1 Getting to Know You
Hello! Hi!
Ohayō!
おはよう！
Kon’nichi-wa!
こんにちは！
Komban-wa!
こんばんは！
Ohayō! is used in the morning, say until 10 a.m., and with people you’re seeing for the first time that day. Kon’nichiwa! is for the daytime, and Komban-wa! for the evening. As everyday phrases, there are many variations and contractions of these, formal and informal, and they differ between regions of Japan—but these are the universal standards!
Hajimemashite
はじめまして。
This is a (somewhat formal) word you use to say hi to someone you haven’t met before.
Allow us to introduce ourselves.
Atashitachi-no jikoshōkai sasete. ♀
あたしたちの自じ己こ紹しょう介かいさせて。
Bokutachi-no jikoshōkai sasete. ♂
僕ぼくたちの自じ己こ紹しょう介かいさせて。
Would you introduce your friends?
Anata-no tomodachi-o shōkai shite? ♀
あなたの友とも達だちを紹しょう介かいして？
Kimi-no tomodachi-o shōkai shite? ♂
君きみの友とも達だちを紹しょう介かいして？
I’m...
Atashi-wa... ♀
あたしは...
Boku-wa... ♂
僕ぼくは...
This is usually your first chance to practice katakanaized pronunciation. It’s sometimes a good idea to say your name in its original pronunciation first, and then in katakana form, which lets your new friend choose whether to try the “foreign version” or play safe with katakana—a choice they’ll appreciate.
Where do you live?
Doko-ni sunderu-no?
どこに住すんでるの？
Where are you from?
Doko kara kitano?
どこから来きたの？
Where is your hometown?
Jimoto doko?
地じ元もとどこ？
Where do you come from?
Dokkara kita-no?
どっから来きたの？
Doko-ni sunderu-no? should be used if you are introduced by someone. If there is no introduction, both Doko-ni sunderu-no? and Dokkara kita-no? are okay and both produce the same answer. Girls might tell you their address, or they may just say atchi あっち , meaning “over there.”
I’m from America/the U.K./Australia/New Zealand.
Atashi-wa Amerika/Igirisu/Ōsutoraria/Nyūjīrando-kara kita-no. ♀
あたしはアメリカ/イギリス/オーストラリア/ニュージーランドから来きたの。
Boku-wa Amerika/Igirisu/ Ōsutoraria/Nyūjīrandokara kita. ♂
僕ぼくはアメリカ/イギリス/オーストラリア/ニュージーラ ンドから来きた。
The Japanese don’t have a word for Britain—Igirisu is it, and the distinction between England, Great Britain and the U.K. is usually lost on the Japanese. Those wanting to emphasise their Scottish or Welsh background can substitute Sukottorando スコットランドorUēruzu ウェールズ .
How old are you?
Nansai?
何なん歳さい?
To this question, girls will usually answer with Atete!, Nansai-da-to omou? あてて！何なん歳さいだと思おもう？ “Guess! How old do you think I am?,” or Ikutsu-ni mieru? いくつにみえ る？ “How old do I look?”
Are you an only child?
Anata hitorikko? ♀
あなた一ひと人りっ子？
Kimi hitorikko? ♂
君きみ一ひと人りっ子？
Another way to ask this is:
Do you have any siblings?
Kyōdai-wa iruno?
兄きょう弟だいはいるの？
Are you the oldest?
Anata ichiban ue? ♀
あなた一いち番ばん上うえ？
Kimi ichiban ue? ♂
君きみ一いち番ばん上うえ？
Another way to ask this is:
Are you the oldest son/second son/youngest?
Chōnan/jinan/suekko?
長ちょう男なん／次じ男なん／末すえっ子こ？
Are you the oldest daughter/second daughter/youngest?
Chōjo/jijo/suekko?
長ちょう女じょ／次じ女じょ／末すえっ子こ？
Are you a student?
Gakusei?
学がく生せい？
The answer might be kōkōsei 高こう校こう生せい (highschoolstudent) daigakusei 大だい学がく生せい (university student), sen-mon-gakkōsei 専せん門もん学がっ校こう生せい (student of a specialist school–e.g. dental assistant, nurse...), tandaisei 短たん大だい生せい (junior/two-year college student, almost all of whom are women).
What type of school?
Don’na gakkō?
どんな学がっ校こう？
I went to a regular/special (trade) school.
Atashi-wa-futsū-no/senmon gakkō-ni itta. ♀
あたしは普ふ通つうの／専せん門もん学がっ校こうに行いった。
Boku-wa futsū-no/senmon gakkō-ni itta. ♂
僕ぼくは普ふ通つうの／専せん門もん学がっ校こうに行いった。
Where are you studying? (i.e. at what institution)
Doko-de benkyō shiteru-no?
どこで勉べん強きょうしてるの？