Making Out in Japanese. Todd Geers

      You can ask this when the other person seems a bit different (e.g. from the last time you saw them).

      (Anoko,) Nan-ka chigau-ne?

      (あの子、)何なんか違ちがうね？

      This is useful when a third person seems a bit different. Anoko means “That (young) person over there.”

      Nan-ka chigau-no?

      何なんか違ちがうの？

      This is more suited to asking about things, not people.

      What’s the difference?

      Dō chigau-no?

      どう違ちがうの？

      What?

      Nani?

      何なに？

      E?

      え？

      Why not?

      Nan-de (dame-nano)?

      何なんで（だめなの）？

      Nan-de dame-nanda-yo? ♂

      何なんでだめなんだよ？

      Are you serious?

      Honki?

      本ほん気き？

      Are you sure?

      Hontō-ni?

      本ほん当とうに？

      Zettai?

      絶ぜっ対たい？

      Zettai? is a much more emphatic way to ask. Hontō-ni? is a safer bet in most situations. Clip the final ni for more emphasis.

      You don’t mean it? (You’re joking?)

      Jōdan-desho?

      冗じょう談だんでしょ？

      Jōdan-darō? ♂

      冗じょう談だんだろう？

      But, of course, there are times when you want to make your point forcefully. Here are some words and phrases that will help you make a bigger impact. Just be careful with the negative ones!

      Absolutely!

      Zettai!

      絶ぜっ対たい！

      Definitely!

      Hontō-ni!

      本ほん当とうに！

      Hontō-ni sō-dayo-ne!

      本ほん当とうにそうだよね！

      Hontō-ni sō-dayo-na! ♂

      本ほん当とうにそうだよな！

      Maji-de.

      マジで。

      When using Majide to mean “Definitely,” you can lengthen the final e sound, but don’t raise the intonation (as with “Really?”)

      Of course!

      Atarimae-deshō!

      当あたり前まえでしょう！

      Atarimae-dayo! ♂

      当あたり前まえだよ！

      Used in the sense of “That goes without saying!”

      Mochiron!

      もちろん！

      Usually used as an answer to a question.

      You better believe it!

      Hontō-datte!

      本ほん当とうだって！

      Hontō-dayo!

      本ほん当とうだよ！

      That’s it!

      Sō-yo!

      そうよ！

      Sore-yo! ♀

      それよ！