Japanese Conversation

In this post we are going to look at a short Japanese converstion. Imgaine you are on the train on your way to Shibuya in Tokyo. A man sitting next to you asks you questions about where you are from and what you do.

A: あの、アメリカじんですか
B： はい。そうです。
A: しゅっしん　は　どこですか
B: ニュウヨーク です
A: りゅうがくせいですか
B: はい。
A: にほんはどうですか
B: だいすきです。

The first question is something I am asked all the time in Japan despite the fact that I am not American. Japanese are generally ignorant of the other countries. They assume most white foreigners in Japan are American.

アメリカじんですか – Are you American? じん means person or people. Adding じん to a country name gives you the nationality.

The reply はい。　そうです means “Yes. I am.”

The next question is asking where your place of birth or hometown is. しゅっしん means hometown. どこですか is the question phrase “Where is..? You reply dropping the subject and just stating New York with です。

The third question りゅうがくせいですか is asking if you are an overseas student. がくせい means student. Adding りゅう　can mean exchange, overseas or international student.

Finally the last question is asking your opinion of Japan. どうでか　basically means “What do you think of……? So にほんはどうですか translates to “What do you think of Japan?”

You love Japan so your answer is だいすきです. Notice again how you don’t need to state the subject which in this case is Japan.

Also notice how each line of this conversation ends with either です　or ですか

Here is the conversation in English

A: あの、アメリカじんですか
B： はい。そうです。
A: しゅっしん　は　どこですか
B: ニュウヨーク です
A: りゅうがくせいですか
B: はい。
A: にほんはどうですか
B: だいすきです。

A: Um…… Are you American?
B: Yes. I am.
A: Where is your hometown?
B: New York
A: What do you think of Japan
B: I love (Japan)