Everyone knows some Japanese. You probably have heard or know the meanings of these Japanese words; kamikaze, keisha, kimono, karaoke, samurai and so on. Many Japanese words and phrases have deep cultural significance which can make it hard for students to learn Japanese. However, Japanese words aren’t  always deeply culturally rooted – there are some wacky words.  While living in Japan I came across some ridiculous Japanese words that could only exists in Japan. The Japanese have a knack for stealing foreign words and giving them new meanings. Let’s learn a few.

My pet hate Japanese word is juice, in katakana  ジュース. In Japanese “juice” basically means soft drink. It can even mean canned coffee.  How could they get this word so wrong. So if a Japanese offers you “juice” in Japan don’t be surprised if you are giving a glass of coke.

Snack, スナック, is an other word Japanese give new meaning to. Instead of relating to eating food the word is all about drinking. In Japanese snack means bar. But not just any bar. Snack bars are small drinking places usually for the older generation where Japanese can drown their sorrows with whisky or beer and belt out some enka. These places are very popular with men as they are sort of a hostess bar where you’re charged quite a lot to drink with female company. Enka is traditional Japanese music- songs about lots love. These places are probably the most depressing places you could ever visit in Japan.

Vikingis one of my favorite’s. It is pronounced “Bye -king” and written in katakana バイキング. Japanese most likely wouldn’t know who the Vikings were. Yet, at least one Japanese picked up on their eating habits and coined the phrase to mean buffet. Viking means “all-you-can- eat” .  It can also mean ”all-you-can-drink”.

Icecomes close. It means ice cream. In katakana  アイス. This is an example of how Japanese will take English words and shorten them or abbreviate them.  Japanese generally like to communicate with the least amount of words. They will take a foreign word shorten it, give it a new meaning, and eventually it slips into main stream vocabulary.

When you first learn or discover these words you will feel dumbfounded . You will either feel amused or annoyed.  It is quite hard to believe that the words I just taught you are meaningful and common words in the Japanese language. It certainly took me a while to accept and use them.  One of the most frustrating things is many Japanese believe that they are speaking English when using these loan words. Good reason enough not to even consider teaching English in Japan……just joking.

Time to learn some basic Japanese phrases and Japanese words relating to things you like doing – your hobbies. “Hobby” has a slightly different meaning in Japan. Japanese consider things like shopping, eating favorite foods and even sleepping as hobbies. The word for hobby in Japanese is しゅみ (shumi). The Japanese symbol or kanji for this word is  趣味.

In this lesson you will learn how to ask and answer questions relating to hobbies. We have upload many videos to youtube. Video language lessons are a great way to learn Japanese. We hope you like this one. This is a basic Japanese lesson, but hopefully you will learn something.

Structure

私のしゅみは……………です。

Watashi no shumi wa……desu.

My hobby is………………

My hobbies are………….

Vocabulary

Grammar Note

verb　+　こと

Adding “koto” will nominalize the verb; change it into a noun.

たべる　－　Eat  ;   たべること 　－  Eating

After watching the video try to read the sentences and questions below.

（あなたの）しゅみは何ですか。

わたしのしゅみは、すしをたべることです。

私の趣味はらくがきをすることです。

私の趣味はかるく、うんどうすることです。

私の趣味はギターをひくことです。

私の趣味はピアノをひくことです。

趣味はないですよ。

趣味のじかんがない。

趣味とまではいかないけど、どくしょがすきです。

ねることがわたしのしゅみです。

In this post you will learn some basic Japanese words. As you probably know many Japanese phrases and common expressions are quite difficult for the beginner. For example, the common greeting phrases はじめまして (hajimemashite)　and  よろしく　おねがいします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu) are pretty difficult words to get your tounge around.  However, these difficult and quite formal expressions are usually the first words a student is taught. We are going to have some and just learn some basic Japanese words.

We will focus on some common adjectives. There are two kinds of adjectives in Japanese　い-ending adjectives and な-ending adjectives. Will we focus on い-ending adjectives as they are usually more common and expressive. い-ending adjectives, especially adjectives that end with しい express human emotions and feelings. Examples are below;

さびしい　－　sabishii – loney (as in missing someone)

かなしい　－ kanashii – sad

うれしい　 － ureshii  – happy

These adjectives all end in しい(shii). Notice how they express powerful emotions.

Time to learn some basic words – watch the video and repeat after Kaoru Sensei. We won’t worry about kanji characters for the moment.  Hopefully you can read hiragana.

Note: ふとい describes objects that are thick or wide.  ふとい is not used to describe people who are large or fat. The common term to describe fat people is でぶ(debu). でぶ is a な-adjective. If we place でぶ before the noun person/people  ひと(hito) we would have でぶなひと. The  な of a  な-adjective is only placed before a noun. If you say a　な-adjective on its own or without the noun, you drop the な. For example, あのこは　でぶですね. That child is fat. There is no noun after でぶ. So there is no な. More on this in another post.

Alright now that you have watched the video here are a few revision questions.

What are two ways to say good in Japanese?

What is the opposite of  ながい?

How do you say big in Japanese?

What does わるい mean?

What is the opposite of かるい?

How do you say old and new in Japanese?

What does ちいさい mean?

I hope you enjoyed this lesson on basic Japanese words. One of the best ways to learn Japanese is to give learning  grammar and kanji a break, and just learn lots of Japanese words. However, you should keep in mind being able to read Japanese characters can dramatically increase your abiltiy to learn new words. Mix up your Japanese study and try to keep learning fun and stimulating.

In Japan every time you walk into a restaurant, shop, department store – basically any place of service you will you will be verbally attacked with a “welcome” greeting. This will happen without fail. The greeting is “Irasshaimase” – いらっしゃいませ. Like many Japanese words this one is deep and goes way back. More on that later. I do have to say that I loved the word when I first came to Japan. I really liked walking to restaurants to be greeted with a chorus of “Irashiamase”. I made me feel…..well, very welcome. I remember thinking it was a little un-Japanese for Japanese to be yelling at their customers. Now, after living in Japan for ten years I can say I am pretty sick of this word. I do find it irritating when I am shopping at a clothing store or just browsing at book store to been constantly disturbed by shouts and chorus of Irasshaimase. Some staff will really scream it out. I have walked out of the odd store or two because of the constant cries from a tone deaf Japanese.

The deeper meaning of the word goes way back and not surprisingly has to do with etiquette. Centuries ago Japanese behavior was formalized to the extend that there was a prescribed way for doing virtually everything. Direct interaction with other people, weather greetings, requests and speeches was the most important and carefully enforced. This lead to one of the most interesting and early developed etiquette customs – the calling out of “irasshai” or “iarashaimase” when someone entered the vestibule home of a home or place of business.

“Irasshai” means “walk in” as well as “welcome” and is an informal, friendly expression used by tradespeople in traditional restaurants and shops and department stores. This greeting kind of takes the weight of formality off the customers’ shoulders. It lets them know that they are at a place where they can relax and have fun. This could explain why Japanese are quite happy to eat with total strangers with restaurant owners often asking customers to share tables when business is busy. I have done it myself and it a bit unusual and very uncomfortable. A contradiction to Japanese culture in general, but then again eating habits are very different indeed and an area of Japanese culture that lacks etiquette and decorum. Japanese can eat like pigs; making nosies as they eat, speaking while eating, and even using communal chopsticks as tooth picks.

“Irasshaimase” is a much more polite and formal term used only in the sense of “welcome” and “thanks for coming”. This is one word you want to remember and use. It represents an important part of the overall etiquette of Japan and one of the things that foreign visitors and businessmen can easily assimilate, and benefit from, in their interactions with Japanese.

In order to speak Japanese you obviously need to learn a lot of words. Naturally you begin with learning basic Japanese words and then get into words or phrases. Most Japanese greetings and set expressions are quite complex and not basic at all. This is often a problem for students as they feel so overwhelmed with only a few Japanese expressions that they develop a mindset that Japanese is extremely difficult. The problem is students don’t often learn words. I mean they don’t spend time to consider the deep meaning and cultural aspects of Japanese words. There a lot of ways to learn words such as using Japanese language software, books or audio programs. The best way to learn new words is to spend time speaking to Japanese.

When living in Japan for a long time as I have there are moments when you discover the real meanings of certain words. They are usually moments of serendipity where you experience Japan - the culture of Japan and what you happen to be doing at that time seem to meet at the perfect moment and then you realize you have made a discovery. This when I feel I am really learning Japanese. One word that I had always found odd and confusing was “Okagesama-de”. You may know this word to mean “Thanks to you”.

It is one of the most common expressions in the vocabulary of the Japanese way, but it is almost always misunderstood by Japanese-speaking foreigners who hear and use it. Japanese routinely use the expression when someone asks them how they are, asks about the health and welfare of a family member; or ask how their business is going, and so on.. Not understanding the true meaning of Okagaesama-de, many foreigners take it personally, presuming that the Japanese, out of politeness and their automatic response to formailites, are actually thanking them. I once often thought this. In fact, I thought it was yet another stupid and meaningless Japanese expression from a socially challenged people.

As with many Japanese words, the misunderstanding arises in the translation of the word. Instead of meaning “thanks to you” in a personal sense, the expression actually means “as luck would have it” or “thank heavens” (in a Buddhist sort of a way). The word is a vestige of the Buddhist concept of fate in the lives of people. It is way of implying that the relationships and life have been properly nurtured and are thriving, and that all is right in the word.

You , as a student or Japanese-speaking foreigner can gain valuable points by using okagasama-de appropriately when to responding to Japanese friends and business contacts. Use this word correctly at the right and people will be impressed. It subtly notes that you are speaking on their cultural wavelength, and gives a warm, positive feeling to your response.

As Japanese don’t do small talk you can impress Japanese and start speaking Japanese with just a small number of Japanese words, phrases and set expressions under your belt. However, understanding the deeper meanings of certain Japanese words may take several months or even years. Culture plays a very important part in the Japanese language right down to simple phrases and words. Learning about Japanese culture is as important as builing your vocabulary or learning the stroke order of Kanji. The more Japanese culture you know the more important Japanese words you will discover.

One of the great and convenient aspects of the Japanese language is the kimarimoku – set Japanese phrases or set expressions. If you have been studying Japanese for sometime you probably know some of them and using them when you see your Japanese friends. Naturally, many Japanese phrases are taught in standard text books and what not, but I have discovered (learned) many expressions or phrases only in certain situations one wouldn’t normally experience unless they were living in Japan.

My understanding of Japanese phrases or set expressions seem to evolve to me as a student. First you learn them with some sort of basic English translation. Then you hear them and use them every day if you happen to be living in Japan. You then take them for granted and go around saying them half-heartedly and get sick of hearing the same expression or phrase in the same situation over and over, again and again, day in and day out. Then Buddha willing, you have an experience that finally brings the deeper meaning of the phrase or expression to you. It is all about the culture of the Japanese language. You can’t really learn the true deeper meanings of certain Japanese phrases or expressions unless you immerse yourself into the culture. And the only way you can do that is by living in Japan for several years.

Survival Japanese Expressions

Itadakimasu – An institutionalized expression said just before beginning to eat. This is NOT a Japanese version of “grace”. It is in no way similar to grace at all. It is especially appropriate to say this when you are guest. It is showing appreciation to you host for the meal they have prepared for you. At home it is just a casual “starter gun” type meaning of “Lets eat”. Often, when eating with Japanese I am asked for a translation of the word in English – there is none.

Gochisosamadeshita – Just as important and ritualized as “Idatakimasu”, this phrase is said to express thanks to the host after finishing a meal. This expression is also said in a less formal manner when certain private details of someone’s private life is shared in a conversation. If you were to reveal the juicy details of how you met your first love your audience would thank you for sharing by say “Gochisosamadeshita”.

Finally the expression of all expressions – the king of the castle expression. This is the one you will hear most often, and the one that will ponder?on for years and years. It is…..wait for it……..Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu. This one is a little hard to explain because it is so rooted in Japanese culture and mentality. It is a very formalized and ritualized way of saying, “Please help me”. Not help me as in “save me I am in trouble”, but more of a “when the time comes help us out” kind of meaning. It can also be used as a formal request as in “please take care of it”,” make it so”, “please do it” and …..I think you get the idea. It is said when business relations are being formed, and if it concerns something really serious it is usually accompanied by a bow.