TALKING TO THE WORLD IN JAPANESE

WITH
JAPLANG LANGUAGE SERVICES- VADODRA

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 Contents
Page

1. Introduction & Greetings

First Social / Business Encounter 3

2. Introducing Oneself
How to say where you come from: Nationality (Kokuseki) 4

3. Professions 5

4. Useful and common Japanese phrases 6

5. Communication: Politeness / Basics 7

6. Etiquette & Offering to help 8

7. Greetings Quiz 9

8. Numbers 1-12 10

9. Country and language awareness 11

10. Nihongo (Japanese language)

Pronunciation, Formality & Informality 12

11. Airport environment

How to say the common signs & places at the airport in Japanese 13

12. Simple directions: How to ask directions in Japanese 14

13. Cultural awareness

The indispensable basics & Business etiquette 15

14. Time in Japanese 16

15. Useful websites for beginners 17

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Introduction

Welcome to the Japanese lesson! Just to give you a quick insight into the
Japanese language to kick-start, as you will see in this handbook, all the
Japanese words are written in Western alphabets so they are easy for you to
read. Normally in Japan, people use their own writing system, mixing 3 types
of letters (Chinese characters, phonetic Hiragana and Katakana) in a
sentence - as in the nationality section on the next page. However, all the
words can be transcribed perfectly in alphabets without changing the
authentic Japanese sounds. So there is no need to worry about the wrong
pronunciation! Let’s begin!!!

First Social / Business Encounter Greetings – Aisatsu

Hajimemashite。 Hajimemashite.

Susan desu。 Yo-ko desu。

Do-zo yoroshiku。 Do-zo yoroshiku。

When you meet someone for the first time you say,

Hajimemashite ‘Nice to meet you’

You can then say your name which is

WATASHI WA ………… DESU. (I am …………………)

Then to finish

Do-zo yoroshiku.
(I’m looking forward to our friendship in the future.)

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 Introducing Oneself
How to say where you come from: Nationality - Kokuseki

♦ Dialogue
A: Okuni wa? (Your country?)
B: Nihon desu. / ( Nihon) - jin desu. (It’s Japan. / I’m Japanese.)

If you simply add the word ‘-jin’ after the name of the country, that would mean
the person from the country.

Sukottolando-jin (スコットランド人） Scottish

Igirisu-jin (イギリス人) English

Airulando-jin (アイルランド人) Irish

Nihon-jin (日本人) Japanese

Chu-goku-jin (中国人) Chinese

Doitsu-jin (ドイツ人) German

Amerika-jin (アメリカ人) American

Furansu-jin (フランス人) French

Indo-jin (インド人) Indian

Itaria-jin (イタリア人) Italian

O-sutoraria-jin (オーストラリア人) Australian

Supein-jin （スペイン人） Spanish

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Professions

♦ Dialogue
A: Oshigoto wa? (What is your job?)
B: (Name of the profession) desu. (My job is ________.)

(Name of the company) no (name of the job) desu.

(I am _____ of a certain company)

Shigoto (work) Shigoto

Kuri-na- (Cleaner) Ueita- (Waiter)

Isha (Medical doctor) Ue-toresu

(Waitress)

Kasutama- sa-bisu Chekkuin gakari

(Customer service (Check-in agent)
representative)

Hanbai’in
Shefu (Cook) (Sales assistant)

Ke-bi’in
(Security agent)

☺Now you can say:

A: Hajimemashite. ________ desu. Do-zo yoroshiku.
(Hello. I’m ___. Nice to meet you.)
B: Hajimemashite. ________ desu. Do-zo yoroshiku.

A: Watashi wa Igirisu-jin desu. B-san, okuni wa?

(I’m British. Where are you from? )

B: __________ desu. A-san oshigoto wa? (I’m ____. And your work? )

A: __________ desu. B-san oshigoto wa? (I’m ____. How about you?)

B: __________ desu. (I’m ____.)

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 Useful and common Japanese phrases

All these greetings can be used to address anyone regardless of their age or
gender. They can be used equally to people you already know or to
complete strangers; the formal expressions are recommended for strangers.

• Ohayo- (informal)
• Ohayo- gozaimasu Good morning
(formal)
Greetings in the
morning

• Konnichiwa
(Used only for non-family Hello, Hi
Greetings in the members)
afternoon

• Konbanwa
(Used only for non-family Good evening
members)
Greetings in the
evening • Oyasuminasai (used only
when or before you go to Good night
sleep, not to be used to
mean ‘Have a good night’)

Saying goodbye • Sayonara (formal) Goodbye

• Baibai (Informal) Bye

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 Communication - Politeness/Basics

• Sumimasen Excuse me.

Attracting
someone’s attention (Can you help me)
• Onegaishimasu
Please.

• Daijo-bu desuka (Are you okay?)

• Arigato- (informal)
• Arigato- gozaimasu Thank you.
(formal)

Saying ‘thank you’

Responding to • Do- itashimashite Don’t mention it.

thanks

• Wakarimasen I don’t understand.

• Wakarimasuka Do you
understand?

Asking permission • Ii desuka Is it okay? /

May I…?

• Chotto matte kudasai Just a moment

please.

• Do-zo Please (go ahead).

• Onegaishimasu Please (do that for

me.)

• Daijo-bu desu I’m okay.

(This means ‘I can handle it.’)

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Etiquette

Greeting your colleagues as well as your customers is important in Japan. In

the morning, they say ‘ohayo-gozaimasu’. The suffix ‘san’ is usually added to
a person's surname or first name, for example, [Tanaka]-san to show respect.

One does not repeat greetings throughout the day. If people who have
already greeted meet again later in the day, they usually just smile and bow.
Bowing is extensively used and bowing techniques range from a small nod of
the head to a long 90 degree bow.

Since most Japanese do not expect non-Japanese to know the bowing rules,
a nod of the head is usually sufficient in Japan. It is also common to bow to
express thanks or an apology or when making a request or asking somebody
for a favour. However, if you approach Japanese passengers to offer to help
outside Japan, it is best to keep to your own natural style as heartless bowing
can be seen as if you were making fun of them. Shaking hands is uncommon
among the Japanese, but many find it a warm gesture and will be happy to do
so with Westerners. Any sort of physical contact (such as kissing) is very
rare.

Just as important as greeting each other in the morning is saying ‘sayonara’ or

simple ‘ja- ’ (Well then) upon leaving.

Offering To Help <Asking if someone is all right>

• Daijo-bu desuka. Are you okay?

• Tetsudaimasho-ka. Do you need a hand?

• Hai, onegaishimasu Yes, please.

• Iie, daijo-bu desu. No, thank you. I’m okay.

♦ Dialogue
A: Daijo-bu desuka. Are you okay?

B: Hai, daijo-bu desu. Yes, I am okay. Thank you.

Chotto, sumimasen… No, not quite…

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Quiz: Draw lines to match English words and Japanese words.

Greetings

Konnichiwa • • Thank you

Ohayo- gozaimasu Just a moment

• •

Oyasuminasai • • Goodbye

Arigato- • • Good afternoon / Hello

Konbanwa Please
• •

Do-zo yoroshiku • • Good night

Sayonara • • Nice to meet you

Chotto matte kudasai • • Good morning

Onegaishimasu • • Good evening

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 Numbers 1-12

Ichi Roku

Ni- Nana

San Hachi

Yon Kyu-

Go
Ju-

11 Ju- ichi 12 Ju- ni

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 Country and language awareness

MAP OF JAPAN

Japan Fact File

There are __________ main islands which are called _______________________,

__________________, ______________________, and ___________________ .

The capital of Japan is _______________________.

The population of Japan is approximately 127million and they all speak Japanese

as their first language.

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Nihongo (Japanese language)
Pronunciation

Japanese uses relatively few sounds, so most learners find the words easy to
pronounce. Also, about 12% of everyday Japanese words were ‘borrowed’
from English or other languages. These words have been modified into
Japanese, but they sometimes end up with a completely different sound
and/or meaning to the original word. For example, what are these major cities
of the world?

Rondon ( ) Pari ( ) Wi-n ( )

Berurin ( ) Madoriddo ( ) Risubon ( )

Ro-ma ( ) Atene ( ) Mosukuwa ( )

Pekin ( ) Nyu-yo-ku ( ) Shidoni- ( )

Formality & Informality

Japanese makes a strong distinction between formal and informal speech.

This means that different words and expressions are used in different contexts,
i.e. when talking to an unknown person or your boss, as opposed to when
talking to a child, family members or close friends. Since politeness is
extremely important in social life, especially in the service industry, you should
use the polite form of speaking as best as you can. (All the words and
phrases listed above are polite and safe to use with anybody in most
situations.)

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Airport environment:
How to say the common signs & places at the airport in Japanese

Kissaten Ginko- / ATM

(Cafe, Cafeteria) (Bank / Cashpoint)

Chu-shajo- Menze-ten
(Parking) (Duty-free shop)

Baiten An’nai
(Kiosk)
i (Information desk)

Toire Chekku-in
(Toilet) Kaunta-
(Check-in counter)

Shuppatsu Ge-to
(Departure) GATE (Gate)

To-chaku
(Arrival)

(Number) bin / Esukare-ta-

Furaito (Escalator)
(Flight)

Kaidan Erebe-ta-
(Stairs) (Lift)

Pasupo-to
(Passport) Nimotsu Uketori
(Baggage claim)
Shukkoku
(Passport control)
Deguchi
Kippu / Chiketto Exit (Exit)
(Ticket)
Iriguchi
Entrance (Entrance)

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Simple directions: How to ask directions in Japanese

Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 *

Ima koko desu (You are here)

[* Source: BAA, Heathrow]

♦ Dialogue
A: ----------- wa doko desuka. (Where is ---------?)

B: ----------- wa _________ desu. (It is --------------.)

Key Vocabulary

Massugu
(straight)

Hidari (left) Migi (right)

Achira Kochira
(over there) (over here)

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Cultural awareness

The indispensable basics

• Do not point your finger, feet or chopsticks at people. If you have to

indicate an object or direction to someone, wave your fingers with the palm
downwards.

• Avoid fixing someone in the eyes. Japanese people are often made
uncomfortable by eye-contact. If they don’t look at you, it doesn’t mean
they want to avoid or ignore you, but rather they feel shy about looking at
you or concerned that doing so would seem aggressive.

Business etiquette

• "Meishi" (business cards) are exchanged when meeting someone for the
first time. They should be given and accepted with both hands in formal
situations.
Make sure to observe it carefully and remember your opposite's name.
Place the card on the table in front of you if you are sitting, or put it in your
wallet. Do not put it away into your pocket or fold it in any way.

Exchanging ‘meishi’

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Time in Japanese

♦ Dialogue
A: Ima nan-ji desuka? (What time is it now?)
B: 2-ji desu. (It’s 2 o’clock now.)
A: Arigato- (Thank you.)
B: Do- itashimashite. (Not at all.)

A: Hiko-ki wa nanji- desuka? (What time is the flight?)

B: 3-ji desu. (It’s 3 o’clock.)

-ji -ji -ji

-ji -ji -ji

-ji -ji -ji

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 Useful websites for beginners

Grammar

[Link] (Japanese for Busy People I)

[Link] (Basic Japanese)

General resources

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]
[Link]

Culture, Travel & Images

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link]

[Link] (Kids Web Japan)

[Link]

[Link] (The Japan Foundation London

Office)

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