PODCAST EP_12

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6BwIHPP6nC2COszgZrwEH1?si=_tpHPWuGSaO7kGuu2nG64Q

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/41-japanese-greetings-you-must-know/id1750242784?i=1000670264166&l=en-GB

Today, we are going to learn Greetings.

In Japanese, the greetings generally depend on the person you are addressing.

FORMAL is suitable in a professional setting or when talking to someone new for the first time. INFORMAL is suitable when talking to a friend or someone you know well.

“KA” at the end of formal sentences is QUESTION MARKER. KA exactly means ”?”

じゃ、まずは Hello! Hi!

こんにちは。

How are you?

元気ですか。

I’m good.

はい、げんきです。はい。= YES.

Good morning!

おはようございます。[Formal]

おはよう。[Informal] You use it when you say “Good morning” to your friends and family.

Good evening!

こんばんは。

Good night!

おやすみなさい。

Nice to meet you!

We have three words:

はじめまして。[Formal][Informal]

どうぞよろしくおねがいします。[Formal]

よろしく。[Informal]

What is the difference between the three words?

Usually, people say はじめまして。at the beginning of the self-introduction, like:

はじめまして、ななみです。　Nice to meet you! I am Nanami.

Usually, people say どうぞよろしく。at the end of the self-introduction, like:

はじめまして、ななみです。東京から来ました。どうぞよろしく。

You may be wondering why I said both 初めまして。and どうぞよろしく。In Japan, many people say both. But You can also say only one of them.

よろしく is a short form of どうぞよろしくおねがいします。 and it’s Informal.

Thank you!

どうもありがとうございます。[Formal]

どうも。[Formal]

ありがとう。[Informal]

どうもありがとうございます and どうも are Formal. どうもありがとうございますmeans Thank you very much. どうも means Thanks.

ありがとう is Informal

Here you go. This is the object you asked me to give you.

どうぞ。

Do you remember どうも? We’ve just learned どうも is Thanks. The pronunciation of the two words is similar, so be careful. どうも=Thanks. どうぞ=Here you go.

Please.

おねがいします。

Excuse me! A polite way of attracting someone's attention.

すみません。

I’m sorry. Apology.

すみません。[Formal]

ごめんなさい。[Informal]

ごめん。[Informal]

すみません。is Formal. ごめんなさい。andごめん,they are Informl.

Now you know すみません has two meanings: Excuse me! and I’m sorry.

Next,

In Japan, we say “Thank you for the meal, thank you for cooking” before eating.

いただきます。

Many students think that いただきますmeans “Enjoy your meal.” But that's wrong. As I said, いただきます means "Thank you for the meal" and "Thank you for cooking.”

In Japan, when we have finished eating, we also say, “Thank you for the meal, thank you for cooking.”

ごちそうまでした。

In Japan, before we leave home, we say, “I’m going! See you later!” implying that I’ll return later.

行ってきます。

Do you know the direct response to 行ってきます?

行ってらっしゃい。

行ってらっしゃい means See you later and have a lovely day!

Do you know what we say when we’ve arrived back in our own home?

I’m back! I’m home!

ただいま。

Do you know the direct response to ただいま, “Welcome home.”?

おかえり。

In Japan, when you visit someone and before entering their home, you say:

お邪魔します。Thank you for inviting me. I'm going to enter your place. The word literally means "I'm going to disturb you."

How do you say, “I should be going.”?

そろそろ失礼します。

When you are going to leave someone's home you visited, you say:

お邪魔しました。

Bye!

さようなら。[Formal]

じゃあ、また。[Formal]

またね。[Informal]

バイバイ。[Informal]

See you tomorrow!

また明日。

See you later!

また後で。

What do you say when you leave your workplace?

お疲れ様でした。[Formal]

お疲れ。[Informal]

The meaning is, "We did a good job today. Thank you for your hard work. “

Please excuse me for leaving before you.

お先に失礼します。

The direct response to お先に失礼します。is お疲れ様でした。

お先に失礼します。お疲れ様でした。

Bless you! When someone has sneezed, we DO NOT say anything in Japan. OR we ask:

Are you OK? (Did you get a cold?)

大丈夫ですか。[Formal]

大丈夫？[Informal]

In Japan, we use this word in various situations.

大丈夫ですか。 means “Is everything OK?” “Are you OK?”

If everything is OK for you, you say:

大丈夫です。

Can you speak English?

英語ができますか。英語(Eego)means the English language.

Can you speak Japanese?

日本語ができますか。日本語(Nihongo)means the Japanese language.

Yes, I can speak Japanese.

日本語ができます。

No, I can NOT speak Japanese.

日本語ができません。

When you don’t understand, you say: I don’t understand. I don’t remember it.

わかりません。also means I don’t remember it.

If you didn't understand what the other person said, you say: “Could you please repeat it?”

もう一度お願いします。

Could you say it slowly?

ゆっくりお願いします。

I have a question/ questions.

質問があります。質問（しつもん）means a question or questions. In Japanese, there is no difference between SINGULAR and PLURAL.

Have a lovely weekend!

素敵な週末を。

Congratulation!

おめでとう。

Happy New Year!

あけましておめでとう。

Happy Birthday!

お誕生日おめでとう。

Today, we learned Greetings. I hope you have deepened your understanding of the Japanese language.

Thank you for listening!

This episode is for Japanese A1=N5/N4 learners. 

Don't only listen to the audio, repeat what you hear while listening! Move your mouth!

Nanami Yoshihara

Hi! I'm Nanami. I'm a Japanese teacher and run this website.