve The Japan Times' "Genki." But, I'm really pinning my hopes on a Japanese family home stay. One of my friends has offered up a room with her non-Eigo speaking family, in Saitama. The plan would work something like this: Next summer, I'll semi-retire, allowing me the freedom to travel to Japan, without a need to work for a year (or two or three...). While living with a Japanese family, I could also attend a school. So far, the schools seem pricey. (edited to add: Maybe not too pricey.) (http://www.naganuma-school.or.jp/school_2/en/lifestyle/cost.html) There is probably the option of trading Eigo lessons for Nihongo lessons, but I'm not too sure about that. I think I would do best with some structure and with other students.

Get a native Japanese lover and you will learn all that you need to know ! (OK, not all.... but it sure is much more fun than going to language school) :D

Get a native Japanese lover and you will learn all that you need to know ! (OK, not all.... but it sure is much more fun than going to language school) :D
...but I already know itai! and shakuhachi kudosai!

Get a native Japanese lover and you will learn all that you need to know ! (OK, not all.... but it sure is much more fun than going to language school) :D

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

My Japanese learning curve flattened after meeting my 'sleeping dictionary'. Partners can sometimes be the worst people to learn a language from.

Circumstances changed quite a bit for me after that post. Mind you, I do know and have retained about 1,000 kanji thanks to the book (doesn't mean I know what they all 'mean' or can read them out loud - but I can often get the gist now, and signs and adverts are much more interesting as a result). I have to admit that the others disappeared - I don't think I concentrated enough when learning them.

But I think it's a good method, and when my life settles down again and I once more get a place of my own to live in (with husband this time) I'll be going back to re-do and finish the course.

I made my own flash cards, and then had to put them all into storage.

P.S.
Despite learning over 1000 kanji and the hiragana 'alphabet', my brain still obstinately refuses to memorise katakana, which is, arguably, the most useful to know. The characters are just too abstract and 'sterile' for me - I can't make any pictures or stories with them.

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

My Japanese learning curve flattened after meeting my 'sleeping dictionary'. Partners can sometimes be the worst people to learn a language from.



Yeah, the tuition is not always as cheap and the teaching standards not always as rigorous as one might hope. Plus, there's the cringeworthy side effect of gaijin guys who think they're studly walking around speaking like girls. :shudder:

...but I already know itai! and shakuhachi kudosai!
You are very naughty :p :p

Yeah, the tuition is not always as cheap and the teaching standards not always as rigorous as one might hope. Plus, there's the cringeworthy side effect of gaijin guys who think they're studly walking around speaking like girls. :shudder:

Nani wo yuteruun dayou.....I never talk like a girl ! :mad: ;)

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

My Japanese learning curve flattened after meeting my 'sleeping dictionary'. Partners can sometimes be the worst people to learn a language from.



You've never had a dictionary battle?

You've never had a dictionary battle?

I've had plenty of running battles with this mighty duo here (http://jamillan.com/dea.htm) . I don't think that's what you mean, though.

I can only imagine some strange phrase book variation of "Uta garuta".

hi everybody! I just learnt some japanese thanx to the handbook and have a lot of interest! But i would like some kinda ya know.. to know how to start a real good conversation and would like to date her for example ^

Thanks alot in advance! :p

hi everybody! I just learnt some japanese thanx to the handbook and have a lot of interest! But i would like some kinda ya know.. to know how to start a real good conversation and would like to date her for example ^

Thanks alot in advance! :p

One of the attractions for a lot of girls (and boys) is that they get to improve their English by dating a 'gaijin'. However, there's nothing in your post to suggest you'd be able to start a 'real good conversation' in any language...

hi everybody! I just learnt some japanese thanx to the handbook and have a lot of interest! But i would like some kinda ya know.. to know how to start a real good conversation and would like to date her for example ^

Thanks alot in advance! :p

Get a a Japanese degree. I've had no problems with starting a conversation since then but sometimes understanding the verbal output of others puts them off from my dating list. :D

...but I already know itai! and shakuhachi kudosai!

One day I'll tell you the story of my friend who we told that those rice triangles stuffed with plum or salmon or whatever weren't called onigiri, but manko. The best part is that he'd walk into convenience stores and talk to train cart ladies making hand gestures trying to explain that he wanted to buy one of said (rice) triangles.

rice triangles

... so he was asking for that ... filled with salmon or cod roe? I'm sure he caused trauma for just about anyone he asked.

It reminds me of a "useful phrase" that some prankster published in a Tokyo entertainment guide many years ago:
English: "The Jap-lish on your T-Shirt is nonsense to a native English speaker"
Japanese: "Nihonjin wa mune ga chiisai ni shi.tewa, oppai ga ookii desu ne!"

I wonder how many unsuspecting gaijin were arrested for pointing at a random girl's T-shirt and using that phrase?

But the "gold standard" for this is Monty Python's Hungarian-English phrase book:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ-8SCv4vj4

EDITED TO ADD -

There's a fuller version of the same sketch here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XggZC3iplc&mode=related&search=

And there's even a version dubbed into Spanish that you might enjoy ... YouTube rocks.

I watched ‘Lost in Translation’ and thought – if that girl is so darn smart, why doesn’t she just learn a few Japanese words.

I watched the movie and thought, why are BOTH these people so closed-minded and useless? They have a free stay in the Shinjuku Park Hyatt that I'd KILL for, and they are surrounded by so many opportunities for fascination and delight, from vending machines to corn pizza, and they can't even manage to wander downstairs for ramen. I'm sorry, but if you're in Japan for the first time, and you don't feel any curiosity, you're a waste of a perfectly good hotel room. It just pissed me off.

Yep!

Saying "Nihonjin wa mune ga chiisai ni sh!tewa, oppai ga ookii desu ne" to girls in tight t shirts would have been a much better way to get into trouble than dodging weirdos with tazer guns.

EDIT TO CLARIFY - please note that this is a truly dreadful thing to say to someone, a literal translation wouldn't get across how 'nasty' and ugly it can be. You may as well shoot a tazer gun at a stranger.

My next effort will involve The Japan Times' "Genki."
We used Genki in the Japanese classes I took a couple years ago. Good book, although I don't know how well it would work outside of a classroom setting. The accompanying CDs are pretty darn expensive, also.

This thread personifies the FT experience. We did a couple of MRs to NRT (NRT Hilton 10K points) and went out to the malls. My teen daughters went into the shops and were met with cordial but reserved attitudes until they politely used some of these phrases they had memorized. The transformation of the girls in the stores was incredible! They all became fast friends and the sales girls simply could not do enough (except, of course, try to perfect our pronounciation).

FoothillFlyer, you've made my day!
That's glorious news!!! Well done your daughters for making the effort!

One day I'll tell you the story of my friend who we told that those rice triangles stuffed with plum or salmon or whatever weren't called onigiri, but manko. The best part is that he'd walk into convenience stores and talk to train cart ladies making hand gestures trying to explain that he wanted to buy one of said (rice) triangles.

Was just walking by one of the Chinese-run Japanese restaurants in my neighborhood and I swear the chalkboard out front was advertising "King Manko."

I would have thought it was only available in the Queen variety. :confused:

Was just walking by one of the Chinese-run Japanese restaurants in my neighborhood and I swear the chalkboard out front was advertising "King Manko."

I would have thought it was only available in the Queen variety. :confused:

In New York, anything is possible.

until they politely used some of these phrases they had memorized. The transformation of the girls in the stores was incredible!

We gaijin have all heard those amazed yells of "JOOZU! JOOZU!" after saying something as complicated as "Sumimasen ga..."

I guess a lot of visiting gaijin must not be making any effort, because even in Tokyo, it doesn't take much to get everyone "bikkuri-shima$hita!"

We gaijin have all heard those amazed yells of "JOOZU! JOOZU!" after saying something as complicated as "Sumimasen ga..."

Since I look enough like a Japanese person, I rarely get that preferential "gaijin treatment". People either think I'm a person of Japanese descent, or one of the "other" Asians, who are generally treated lower on the totem pole than the hakujin . It was really annoying when I was still learning the language, since people sometimes gave me looks of frustration or confusion when I asked for meanings of words.

(And believe me, I've gotten the "nihongo wa jouzu desu ne" stuff a lot, just not anywhere near the same frequency as my friends.)

Nowadays, though, I can fool native speakers about 80% of the time.

P.S.
Despite learning over 1000 kanji and the hiragana 'alphabet', my brain still obstinately refuses to memorise katakana, which is, arguably, the most useful to know. The characters are just too abstract and 'sterile' for me - I can't make any pictures or stories with them.

I've had the exact same problem. I still can't remember the katakana to save my life :(

I have my 2000 card Kanji set at the foot of my bed and thinking of picking it up again and working on my Japanese since I really don't have much else more to do.

At my height (I took Japanese for 2 years in college) I was able to definitely read about 100 of them. That was over 2 years ago and I'd venture to say that I can probably read about 10 right now. Amazingly, I remember hiragana very well.

I should really pick up that book and get crackin on it... I never found a good strategy to learn how to read kanji :(

I should really pick up that book and get crackin on it... I never found a good strategy to learn how to read kanji :(

The following koan in the form a sutra-riddle has been helpful to me in that regard:


Sound of one hand clapping...
A tree falls in the woods...
Does a bear in the woods too?

Sumimasen! ;)

Would the book "A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters" still be of great help in learning Japanese kanji? What other books would you recommend for studying proper Japanese grammar other than the books that I currently use, which are "Basic Kanji Book Vol. 1" by Bonjinsha Co., Ltd and "Japanese Grammar" by Schaum's Outlines published by McGraw Hill?

Douitashima$hite,

Sanosuke!

I've got most of my stuff from Uni stashed away on another continent but some books I just grabbed off my office shelf:

Kenkyusha's "New College Japanese - English dictionary" and "New Japanese - English character dictionary". Then "Dictionary of basic Japanese grammar" and the "Intermediate grammar" version, both published by the Japan Times. Also a couple of intermediate level and above textbooks which would only be usable after a couple of years of intensive Japanese.

I'd trust Kenkyusha, Japan Times and American and Japanese University press editions. And move on into translating newspaper and magazine articles as soon as possible to get a grasp of how the language evolves.

Since I look enough like a Japanese person, I rarely get that preferential "gaijin treatment". People either think I'm a person of Japanese descent, or one of the "other" Asians, who are generally treated lower on the totem pole than the hakujin . It was really annoying when I was still learning the language, since people sometimes gave me looks of frustration or confusion when I asked for meanings of words.

(And believe me, I've gotten the "nihongo wa jouzu desu ne" stuff a lot, just not anywhere near the same frequency as my friends.)

Nowadays, though, I can fool native speakers about 80% of the time.

The correct answer of course being "mada mada desu" and a wry smile. ;)

I have to say that as someone that came to this thread to find help learning some Japanese for an upcoming business trip I wish that you all would make sure to translate all the phrases you are using. :confused:

I've got most of my stuff from Uni stashed away on another continent but some books I just grabbed off my office shelf:


Uni should not be stashed. It goes bad pretty quickly, and bad Uni can kill you.

I have to say that as someone that came to this thread to find help learning some Japanese for an upcoming business trip I wish that you all would make sure to translate all the phrases you are using. :confused:

If you realised how bad some of the jokes and puns are you’d realise why most people couldn’t bring themselves to do this.

I think this is the right time to familiarise yourself with all the wonderful translation tools available.

Google has one. There’s a brilliant one on Excite (but the instructions are in Japanese). And www.rikai.com is a personal favourite.

I have to say that as someone that came to this thread to find help learning some Japanese for an upcoming business trip I wish that you all would make sure to translate all the phrases you are using. :confused:
I want to reiterate what my friend Lap Lap said. This thread is not the place to learn a little business-oriented Japanese prior to a trip. It was hijacked long ago and is now the home of bad jokes and puns for a few of our number who are pretty fluent. Much better to pick up a Pimsleur or similar tape or CD.

JR

eigo wa jozu desu ne......is all you need to remember. ^

And it would be silly of anyone to think that one could learn a little business Japanese here.........we only know how to order booze at yakitori shops :p !

Uni should not be stashed. It goes bad pretty quickly, and bad Uni can kill you.

I agree on that, but this particular Uni should be well preserved in London Pride bitter and el cheapo red wine courtesy of the Friend at Hand Pub and Safeway´s respectively.

I watched ‘Lost in Translation’ and thought – if that girl is so darn smart, why doesn’t she just learn a few Japanese words. She never even said thank you once. Maybe it’s just me, but I used BBC’s tiny ‘Talk Japanese’ book and learnt about 50 words, and Tokyo just opened up for me.

Here’s a technique for learning Japanese words – the trick is to close your eyes and picture the image/situation and concentrate for at least ten seconds.


.

But how do you say "do you speak English?"

But how do you say "do you speak English?"
"eigo ga wakarimasu ka." Or -
"eigo ga hanasemasu ka."

[ay-go nga wah-kah-ree-mahs-ka] - (do you) understand English?
[ay-go nga hah-nah-say-mahs-ka] - (do you) speak English?

I usually use "wakarimasu ka" out of habit, but either will work.

Now you just need to understand the answer. :D

JR

Seriously, why not just ask that question in English?

duplicate post.

Sumimasen.

But how do you say "do you speak English?"

To be honest, I've only had to use "Eigo ga hanasemasu ka" over the phone.

I try my best in Japanese/sign language first. If the person I'm trying to communicate with speaks English and wants to use it, they'll invariably step in. (I completely believe my excruciating attempts at Japanese bolsters many people's confidence and makes them more comfortable with giving English a go :) )

If they're uncomfortable speaking in English, they won't. (And if they're uncomfortable, I'd truly rather they didn't).

Asking if someone speaks English seems a little superfluous in most situations. The assumption seems to be that most European/North American foreigners visiting Japan speak English to some extent.

Think of it this way, if you spoke French, you'd know immediately if a French speaker needed you to speak in their language. It's perfectly obvious to me when someone would rather I spoke to them in Spanish. Don't see why it would be any different for any Japanese person who speaks English.


Why not try communicating in Japanese a little first? Asking from the outset if the other person speaks English just puts a big fat plug on the endeavour. It's a bit defeatist, contrary to the 'gambatte' spirit this thread is trying to convey!


(If you look Chinese, Korean or Japanese, please realise that I take back everything I've said!

I watched ‘Lost in Translation’ and thought – if that girl is so darn smart, why doesn’t she just learn a few Japanese words. She never even said thank you once.

FWIW, when you're Scarlett Johansen you don't need to know ANY foreign language to get by.

:p

Seriously, why not just ask that question in English?
True enough. I wish I'd thought of this answer. ;)

As my Japanese was learned at Japanese Combat Gaigo Gakko , I usually say "Eigo Dekiru?" if the answer is in Japanese I know what language I have to speak for the rest of the conversation.:)

To be honest, I've only had to use "Eigo ga hanasemasu ka" over the phone.

I try my best in Japanese/sign language first. If the person I'm trying to communicate with speaks English and wants to use it, they'll invariably step in. (I completely believe my excruciating attempts at Japanese bolsters many people's confidence and makes them more comfortable with giving English a go :) )

If they're uncomfortable speaking in English, they won't. (And if they're uncomfortable, I'd truly rather they didn't).

Asking if someone speaks English seems a little superfluous in most situations. The assumption seems to be that most European/North American foreigners visiting Japan speak English to some extent.

Think of it this way, if you spoke French, you'd know immediately if a French speaker needed you to speak in their language. It's perfectly obvious to me when someone would rather I spoke to them in Spanish. Don't see why it would be any different for any Japanese person who speaks English.


Why not try communicating in Japanese a little first? Asking from the outset if the other person speaks English just puts a big fat plug on the endeavour. It's a bit defeatist, contrary to the 'gambatte' spirit this thread is trying to convey!


(If you look Chinese, Korean or Japanese, please realise that I take back everything I've said!


I'm Chinese American.

:-D

In France I found that ppl appreciated me trying to speaking even a little French in asking whether they spoke english.

I'm Chinese American.

:-D

In France I found that ppl appreciated me trying to speaking even a little French in asking whether they spoke english.

I found the French not to be open to my attempts to speak French. Perhaps it is just the folks in Nice. Hopefully Japan will be better. With Japanese, not French. ;)