Japanese Studies Program @York University       

JP1000 Introductory Lecture 01

sound file

Useful Expressions: GREETINGS (Àisatsu  あいさつ）
ENGLISH JAPANESE
KANA VERSION                                                                               
Good morning. Ohayoo gozaimàs(u).  / Ohayoo. [casual] おはよう ございます。/ おはよう。
Good afternoon/Hello. Konnichi wa. こんにちは。
Good evening. Konban wa. こんばんは。
Good night. Oyasumi nasai. おやすみ なさい。
Hi! Dòomo. どうも。
Good bye. Sayoonara. / Sh(i)tsùreeshimas(u). [more polite]
 		さような ら。/ しつれいします。
See you (later). Jàa, mata. / Jàa, mata (àto de). じゃあ、 また（あとで）。
See you tomorrow. Jàa mata ash(i)ta. じゃあ、 またあした。
How are you? Ogènki des(u) ka? おげんき ですか。
(Thank you for asking) I'm fine. (Okagesama de) Gènki des(u). （おかげ さまで）げんきです。
Yes. hài / èe はい / ええ
No. iie いいえ
How is it?/How are things? Dòo des(u) ka? / Ikàga des(u) ka? [more polite]
 どうですか / いかがですか。
So so. Màa maa des(u).

まあまあ です。
Long time no see. Shibàraku desu nee. しばらく ですねえ。
Mr./Mrs./Ms ______ _____-sàn / _____-sensèe *
 ＿＿＿さん / ＿＿＿せんせい
I am _____. _____ dès(u). / Watashi wa _____ dès(u). ＿＿＿ です。/ わたしは ＿＿＿ です。
How do you do? Hajimemàsh(i)te, dòozo yorosh(i)ku. はじめま して、どうぞよろしく。
How do you do? [likewise] Kochira kòso, doozo yorosh(i)ku. こちらこ そ、どうぞよろしく。

 video file

Hints & Suggestions

The above greetings are usually accompanied by o-jigi 'bowing'. When you bow, you should stop and stand erect and straight with your heels together.
In Japanese culturethe function of greetings is not to show friendliness but rather to confirm social relationship. It is more like a serious ritual, so
Japanese people tend to be quite formal in greetings. The angle of bowing depends on whom you are bowing to, and the more senior the person is, the
deeper it becomes. Let's practise it with you instructor. Body language is often more important than words. To be sure, many Japanese shake hands with
non-Japanese these days, so one has to be flexible as well.

* Please use sensee when you address to your professor, teacher, medical doctor, lawyer, and (politician) by itself or as in Yoshida-sensee.

Exchanging meeshi (or meishi) 'name cards' is a common practice among business people. Name cards are extremely helpful in remembering names
and other information of the other party. Usually a junior person presents his/her card first politely to the senior person. In a conference situation, it is
helpful to place cards in front of you on the desk so that you can easily identify other participants.

© Norio Ota 2021