syllable.
Chapter 1 The Fundamentals
1.01 Greeting People
1.02 Follow-up Expressions
1.03 Commenting on the Weather
1.04 Being Introduced
1.05 Saying Goodbye
1.06 Expressing Gratitude
1.07 A Few Notes on Respect Language
1.08 Apologizing
1.09 Asking Permission
1.10 Making Requests
1.11 Leading up to a Request
1.12 Refusing Requests
Chapter1
The Fundamentals
Greetings and other set expressions help any society run smoothly. In Japan, these phrases delineate relationships, offer face-saving ways to deal with difficult situations, and provide a convenient shorthand for expressing thanks or regret. In Japanese there is no need to be original; in most situations, there is no phrase better than the set phrase.
I’ve run through the main greetings, but you will need to follow these up with a word of thanks. When meeting in person or on the phone, people seem to have this remarkable facility for remembering your last encounter. It’s embedded in the language. So use some of the follow-up expressions listed as a kind of shorthand. Just a phrase, and a set phrase at that, recreates the circumstances of the last time you met. There’s no need to go into detail. With that one set phrase you have reinforced the relationship.
Relations are quite formal in Japan, with proper introductions being the norm. Again there are set phrases. After you get used to it you may find this way of dealing with people quietly reassuring.
Bowing is infectious, and after a while you’ll probably start doing it too. If you’re going to do it, you might as well do it right. A proper bow (o-jigi) is from the waist: about 15 degrees is fine for most situations. Men keep the arms straight at the sides, women place their hands in front. A nod of the head (eshaku) is also used for brief thanks or to acknowledge people when you meet them. No need to be obsequious, and don’t stick your head out like a chicken.
This chapter also includes some notes on respect language. All languages have different levels of politeness. I’ve tried to explain the basic principles and there will be examples throughout the book. It’s part and parcel of the language.
Finally, avoid the use of pronouns. Anata translates as “you” but its use is generally avoided. (One exception is when wives call their husbands anata —it has the special meaning of “darling.”) When talking to someone, you can be safe and say his or her name, with the suffix - san, every time you want to say “you.” Otherwise, refer to teachers, doctors, speakers, and government officials as sensei (teacher), and higher ranking members in your company by their titles. For example, if you want to ask your manager’s opinion, say, with a rising intonation, Kachō no o-kangae wa? Similarly, the use of the first person pronoun meaning ”I” (watashi wa) sounds as if you’re drawing attention to yourself. Generally, it’s not necessary for the sense of the sentence.
So, to get started, here are some basic greetings and phrases to use in different situations with, for your interest, some notes on their usage.
1.01 Greeting People aisatsu 挨拶
Ohayō gozaimasu お早うございます Good Morning
“It’s early” is the literal meaning and it was originally used to thank people coming into work. It’s still used in this sense in the entertainment industry when someone starting work in the afternoon will be greeted like this. Friends drop the gozaimasu.
Konnichi wa こんにちは Good afternoon or Hello
Used from late morning to late afternoon but not as much as Hello or Ohayō gozaimasu. It’s not usually said to colleagues or family members. When you feel you should be polite, say Shitsurei shimasu (below) instead.
Konban wa しんはんは Good Evening
This too is somewhat more limited in its use. If you’re living with a Japanese family, it might make you sound standoffish, as if you don’t want to be treated like a member of the family.
Shitsurei shimasu/O-jama shimasu
失礼します/お邪魔します
Excuse me (lit. I am about to disturb you)
Either of these two polite expressions would be appropriate when entering or leaving someone’s home or office.
Tadaima ただいま I’m home!
The response by those in the house is Okaeri-nasai お帰りなさい. Said by a waiter in a restaurant, tadaima means “right away”.
1.02 Follow-up Expressions
Quickly think back to the last time you met the person and use one of these phrases. If you met them recently you could simply say:
• Konaida wa dōmo.
こないだはどうも。
Thank you for the other day.
Or more politely
• Senjitsu wa dōmo arigatō gozaimashita.
先日はどうもありがどうございました。
Thank you very much for the other day.
If you went to their house or they treated you to a meal, be sure to say,
• Konaida wa dōmo gochisō-sama deshita.
こないだはどうもごちそうさまでした。
Thank you for the meal/drinks the other day.
The standard reply to either of the above phrases is:
• Kochira koso, arigato gozaimashita.
こちらこそ、ありがどうございました。
On the contrary, let me thank you.
If you haven’t seen the person for a while you would say:
• Shibaraku. しばらく。 It’s been a long time.
Or more politely,
• O-hisashiburi desu / Shibaraku-buri desu ne.
お久しぶりです/しばらくぶりですね。
