Meeting people in Japanese
How are you, what is your name, where are you from, I like it: the first five minutes. Play the ten Japanese words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Japanese phrases in this lesson
- γε ζ°γ§γγo-GEN-ki des-KAH
- How are you?
- ε ζ°γ§γGEN-ki des
- I'm fine, thanks
- γγͺγγ―οΌa-NA-ta wah
- And you?
- γεεγ―δ½γ§γγo-NA-ma-eh wa NAN des-ka
- What's your name?
- ...γ¨η³γγΎγto mo-SHI-ma-su
- My name is...
- γ©γ‘γγγγ§γγDO-chi-ra ka-ra des-ka
- Where are you from?
- ...γγζ₯γΎγγka-ra KI-ma-shi-ta
- I'm from...
- ζ°γ«ε ₯γγΎγγki ni I-ri-ma-shi-ta
- I like it
- γγγγ§γγKI-reh des-neh
- It's beautiful
- γγγ£γγγγΎγi-ras-SHAI-ma-seh
- Welcome
The textbook phrase, but used for people you have not seen in a while, not a daily hello. Day to day, Japanese people simply greet and comment on the weather instead.
Genki means healthy, energetic, in good spirits: a lovely word with no exact English match. γγγγγΎγ§ (o-ka-geh-sa-ma deh), "thanks to you", is the graceful polite addition.
Grammatical but rarely said; Japanese avoids "you", preferring names or nothing. Echoing the question back with rising tone, genki desu ka?, is more natural.
The humble form for introductions. Casually, the name plus γ§γ (des).
Literally "it entered my spirit".
Kirei means both beautiful and clean.
Shouted by staff as you enter any shop or restaurant. No reply is expected; a small nod is enough.