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Thread: Little phrasebook for first-timers in Japan

  1. #1
    曙金事 (what a tasty dog) A ke bono kane kotto's Avatar
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    Wink Little phrasebook for first-timers in Japan

    I thought it might be useful to compile a few sentences for people visiting Japan for the first time with no knowledge of Japanese language. You want to avoid trouble in a strange foreign country. Don't bother reading if you already know the basics in Japanese.

    Japanese people are vert polite and many expressions are used frequently which do not really have a translation in English. It's good to memorise them just "as is" since you will need them a lot in daily life.

    This was actually written by a friend of mine who has been reading manga in Japanese for a looong time and can now write Japanese very naturally (you'd be surprised !)


    どけ てめら、俺様が通るんだ [doke temera, oresama ga torunda] : excuse me (when trying to pass between people in a crowded place)

    もう一回やってみると、ぶった押してやる [mou ikkai yattemiruto buttaoshiteyaru] : (after someone pushed you or stepped on your feet) it's alright, don't worry

    ふさげるな、ころすぞ [fusageruna, korosuzo] : (when someone gives you your help as they think you are lost) : I will be fine, but thanks for asking

    なんだ� のばば話 [nanda sono bababanashi] : (to a woman who talks to you and that you want to please) you speak so elegantly

    うせろ、くそがき ! [usero, kusogaki] : (to a child who shows interest in your foreignness) hey there sweety !
    I like 美人ネス

  2. #2
    Baseball Samurai BlueThunderKuno's Avatar
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    I will tell you with learning Japanese the hardest part is the prononciation. I wish they made a little phrase book that had all the words spelled out phonetically. Like instead of konichiwa it would be (Kon-eech-ie-wa)

    But I did add your phrases to my growing phrase book

  3. #3
    ケビン Homerduff's Avatar
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    Actually Japanese pronounciation is very easy. If you know the soundings of all kana then you will know how to pronounce any word because the pronounciation doesn't change no matter what the combination of different syllables is.

  4. #4
    japán vagyok undrentide's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by A ke bono kane kotto View Post
    It's good to memorise them just "as is" since you will need them a lot in daily life.

    This was actually written by a friend of mine who has been reading manga in Japanese for a looong time and can now write Japanese very naturally (you'd be surprised !)
    I wonder if you're aware what your friend wrote as "natural" language is actually very rough and extremely rude language?
    If you and your friend are joking, then you should state so more clearly.

    To whoever read this post, I'd like to warn not to use any of the above sentences unless you want to offend people around and get into trouble.
    *I love undrentide by Mediaeval Baebes*
    And here're my bloggies (JP) & (HU)

  5. #5
    Lost in the maze of life
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    どけ てめら、俺様が通るんだ [doke temera, oresama ga torunda] : excuse me (when trying to pass between people in a crowded place)

    もう一回やってみると、ぶった押してやる [mou ikkai yattemiruto buttaoshiteyaru] : (after someone pushed you or stepped on your feet) it's alright, don't worry

    ふさげるな、ころすぞ [fusageruna, korosuzo] : (when someone gives you your help as they think you are lost) : I will be fine, but thanks for asking

    なんだあのばば話 [nanda sono bababanashi] : (to a woman who talks to you and that you want to please) you speak so elegantly

    うせろ、くそがき ! [usero, kusogaki] : (to a child who shows interest in your foreignness) hey there sweety !
    lol?
    Lost in translation?

    Obviously the OP knows what the sentence means, either he is trying to post it here as a joke, or really trying to screw up someone life up for the fun of it.

  6. #6
    Baseball Samurai BlueThunderKuno's Avatar
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    Well whoops lol, guess I fell for the trick.

  7. #7
    Just me Glenski's Avatar
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    Geez, need a phrase book? Buy one!

    If you know the soundings of all kana then you will know how to pronounce any word because the pronounciation doesn't change no matter what the combination of different syllables is.
    Not exactly true. "ha" は can be pronounced as ha or wa, depending on its use, and "wo" を sounds like "oh". Plus, there will always be the slurring of sounds in some words. "Sumimasen" often gets shorted to "simasen", for example. And, I just love (sarcastic statement) the dropping of the 'o' in Toronto, making it sound like Toront.

  8. #8
    曙金事 (what a tasty dog) A ke bono kane kotto's Avatar
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    Wasn't it clear that it was a joke ? The simley in the title, the way it is presented...

  9. #9
    카매론 kameron's Avatar
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    I won't post the translations here, teaching beginners this kind of stuff is a bit dangerous, good for a laugh though ^^
    Last edited by kameron; Jan 19, 2008 at 22:16. Reason: i actually read the phrases this time XD
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