am (Ms.) Tanaka. Nice to meet you, too.
はじめまして Hajimemashite
Many of you might have wondered why the Japanese say hajimemashite when they see someone for the first time. Hajimemashite sounds like the hajime that is used at a karate dojo, doesn’t it? Hajimemashite is a derived form of the verb hajimeru, which means ‘begins.’ It is the first phrase when you “begin” conversation with someone new. It is difficult to translate into English, but its function is to clarify that this is the first time for one to talk to the person and also to convey one’s willingness to get to know the person. Don’t try to translate this phrase to English, but remember when to use it.
Exercises
I. For each of the following situations, pick the Japanese sentence which best fits.
1. You accidentally step on someone’s foot getting to your seat in a movie theater.
(a) すみません。 Sumimasen.
(b) おはよう。 Ohayō.
(c) じゃ，失礼いたします。 Ja, shitsurei itashimasu.
(d) お願いします。 Onegai shimasu.
2. You don’t quite understand what someone has just said.
(a) 失礼します。 Shitsureishimasu.
(b) もう一度。 Mō ichido.
(c) ありがとうございます。 Arigatō gozaimasu.
(d) いいえ。 Īe.
3. The person is talking too fast.
(a) はい。 Hai.
(b) すみません。 Sumimasen.
(c) ゆっくり話してください。 Yukkuri hanashite kudasai.
(d) じゃ, また。 Ja, mata.
4. You are about to go to bed.
(a) ありがとう。 Arigatō.
(b) じゃ, また。 Ja, mata.
(c) おやすみなさい。 Oyasumi nasai.
(d) すみません。 Sumimasen.
5. The teacher gave you a dictionary. You say:
(a) どうもありがとうございます。 Dōmo arigatō gozaimasu.
(b) こんにちは。 Kon’nichi wa.
(c) おかげさまで。 Okagesama de.
(d) 失礼します。 Shitsurei shimasu.
II. Choose the correct item.
1. dog
a. 兎 usagi
b. 猿 saru
c. 犬 inu
d. 猫 neko
2. mountain
a. 湖 mizuumi
b. 山 yama
c. 馬 uma
d. 池 ike
3. ocean
a. 空手 karate
b. 海 umi
c. 馬 uma
d. すき焼き sukiyaki
4. older brother
a. お母さん okāsan
c. お兄さん onīsan
b. お父さん otōsan
d. お姉さん onēsan
III. Circle the one you hear.
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| [cue 01-32] |
| 1. koko here | kōkō high school |
| 2. tori bird | tōri street |
| 3. otto husband | oto sound |
| 4. kin’en no smoking | kinen commemoration |
| 5. kámi god | kamí hair |
| 6. kin gold | gin silver |
Answers:
I 1. a 2. b 3. c 4. c 5. a
II 1. c 2. b 3. b 4. c
III 1. high school 2. bird 3. sound 4. commemoration 5. hair 6. gold
LESSON 2
What? Where? Who?
何？どこ？だれ？
Nani? Doko? Dare?
In this lesson you will learn how to identify people and things around you. You will learn many ways to refer to items, using the Japanese equivalent of the copular verb ‘to be.’
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| [cue 02-1] |
Basic Sentences
| 1. | あれは富士山です。Are wa Fujisan desu.That one over there is Mt. Fuji. | |
| 2. | 「それは何ですか。」“Sore wa nan desu ka.”“What is that
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