Japanese Lesson #1

Now that I’ve worked out how to get Japanese on my computer, I can start the Japanese lessons. Nice and easy to begin with, just a few basic greetings. If you speak to anyone else that reads this blog, try and use one of these phrases. Bi/Multi-lingualism is a beautiful thing.

In order is the English meaning, the word/phrase in Japanese and the pronunciation phonetically (small letters = soft, capitals = hard; ~ = hold the letter before for double the length), the hiragana and the katakana:

Good morning
Ohayo gozaimasu / o-high-O go-sigh-mass
おはよ ございます / オハヨ ゴザイマス

Good afternoon
Konnichiwa / Kon~EE-chEE-wa
こんにちは / コンニチハ

Good evening
Konbanwa / Kon-ban-wa
こんばんは / コンバンハ

Please
Onegai Shimasu / o-ne-guy shih-mass
おねがい します / オネガイ シマス

Thank you
Arigatou / a-rEE-ga-toe
ありがとう / アリガトウ

How are you? / Okay?
Genki desu ka / gen-kEE dess kah
げんきですか / ゲンキデスカ

I’m fine / Okay
Genki / gen-kEE
げんき / ゲンキ

Goodbye
Sayonara / sigh-o-nah-rah
さよなら / サヨナラ