Overview
Learning even a little Japanese before your trip is a worthwhile endeavor (although
I must confess that without reinforcement, I have lost almost everything that
I learned). At the very least you should make an effort to learn Hiragana and
Katakana, the two most commonly used character sets. Katakana is especially
useful because it is used exclusively for writing foreign words (usually English).
Once you've memorized the Katakana characters reading is just a matter of
sounding out the syllables and trying to figure out what English word is being
interpreted. Needless to say, this ability can be extraordinarily useful in
restaurants.
Knowing just the bare minimum of Japanese we were able to safely navigate
the subway system, purchase food (big deal), and exchange pleasantries with
the people we met. The following won't make you fluent in Japanese, but you'll
be able to say "please," "thank you", and "I'm lost" with
absolute confidence.
Even if your Japanese is less than perfect, you can make up for many deficiencies
by using the English versions of the above phrases -- frequently and with sincerity.
The Japanese place a great store on politeness, in any language, and will respond
to your efforts in kind.
Finally, if some words sound familiar, it's because they are. Many English
words have been adopted into the Japanese language. So if you hear the word
jazu, rest assured that your in line for a jazz club...
General Pronunciation Guide
A as in father
I as in machine
E as in yes
O as in go
U as in put
Long vowels are generally indicated by a rule over the vowel or double vowels
(ii).
Consonants are generally pronounced as in English; the differences are subtle,
and not easily explained. The best way to learn these pronunciations is to
listen carefully to a language tape or Power Japanese.
Finally, all letters in a word are pronounced. At first, it feel awkward
(and you'll notice that native speakers tend to omit final sounds), but soon
the words will flow.
| Basic Words and Phrases |
| Japanese Word/Phrase |
English Translation |
| Anata |
You |
| Arigatoo gozaimasu |
Thank you |
| Doumo arigatougozaimasu |
Thank you |
| Douzo |
Please |
| Eigo |
English language |
| Eigo ga wakarimasu ka? |
Do you understand English? |
| Gomen Nasai |
Pardon me |
| Hai |
Yes |
| Hai, wakarimasu? |
Yes, I understand. |
| Iie |
No |
| Iie, wakarimasen |
No, I don't understand. |
| Konban Wa |
Good Evening |
| Konnichi Wa |
Good Afternoon |
| Doozo |
Please |
| Moshimoshi |
Hello (greeting on telephone or upon entering a room) |
| Nanji desu ka? |
What time is it? |
| Nihongo |
Japanese Language |
| Ohayou Gozaimasu |
Good Morning (until about 10 a.m.) |
| Ryougae Suru |
To exchange money |
| Sayonara |
Goodbye |
| Sumimasen |
Excus
|
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