Two Mini Dialogues & Telling the Time

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/03/08/

japanese-to-english-funny-translations_n_2835459.html

IN A DEPARTMENT STORE

Dale. Chotto Sumimasen

Assistant. Hai

Dale. Shinshi fuku uriba wa doko desu ka?

Assistant. Go-Kai

Dale. Arigato. Erebeta wa doko desu ka?

Assistant. (Pointing) Achira desu. Asoko ni migi ga wa desu.

Dale. Hai. So desu. Domo. Bye, bye.

 

INTRODUCING MYSELF AND MY WIFE

Dale. Watashi wa Dale desu. O namae wa nan desu ka?

Hondo San. Hajimemashite. Hondo Tatsuya to moshimasu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Dale. Kocchi wa kanai desu. Kanojo no namae wa Lynette desu.

(Mr. Hondo and L. Bow to each other and say konnichiwa)
Hondo San. Doko kara kimashitaka?

Dale. Watashitachi wa Osturaria-jin desu

Hondo San. Aaa! Osturaria! Kangaloo! :-)

TELLING THE TIME IN JAPANESE

(Ima) Nanji desu ka? = What's the time?

Ju ichi ji  = It's one o'clock

:(Ima) Nanji desu ka?
: Ju ji ju go fun desu

:What's the time?
:It's 10:15

Can also use sugi = "past" or after (optional)

Ju ji ju go fun sugi desu

It's 10:15 (ie. A quarter past 10)

Can also use mae = "to" or before

Ju ji ju go fun mae desu

It's a quarter to 10

Can also use han = "half"

Gozen = AM
Gozo = PM

Use before saying the hour ...

Gozen ku ji desu = It's 9 am
Gogo ju ji desu = It's 10 pm

***

Hajimemashite

Lesson 1

Greeting the teacher ...

 

Student : Konbawa Wheeler San. O genki desu ka?

Teacher : Hai. Genki desu. Anata wa?

Student : Watashi mo genki desu


Polite (General situation)

Dale :

Ha / ji / me / mash i / te                How do you do?

Wa / tash i wa Dale des(u)            My name is Dale

Yoroshiku onegai shimas(u)         Nice to meet you (I look forward to  getting to know you)

Casual (Friends)

Hajimemashite, Dale desu. Yoroshiku

Respectful (Very Formal)
Hajimemashite, Dale to moushimasu

Douzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu    (I look forward to working with you)

(accompany this with a bow)

OTHER GREETINGS

Ohayoo (gozaimasu) (polite) = Good morning (polite)
Konnichiwa = Good afternoon
Konbanwa = Good evening
Oyasuminasai = Good night

Doozo Yoroshiku = Nice to meet you

Click here for a link to others (in English and Japanese script)

Questions / Answers to practice


O namae wa nan desu ka  = What's your name?

OR

O na ma e wa? (Still polite - note the "O" prefix particle for politeness as well as "desu")

Shitsurei desu ga ...nan sai desu ka? = How old are you?

Doko kara kimashita ka? = Where are you from?

Q. O namae wa nan desu ka?

A. Watashi wa Dale desu

Q. Nan sai desu ka?

A. Go-juu-ni (52) sai desu

Q. Doko kara kimashitaka?

A. Osutoraria kara kimashita