Learn Japanese ( Lesson 2 ) Introduction

The Japanese language has a number of characteristics, which are very different from European languages; the most important of these being that there are no changes for case, number or gender and that verb do not change according to the person or number. Also, pronouns, both personal and impersonal, are often omitted.

What you can find here basically a rough introduction guide to the modern Japanese that is Tokyo language. Just as we speak in relaxed, colloquial manner, so do the Japanese. In Anime, drama or movie, they all use shortcuts in their speech. So, if you want to speak the way the Japanese speak, then you need to know what to say, how to say it, and when to say it.

Here’s what you need to know; there are many ways in saying "I/Me" and "You" and also many ways to indicate "Yes", "No" and "That’s right".

• I/ME - WATASHI and YOU - ANATA are commonly used.
• I/ME - ATASHI (Female) / BOKU & ORE (Male)
• YOU – ANTA (Female) / KIMI & OMAE (Male)
• YES – HAI / EE / UN
• NO – IIE / UUN / IYA…
• THAT’S RIGHT! – SO-DANE! / SO-DANA! (Male) / MA-NE!
• BECAUSE… - DATTE…
• BUT… - DEMO…

English	Japanese
How are you?	GENKI?
How’s it going?	GENKI DATTA?
Okay, I guess	AMMARI
I’m fine	GENKI-YO (Female) GENKI-DAYO (Male) MANE
So-so/Not good, not bad	MA-MA
How have you been doing?	DO-SHITETA?
What’s happening?	DO-SHITA-NO?
What have you been talking about?	NANI HANASHITETA-NO?
What’s wrong?	DOKA SHITA-NO? NANKA ATTA-NO? DO-SHITA-NO? DO-SHITAN-DAYO (Male)
Nothing	BETSU-NI NAN-DEMO NAI-YO NANI-MO
Nothing much	BETSU-NI NANI-MO BETSU-NI NANI-MO
Nothing special	BETSU-NI KAWANNAI AIKAWARAZU
It’s none of your business!	KANKEI NAI-DESHO! (Female) KANKEI NAI-DARO (Male) YOKEI-NA OSEWA!
Leave me alone!	HOTTOITE!
What’s on your mind?	NANI KANGAETEN-NO?
I was just thinking	KANGAE-GOTO SHITETA CHOTTO
I was just daydreaming	BOTTO SHITETA
What do you mean?	DO-IU IMI?
I can’t say for sure	NANTO-MO IENAI HAKKIRI IENAI
I’m not sure	YOKU WAKARANAI
Is something wrong?	KANI-GA CHIGAU-YONE (People) NAN-KA CHIGAU-NO? (Things)
That can’t be helped/There’s nothing you can do about it	SHIKATA NAI-NE
I guess so	SO-DATO OMOU
Maybe	TABUN-NE
Maybe not	CHIGAU-JA NAI-NO
I wonder…	SO-KANA…
I don’t think so/I doubt it	SO OMOWANAI
How come?	NANDE? DO-SHITE? DO-SHITE-DAYO?
That’s unfortunate/That’s a shame	ZANNEN-DANE
So we’ve meet again	MATA ATTA-NE
I wanted to see you/I missed you	AITAKATTA
I want to see you soon	SUGU AITAI
See you later	JA MATA-NE MATA-NE MATA BAI-BAI