LinguaA set phrase is chosen by the moment, not by the person
This is the rule the whole unit rests on. In many languages one greeting covers the day and the level changes with the listener; in Japanese the moment picks the phrase and only then does politeness adjust it. Morning takes おはようございます whether you are speaking to a child or a director. Leaving the house takes いってきます whoever is at home. Get the moment right first, then the level.
| Moment | Phrase | Careful with |
|---|---|---|
| morning | おはようございます | the short form is for close friends only |
| parting for a day | またあした | さようなら sounds final between colleagues |
| receiving help | ありがとうございます | the past form closes the matter |
| entering a room | しつれいします | the same phrase serves on leaving |
What to do when you have not understood
Nod and hope is the worst option and the commonest. The repair is two phrases you already have: すみません to interrupt and もういちどおねがいします to ask for the line again. Adding ゆっくり asks for it slower. Nobody minds – a beginner who asks is far easier to talk to than one who says はい to everything.
すみません、もういちどおねがいしますExcuse me, once more please.
では、しつれいしますWell then, if you will excuse me.
Words in this lesson
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| こんにちは | hello | こんにちは、はじめまして Hello, how do you do. |
| さようなら | goodbye | せんせい、さようなら Goodbye, teacher. |
| ありがとうございます | thank you | まいにちありがとうございます Thank you for everything you do each day. |
| すみません | excuse me | すみません、ちょっといいですか Excuse me, do you have a moment? |
| おねがいします | please | よろしくおねがいします I look forward to working with you. |
| はじめまして | how do you do | はじめまして、やまだです How do you do, I am Yamada. |
| いってきます | I am off | では、いってきます Well then, I am off. |
| ただいま | I am home | ただいま、ごはんはありますか I am home, is there anything to eat? |
| いただきます | said before eating | みんなでいただきます Let us all eat together. |
| しつれいします | excuse me for intruding | では、しつれいします Well then, if you will excuse me. |
Exercises
This lesson has 10 exercises in the app:
- multiple choice: 3
- match the pairs: 1
- fill the gap: 2
- build the sentence: 2
- translate the sentence: 1
- listen and type: 1
Try the first one
You did not catch what was said. Which request asks for it more slowly?
The answer, the other exercises, the audio and your progress are in the app – free at A0 and A1.