Momo: Japanese classes on PP?

[MIG]

Momo - you being a bashinda of Japan - how about you introduce us PPers to some Japanese?

[Momo]

Well I can do that if anybody is interested. Pronounciation and grammar are by far the easiest among any language that I have had any contact with (Urdu, Punjabi, English, Japanese, German, Arabic).

So as long as one doesn't bother about reading and writing - which is a completely different scenario with two sets of alphabet in addition to an infinite number of kanjis (pictorial words) - it's very easy to be able to talk and understand basic Japanese.

But the fact is that it's one language that has very little utility anywhere - except in Japan. Muslims tend to want to learn Arabic to be able to understand Qur'an. Apart from that, when it comes to learning a foreign language, people tend to select those that are beneficial from a job-business point of view (European languages tend to help if you are in USA or EU and Chinese is going to be the next big thing globally).

But if somebody is still interested, I can certainly try and hopefully be of assistance.

[MIG]

I am interested in and common phrases to get oneself going would be greatly appreciated ( with some idea of grammar pls)

[12thMan]

Momo "desi Samurai" San, Saionara. Hachi

[the_best]

I am interested. Though I stayed in Tokyo for three years only Japanese I knew is "Buta niko ari mas ka?"
Domo

[Zechariah]

Korochiva or something like that? What does that mean? Something like hello, how are you?

[MIG]

Kornichiwa - I think.

Anyone watched Shogun the series ? They used to show it in Pakistan in the 80s - Richard Chamberlain would speak English but the rest of the characters only spoke Japanese - i suspect many kids of that time picked up some useful phrases !

Wakarimas was my fav

and adding San to everyones name was also fun !

Sayonara.

[Momo]

I am interested. Though I stayed in Tokyo for three years only Japanese I knew is "Buta niko ari mas ka?"
Domo
It seems you like pork very much. :D
Doumo.

[Momo]

Zechariah, MIG
It's konnichiwa (kon-nichi-wa) for hello, good day etc.

Yes wakarimas is a useful word, but it's most recurring variant is it's past tense (wakarimashta - okay, I understood etc.)

Yes san is just like saahab of urdu - to be added to people's (sometimes even other things') names for respect.

Sayounara! :D

[Momo]

Momo "desi Samurai" San, Saionara. Hachi
Even after ten years here, I am 100% desi and 0% samurai (I haven't even test-driven Suzuki Samurai yet :D ).

Doumo!

[Momo]

I am interested in and common phrases to get oneself going would be greatly appreciated ( with some idea of grammar pls)
I will Inshallah do whatever I can to guide you through the basics. And other PPers too, if they are interested.

[the_best]

It seems you like pork very much. :D
Doumo.
Is it? I thought that whether pork is there. It is very hard to find food in Japan without pork unless you go for sushi. Though I am a Bangladeshi from coast it became very difficult to eat sea fish every day.:)
Ari gato

[Momo]

Is it? I thought that whether pork is there. It is very hard to find food in Japan without pork unless you go for sushi. Though I am a Bangladeshi from coast it became very difficult to eat sea fish every day.:)
Ari gato
I was just pulling your leg. :D

It can mean what you meant by it. In fact in that context, it definitely means that.

[12thMan]

yeh hay Japanese seekhnay or bolnay ka sahi tarika
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmMEddx9w-I&NR=1

[12thMan]

Japanese have some great ideas. Here learning English
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCqJTZ2c_Sg

[MIG]

how do you say : Pleased to meet you - what is the reply to that ?

some basic conversational japanese to make nice would be good.

[Uzzy]

I will Inshallah do whatever I can to guide you through the basics. And other PPers too, if they are interested.

Arigato Momo san.

[Khabri420]

Akh Momo,

Are you fluent in Japanese? :asif

[Momo]

Akh Momo,

Are you fluent in Japanese? :asif
Akh Khabri:

Sorry was away on a mental aawaaragardi mission (physically was pretty static though), hence the late reply:

Japanese is a very simple language. That, and the fact that you have no other option here but to use Japanese - the english abilities of locals are minimal (to take refuge in a euphemism) - means that anybody who has lived in Japan for any reasonable period of time becomes pretty fluent.

I have been here for almost ten years so yes, I am fluent. Plus I have had to use it extensively in a professional/academic capacity, so maybe a little more than the average foreigner here.

[Momo]

how do you say : Pleased to meet you - what is the reply to that ?

some basic conversational japanese to make nice would be good.
Japanese customs and norms are so different from the rest of the world that there are many concepts and ideas that can not be translated accurately to and from Japanese.

This 'pleased to meet you' is to an extent one of them. Of course it exists, but the tone is different from what the people living in other parts of the world mean by the expression. This is what happens when you meet somebody for the first time (with loose translation):

Hajimemashite, Momo desu. (I am Momo; nice to meet you).
Hajimemashite, MIG desu.

Yoroshiku onegai shimasu. (Here it means let's cooperate in future)
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.

This yoroshiku onegai shimasu is something that needs may be a PhD thesis or two to explain. It can have one of a variety of different meanings depending on the particular situation, and at the moment you should just memorize it and use it as an expression of politeness and respect (more later). This expression is by far the most often used expression in Japanese.

For the moment, treat yoroshiku onegai shimasu as the 'the' of english and the 'daa' of punjabi, as in:

Angrezi da 'the' te punjabi da 'daa'
Jithe lagdaa i othe la

[Momo]

Arigato Momo san.
Doumo Uzzy san.
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.

[See MIG (and others), another use of the expression - to end a conversation on a respectful and friendly note.]

[Chasing Cars]

Kawaii - doesn't that mean cute in Japanese? :D

[Momo]

Kawaii - doesn't that mean cute in Japanese? :D
It does. But be careful because Kowai means frightening. :)

[pakcricketfan]

I am very much interested in learning some phrases of any foreign language!

Momo San, what does 'yorokobu' mean?

[Momo]

I am very much interested in learning some phrases of any foreign language!

Momo San, what does 'yorokobu' mean?
Yorokobu means 'to be happy'. Yorokobi means 'happiness'.

[Stewie]

so what do you call Godzilla in Japanese?

[AZ]

Bhayaanak Chhipkalli

[Chasing Cars]

Bhayaanak Chhipkalli
:))) :))) :)))

[pakcricketfan]

Bhayaanak Chhipkalli

What do you call it in Urdu?

[siccric]

Ohio Guzaimus!

Sensai Momo :asif



I'm not too familiar with the spellings. A good friend of mine is half Japanese.

[Uzzy]

Momo, how's this? Excuse any spelling mistakes.

Hajimamashte, Watashi wa Uzzy desu, dozo yoroshiko onigaishimasu.

Watashi wa ego-jin desu.

[Momo]

Ohio Guzaimus!

Sensai Momo :asif



I'm not too familiar with the spellings. A good friend of mine is half Japanese.
Konbanwa, siccric kun!

[Momo]

Momo, how's this? Excuse any spelling mistakes.

Hajimemashte, Watashi wa Uzzy desu, dozo yoroshiko onigaishimasu.

Watashi wa Igiris-jin desu.
There, corrected the slight mistakes!

Well done!

[Eigo is English (language), not Englishman]

[ShehryarK]

A good friend of mine is half Japanese.Which half?

[d0gers]

*BUMP*

Momo-san, ima nihongo o benkyou shte imasu. Demo, chotto muzukashii desu yo ne.

Do you still look at this part of the forum? Would love to get some pointers from you.