MODULE 2: BASIC

EXPRESSIONS AND
GREETINGS
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

 Master pronunciation, expressions and greetings

 Be able to introduce oneself in Nihonggo
 Create a mini-script using the basic expressions and greetings
 GUIDE TO PROPER PRONUNCIATION

JAPANESE SYLLABARY CHART

 It is essential to know a i u e o

how to read the Latinized ka ki ku ke ko

Japanese which differs sa shi* su se so

from English. ta chi tsu te to
na ni nu ne no
ha hi fu* he ho
ma mi mu me mo
ya (i) yu yo
ra ri ru re ro
wa (i) u (e) wo
ga gi gu ge go
 GUIDE TO PROPER PRONUNCIATION

JAPANESE SYLLABARY CHART

 It is essential to know Za* Ji Zu* Ze* Zo

how to read the Latinized Da Ji* (di) Zu* De Do

Japanese which differs Ba Bi Bu Be Bo

from English. Fa* Fi Fu* Fe* Fo
Pa Pi Pu Pe Po
Note: * non-existent in Pilipino
 GUIDE TO PROPER PRONUNCIATION

 Stress. For all intents and purposes, there is no stress in Japanese. So, give the same value
to syllables. E.g. yo-ko-ha-ma
 Vowels. There are only five vowel sounds in Japanese – a, i, u, e and o
Remember that there are no silent letters. So when ‘e’ comes at the end of the word it must
be pronounced. E.g. are = ah-reh
A bar line over a vowel indicates that the vowel is twice as long as the one without a bar line.
E.g. obasan = aunt while obāsan = grandmother
Vowels often appear in combination, but always retain their basic sounds.
e.g. ai = eye; ae = ah-eh; ei = ‘ay’ in pay
 GUIDE TO PROPER PRONUNCIATION

Elongation of vowel sounds and double consonant sounds. The reason that makes these
important is basically the fact that the meaning of the word depends on them.
e.g. shu = sort, kind, type while shuu = week
shoken = one’s opinion (view) while shokken = meal ticket
ojisan = uncle while ojiisan = grandfather

ā = aa; ī= ii; ū = uu; ē = ee; ō = oo

 GUIDE TO PROPER PRONUNCIATION

o Consonants. G as in “go”; j as in “jar”; y as in “yet”

Note that “y” is never a long ‘i’ sound. E.g. the “kyu” of “Kyushu” is like the “cu” of “cute”
and not like the ‘ki’ of kite.
The letter “r” can sound like “l” or even “d”. Although the English type “r” is acceptable, it
will sound nearer the mark if you tap the tip of your tongue against the ridge behind your
upper teeth.
Double consonants are also an important feature of Japanese. Eg. “a-na” = hole while “an-
na” means that kind of
o “hu” = “fu” e.g. hutari = futari
 GUIDE TO PROPER PRONUNCIATION

o “si” = “shi” e.g. higasi = higashi

o “n” or “ň” before “p”, “b”, “m” sounds like “m” in the word umpire. If used before
“k” or “g”, it would sound like “ng” as in genki
When “n” comes before the The “n” sound changes to … Example Sounds like
alphabet…
b/p/m M Shinbun Shimbun
Konban Komban
Konbanwa kombanwa
k/g Ng Genki gengki
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o The pronunciation of “n” is considered a whole syllable. “n” before a vowel is

pronounced longer and nasalized. When followed by n, t,d,s and z sounds it is
pronounced as “n”. When followed by m, p, and b sounds it becomes “m” sound and
if followed by “k” and “g” it becomes “ng)
o “t” before the word “i” is pronounced by making a sound halfway between “ch” and
“ty”
e.g. Tomodati = tomodachi (friend)
titi = chichi (father)
 GUIDE TO PROPER PRONUNCIATION

o “z” before any of the vowel is pronounced “j” as in jeep

e.g. zibiki = jibiki (dictionary); zubon = jubon (pants); zasshi = jassi (magazine)
o The vowels “i” and “u” are sometimes dropped or not pronounced when placed
between k,s,t,p and h or when used at the end of an utterance preceded by voiceless
consonants.
e.g. desu = des; gozaimasu = gozaimas; arimasu = arimas; imasu = imas; sukidesu =
sukides; deshita = deshta
 GUIDE TO PROPER PRONUNCIATION

o “n” ending in Japanese (like pan and son) is considered as two syllables “so” and
“n”
o Accent is only two levels = high or low
e.g. hashi (low-high) = bridge; hashi (high-low) = chopsticks
BASIC PHRASES

A. COMMON GREETINGS
ENGLISH JAPANESE

Hello / Good Afternoon Konnichiwa

Good Morning Ohayo Gozaimasu

Good Evening Konbanwa

Good Night Oyasumi Nasai (formal)

Oyasumi (informal)

I’ll see you later Mata ne! / Ja, mata

How are you? Ogenki desu ka (formal)

Genki? (informal)
BASIC PHRASES

A. COMMON GREETINGS
Fine, thank you. How about you? Hai, okagesama de. Ogenki desu ka (formal)
 
Genki desu. Genki? (informal)

What is your name? Onamae wa nan desu ka

Nice to meet you Hajimemashite

Mr., Mrs., Ms. - san

Example: Mr Yamada – Yamada san

BASIC PHRASES
ENGLISH JAPANESE
Looking forward to our future friendship; Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu
B. COMMON GREETINGS please take good care of me; pleased to meet
you
Please Onegaishimasu
Thank you Doumo arigatou
Thank you very much Doumo arigatou gozaimasu

Thanks! Arigatou
You are welcome Dou itashimashite
No, thanks Iie, kekkou desu
I beg your pardon please Sumimasen, mou ichido onegaishimasu

Sorry / Excuse me Sumimasen

Pardon me / Sorry Gomenasai
That’s okey / No problem Daijobou desu
Yes Hai
No Iie
Maybe Tabun
I don’t understand Wakarimasen
Please take care Ki o tsukete kudasai
It’s been a long time Ohisashiburi desu
BASIC PHRASES
ENGLISH JAPANESE
C. EXPRESSIONS USED AT I’m going but I’ll be back Ittekimasu
(when leaving home)
HOME OR OFFICE Have a good time / See you later Itterasshai
(response to ittekimasu)

Im home! Tadaima
Welcome home (response to Okaerinasai
Tadaima)

Anybody home? Gomen kudasai

I’ll go ahead (used when one Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu
leaves the office before other  
people)  

Thank you for working so hard Otsukaresama deshita

(used when someone finished a  
task)  

Sorry to bother you (used when Ojamashimasu

entering someone’s home or
room)

Used when leaving someone’s Ojamashimashita

home or room

Said before meals Itadakimasu

Said after meals Gochisousama deshita
Please wait for a while Chotto matte kudasai
BASIC PHRASES
ENGLISH JAPANESE
Guest / Customer Okyakusama
D. SIMPLE BUSINESS Welcome! Irasshaimase

EXPRESSIONS Welcome to (hotel) -Hoteru ni youkoso e!

Used to express apology / Moushiwake gozaimasen
unable to meet the guest’s
requests

When committed a big mistake Taihen moushiwake

gozaimasen
Used to ask a guest / customer a Osoreirimasu
favor
Used to tell a guest/customer Kashikomarimashita
that you can do their request

Used to ask a guest to wait Shou shou omachi itadakem

Used when you have kept the Omatase itashimashita

guests waiting
Pardon please / Please repeat Mou ichido onegai
one more time itashimasu
Used when you enter a guest’s Shitsurei itashimasu
room or touch a guest’s luggage
or things

Used when you are leaving the Shitsurei itashimashita

guest room
 BASIC PHRASES

E. HOTEL AND ENGLISH JAPANESE

RESTAURANTS Please have a good day Oki o tsukete itterasshaimase
GREETINGS
We hope to see you again soon Mata no okoshi o omachi shite
orimasu

Thank you for staying with us / Goriyou arigatou gozaimashita

Please have a safe trip

Please enjoy your meal Douzo goyukkuri omeshi agari

kudasai

Thank you for calling Odenwa arigatou gozaimashita

Thank you for your reservation Goyoyaku arigatou

gozaimashita
 BASIC PHRASES
ENGLISH JAPANESE

Stand-up Kiritsu
F. COMMON CLASSROOM
EXPRESSIONS Sit down Chakuseki

Bow (sign of respect) Rei

Absent Imasen

Please raise your right hand Te o agete kudasai

Please keep quiet Shizuka ni shite kudasai

Pass your assignment Shukudai o dashite kudasai

May I go to the CR? Otearai ni itte mo ii desu ka

Yes you may Hai, douzo