logging in or signing up Japanese: the Absolute Basics jbtutor Download Post to : URL : Related Presentations : Share Add to Flag Embed Email Send to Blogs and Networks Add to Channel Uploaded from authorPOINT lite Insert YouTube videos in PowerPont slides with aS Desktop Copy embed code: (To copy code, click on the text box) Embed: URL: Thumbnail: WordPress Embed Customize Embed The presentation is successfully added In Your Favorites. Views: 234 Category: Education License: All Rights Reserved Like it (0) Dislike it (0) Added: December 07, 2009 This Presentation is Public Favorites: 1 Presentation Description The absolute basics of the Japanese language. This content is vital to taking the first big steps towards proficiency, and vital for learning more advanced parts of the language. http//jbedu.podbean.com for Japanese for Beginners podcast; http://edufire.com/jbedu for 1 on 1 tutoring and group online classes. Comments Posting comment... Premium member Presentation Transcript Japanese: The Absolute Basics : Japanese: The Absolute Basics By Jeremiah Bourque Hiragana & Katakana : Hiragana & Katakana Like the alphabet, hiragana and katakana represent different sounds. Hiragana is curvier and represents native Japanese words not covered by kanji, as an example of usage. Katakana was developed as a women’s handwriting system in China and was adopted for Japan in due course. Handy Charts : Handy Charts You can download similar charts from http://jbedu.podbean.com (my Japanese for Beginners podcast) if you don’t have any of your own. The following is a brief taste. Romaji : Romaji Romaji, lit. “Roman Characters,” means characters like those you are reading right now. They are Western characters and are used for things like road signs, even in Japan, as part of Westernization, which resumed after WWII. We can’t have American soldiers getting lost, now can we? Shi, Chi and Tzu : Shi, Chi and Tzu Good romanization practices (that is, using the English alphabet to demonstrate pronunciation) shows the following, so older systems can be left by the wayside: し＝shi (シ in katakana) ち＝chi (チ in katakana) っ＝tsu (ツ in katakana) The Canadian “Eh” AndThe Not So Big “O” : The Canadian “Eh” AndThe Not So Big “O” へ＝e, like the “eh” of Canada (ヘ） を＝o, like in “oh” （ヲ） Yes, the top two look extremely similar. These characters are “he” and “wo” in the charts, but are romanized as “e” and “o” (and should be). Ha and Wa : Ha and Wa は = wa (ハ). It’s written “ha,” but it’s clearly pronounced as “wa.” Exceptions to Usual Rules : Exceptions to Usual Rules ぢ=ji (ヂ）, even though it reads as “di”. づ=zu (ヅ）, even though it reads as “du.” I have seen names such as “Minazuki” which read like “Minaduki” in kana, but which are absolutely pronounced “Minazuki.” These should never be romanized as “Minaduki” etc., but sometimes are out of ignorance. Double Consonants : Double Consonants As you might have guessed, Japanese does not have consonants without vowels in their alphabet, with the sole exception of “n” So how does one write “katta” in Japanese? Like this: かった The half-size “tsu” indicates it for us. Double “N” : Double “N” If I’m disappointed, and I want to write “zannen” to express that, how do I do it in hiragana? ざんねん Za + n + ne + n It takes extra work to make sure a word processor recognizes the first “n” alone, but it is what it is. Katakana & Long Vowels : Katakana & Long Vowels In hiragana, a long vowel is plain as day: おかあさん reads as “okaasan” (and is never read as “okasan”). But in katakana, a dash is used, though no one would write the above in katakana. So let’s write card: カード Thus, “kaado”, an English loan word. Don’t Worry About Little N’s : Don’t Worry About Little N’s Textbooks teach us that Japanese people are rarely consciously aware of the different pronunciations of the “n” sound in isolation, like んだ (nda), which is an abbreviation for “no da” (we’ll cover that later). So don’t worry about that too much. Dropped Vowels : Dropped Vowels Dialects vary across Japan but, one thing to pick out is a dropped vowel between voiceless consonants (k, s, t, p, and h) or at the end of something that is preceded by them. Example: すきです (suki desu), for “I like it.” In pronunciation, this would sound like “ski desu” without irony. Japan: Pitch Accent, Not Stress Accent : Japan: Pitch Accent, Not Stress Accent As a rule of thumb, “authentic Japanese people” stress different pitches depending on where they come from; but the syllables are not any longer and louder in and of themselves, as they’d be in different English dialects. Ex.: なまえ as naMAE, たかい as taKAi Katakana: Loan Word Variations : Katakana: Loan Word Variations Katakana uses variations with small vowels to try to express Western words that don’t exist naturally in Japanese. カリフォルニア = California ディナーパーティー ＝ dinner party The Basics : The Basics Waking up: Ohayou Meeting stranger in morning: Ohayou Gozaimasu Meeting stranger in mid-day: Konnichi wa Meeting stranger in evening: Konban wa Fond farewell: Sayonara More Basics : More Basics Goodnight: Oyasumi nasai Thanks: Arigatou Thank you very much: Arigatou gozaimasu Oops, sorry: Sumimasen No problem: iie (in this case I’m heading off: ittekimasu Still More Basics : Still More Basics Come back soon: Itterashai I’m back: Tadaima Welcome back: Okaeri nasai Saying Grace: Itadakimasu (No religious connotation per se) It was delicious: “Gochisou sama” Very pleased to meet you: Hajimemashite. Douzo yoroshiku. Recap of Time Of Day Greetings : Recap of Time Of Day Greetings Ohayou : Good morning Ohayou gozaimasu : Old, polite, ritualistic way of saying “good morning” Konnichi wa: Good day, good afternoon Konban wa: Good evening Sayonara: (lit. “sayounara”) Goodbye, but not as flippant as “later dude” Meal Etiquette : Meal Etiquette To “itadaku” is to humbly receive, as if holding it above one’s head before accepting it. “masu” is a verb conjugation form. So, “itadakimasu” is, “I humbly receive this meal from you.” “Gochisou sama” reads like “’twas like a feast!” and is a compliment. First Meetings : First Meetings “Hajimemashite” refers to this being the first (“hajime”) meeting. It is usually understood as “How do you do?” “Douzo (doozo) yoroshiku” is first a request, and second, something reading much like “best regards.” So, “Please give me your best regards.” This is an old ritual surviving to modern times. First Name/ No Gozaimasu Basis : First Name/ No Gozaimasu Basis Friends don’t need to say “ohayou gozaimasu”; nor do family. The “gozaimasu” is itself an Edo-period (Japan medieval) relic. Thus, it is part of an inter-personal ritual when meeting strangers – generally Japanese of course – in the course of daily business. So there is such a thing as being on no-gozaimasu terms, in a way of speaking. Goodbye, But Not So Long : Goodbye, But Not So Long If we say “ja mata,” which itself is short for “de wa, mata,” this is like, “see you soon” or “see you again” (the 2nd in a more formal way). Saying “shitsurei shimasu” is excusing yourself, like saying “Pardon me” or “excuse me” on the way out. Excuse Me, But… : Excuse Me, But… “Sumimasen” is used much like “excuse me,” and is like a less stiff version of “shitsurei shimasu” (lit. “I am being rude (but)”). It is used to get a person’s attention or to excuse oneself after a faux pas (which is French for “wrong step” so if a girl steps on your foot with a high heel, it’s a faux pas – literally!). Don’t Mention It : Don’t Mention It Japanese will use “iie” as a “no problem” or “don’t mention it” in a way quite similar to the French using “c’est rien” (it’s nothing). Put another way, if one side says “I’m sorry to impose,” the other side says “Not at all.” (You are not imposing. I take no offense.) “Betsu ni” is more like “Nothing…” or “It’s nothing…” in a more dismissive way. Romaji Exercises : Romaji Exercises As this is a basics class, we’re going to go through some really basic scenarios without using katakana and hiragana. Since a lot of words are spelled the same way, real Japanese people use kanji – Chinese characters – to differentiate and act as visual signposts, but that’s a whole new level of difficulty. At Least Give Me The Time Of Day : At Least Give Me The Time Of Day “Sumimasen. Ima nanji desu ka?” “Juuniji han desu.” “Arigatou gozaimasu.” “iie.” <- Using lower case so everyone sees it’s not “L” but “i”. What time is it? /It’s 12:30. /Thank you very much. /It’s nothing. Why 12:30? : Why 12:30? “Juu ni ji” means 10 + 2 hours. “Han” means “half” so, it’s half past 12. Thus, 12:30 (in this case, early afternoon). You’re Not From Around Here, Are You? : You’re Not From Around Here, Are You? “Ano, ryuugakusei desu ka?” “Ee.” Arizona daigaku no gakusei desu.” “Sou desu ka. Senmon wa nan desu ka?” “Nihongo desu. Ima ninensei desu.” Translation : Translation “Um, are you a foreign exchange student?” “Yeah. I’m from Arizona University.” “Ah, I see. What’s your major?” “Japanese. I’m a sophomore now.” Ni nen = 2 years. So, sophomore. “Ano” can be read as “Um” or “hey,” but not in a pushy way. The Little Things : The Little Things Girls will especially use “ee” instead of “hai” when being especially informal, so rather than “yes,” read this more like “yeah”. “Sou desu ka” is lit. “Is that so?” but is usually understood as English speakers would use, “I see.” or “I see…” Basic Vocabulary (Romaji) : Basic Vocabulary (Romaji) ima = now Eigo = English Gakusei = student Nihongo = Japanese (language) Gogo = P.M. Gozen = A.M. Sensei = teacher, professor Basic Vocabulary: Suffixes : Basic Vocabulary: Suffixes -sai = _ years old -san = Mr. / Mrs., when used formally -ji = o’clock -jin = a __ person (e.g. Japanese) Basic Vocabulary, Cont. : Basic Vocabulary, Cont. Senmon = major (lit. area of expertise) Sou desu = “Is that so.” Daigaku = university Denwa = telephone Tomodachi = friend Namae = name Nihon = Japan (can sound like ‘nippon’) More Basic Vocabulary : More Basic Vocabulary -nen sei = __ year student Ryuugakusei = foreign exchange student Hai = yes iie = no Watashi = 1st person pronoun; “I” Countries! : Countries! Amerika = U.S.A. Igirisu = England (United Kingdom) Oosutoraria = Australia Kankoku = Korea Sueeden = Sweden Chuugoku = China Kanada = Canada Majors! : Majors! Kagaku = Science Ajia Kenkyuu = Asian Studies Keizai = Economics Kokusai Kankei = International Relations Konpyuutaa = Computer Science Bijinesu = Business Rekishi = History Occupations! – Shigoto – : Occupations! – Shigoto – Isha = Doctor Kaisha-in = Office Worker Koukousei = High School Student Shufu = Housewife Daigakusei = University Student Daigaku-in-sei = Graduate Student Bengoshi = Lawyer Family! : Family! Okaa-san = Mother Otou-san = Father Onee-san = Big Sister Onii-san = Big Brother Imouto = Little Sister Otouto = Little Brother And That’s A Wrap! : And That’s A Wrap! Japanese for Beginners podcast: http://jbedu.podbean.com Tutor profile page: http://edufire.com/jbedu Now offering Introductory Japanese 1 on 1 sessions over Skype (arranged through eduFire or otherwise) at low introductory rates. Details at above URL. You do not have the permission to view this presentation. In order to view it, please contact the author of the presentation.
Japanese: the Absolute Basics jbtutor Download Post to : URL : Related Presentations : Share Add to Flag Embed Email Send to Blogs and Networks Add to Channel Uploaded from authorPOINT lite Insert YouTube videos in PowerPont slides with aS Desktop Copy embed code: (To copy code, click on the text box) Embed: URL: Thumbnail: WordPress Embed Customize Embed The presentation is successfully added In Your Favorites. Views: 234 Category: Education License: All Rights Reserved Like it (0) Dislike it (0) Added: December 07, 2009 This Presentation is Public Favorites: 1 Presentation Description The absolute basics of the Japanese language. This content is vital to taking the first big steps towards proficiency, and vital for learning more advanced parts of the language. http//jbedu.podbean.com for Japanese for Beginners podcast; http://edufire.com/jbedu for 1 on 1 tutoring and group online classes. Comments Posting comment... Premium member Presentation Transcript Japanese: The Absolute Basics : Japanese: The Absolute Basics By Jeremiah Bourque Hiragana & Katakana : Hiragana & Katakana Like the alphabet, hiragana and katakana represent different sounds. Hiragana is curvier and represents native Japanese words not covered by kanji, as an example of usage. Katakana was developed as a women’s handwriting system in China and was adopted for Japan in due course. Handy Charts : Handy Charts You can download similar charts from http://jbedu.podbean.com (my Japanese for Beginners podcast) if you don’t have any of your own. The following is a brief taste. Romaji : Romaji Romaji, lit. “Roman Characters,” means characters like those you are reading right now. They are Western characters and are used for things like road signs, even in Japan, as part of Westernization, which resumed after WWII. We can’t have American soldiers getting lost, now can we? Shi, Chi and Tzu : Shi, Chi and Tzu Good romanization practices (that is, using the English alphabet to demonstrate pronunciation) shows the following, so older systems can be left by the wayside: し＝shi (シ in katakana) ち＝chi (チ in katakana) っ＝tsu (ツ in katakana) The Canadian “Eh” AndThe Not So Big “O” : The Canadian “Eh” AndThe Not So Big “O” へ＝e, like the “eh” of Canada (ヘ） を＝o, like in “oh” （ヲ） Yes, the top two look extremely similar. These characters are “he” and “wo” in the charts, but are romanized as “e” and “o” (and should be). Ha and Wa : Ha and Wa は = wa (ハ). It’s written “ha,” but it’s clearly pronounced as “wa.” Exceptions to Usual Rules : Exceptions to Usual Rules ぢ=ji (ヂ）, even though it reads as “di”. づ=zu (ヅ）, even though it reads as “du.” I have seen names such as “Minazuki” which read like “Minaduki” in kana, but which are absolutely pronounced “Minazuki.” These should never be romanized as “Minaduki” etc., but sometimes are out of ignorance. Double Consonants : Double Consonants As you might have guessed, Japanese does not have consonants without vowels in their alphabet, with the sole exception of “n” So how does one write “katta” in Japanese? Like this: かった The half-size “tsu” indicates it for us. Double “N” : Double “N” If I’m disappointed, and I want to write “zannen” to express that, how do I do it in hiragana? ざんねん Za + n + ne + n It takes extra work to make sure a word processor recognizes the first “n” alone, but it is what it is. Katakana & Long Vowels : Katakana & Long Vowels In hiragana, a long vowel is plain as day: おかあさん reads as “okaasan” (and is never read as “okasan”). But in katakana, a dash is used, though no one would write the above in katakana. So let’s write card: カード Thus, “kaado”, an English loan word. Don’t Worry About Little N’s : Don’t Worry About Little N’s Textbooks teach us that Japanese people are rarely consciously aware of the different pronunciations of the “n” sound in isolation, like んだ (nda), which is an abbreviation for “no da” (we’ll cover that later). So don’t worry about that too much. Dropped Vowels : Dropped Vowels Dialects vary across Japan but, one thing to pick out is a dropped vowel between voiceless consonants (k, s, t, p, and h) or at the end of something that is preceded by them. Example: すきです (suki desu), for “I like it.” In pronunciation, this would sound like “ski desu” without irony. Japan: Pitch Accent, Not Stress Accent : Japan: Pitch Accent, Not Stress Accent As a rule of thumb, “authentic Japanese people” stress different pitches depending on where they come from; but the syllables are not any longer and louder in and of themselves, as they’d be in different English dialects. Ex.: なまえ as naMAE, たかい as taKAi Katakana: Loan Word Variations : Katakana: Loan Word Variations Katakana uses variations with small vowels to try to express Western words that don’t exist naturally in Japanese. カリフォルニア = California ディナーパーティー ＝ dinner party The Basics : The Basics Waking up: Ohayou Meeting stranger in morning: Ohayou Gozaimasu Meeting stranger in mid-day: Konnichi wa Meeting stranger in evening: Konban wa Fond farewell: Sayonara More Basics : More Basics Goodnight: Oyasumi nasai Thanks: Arigatou Thank you very much: Arigatou gozaimasu Oops, sorry: Sumimasen No problem: iie (in this case I’m heading off: ittekimasu Still More Basics : Still More Basics Come back soon: Itterashai I’m back: Tadaima Welcome back: Okaeri nasai Saying Grace: Itadakimasu (No religious connotation per se) It was delicious: “Gochisou sama” Very pleased to meet you: Hajimemashite. Douzo yoroshiku. Recap of Time Of Day Greetings : Recap of Time Of Day Greetings Ohayou : Good morning Ohayou gozaimasu : Old, polite, ritualistic way of saying “good morning” Konnichi wa: Good day, good afternoon Konban wa: Good evening Sayonara: (lit. “sayounara”) Goodbye, but not as flippant as “later dude” Meal Etiquette : Meal Etiquette To “itadaku” is to humbly receive, as if holding it above one’s head before accepting it. “masu” is a verb conjugation form. So, “itadakimasu” is, “I humbly receive this meal from you.” “Gochisou sama” reads like “’twas like a feast!” and is a compliment. First Meetings : First Meetings “Hajimemashite” refers to this being the first (“hajime”) meeting. It is usually understood as “How do you do?” “Douzo (doozo) yoroshiku” is first a request, and second, something reading much like “best regards.” So, “Please give me your best regards.” This is an old ritual surviving to modern times. First Name/ No Gozaimasu Basis : First Name/ No Gozaimasu Basis Friends don’t need to say “ohayou gozaimasu”; nor do family. The “gozaimasu” is itself an Edo-period (Japan medieval) relic. Thus, it is part of an inter-personal ritual when meeting strangers – generally Japanese of course – in the course of daily business. So there is such a thing as being on no-gozaimasu terms, in a way of speaking. Goodbye, But Not So Long : Goodbye, But Not So Long If we say “ja mata,” which itself is short for “de wa, mata,” this is like, “see you soon” or “see you again” (the 2nd in a more formal way). Saying “shitsurei shimasu” is excusing yourself, like saying “Pardon me” or “excuse me” on the way out. Excuse Me, But… : Excuse Me, But… “Sumimasen” is used much like “excuse me,” and is like a less stiff version of “shitsurei shimasu” (lit. “I am being rude (but)”). It is used to get a person’s attention or to excuse oneself after a faux pas (which is French for “wrong step” so if a girl steps on your foot with a high heel, it’s a faux pas – literally!). Don’t Mention It : Don’t Mention It Japanese will use “iie” as a “no problem” or “don’t mention it” in a way quite similar to the French using “c’est rien” (it’s nothing). Put another way, if one side says “I’m sorry to impose,” the other side says “Not at all.” (You are not imposing. I take no offense.) “Betsu ni” is more like “Nothing…” or “It’s nothing…” in a more dismissive way. Romaji Exercises : Romaji Exercises As this is a basics class, we’re going to go through some really basic scenarios without using katakana and hiragana. Since a lot of words are spelled the same way, real Japanese people use kanji – Chinese characters – to differentiate and act as visual signposts, but that’s a whole new level of difficulty. At Least Give Me The Time Of Day : At Least Give Me The Time Of Day “Sumimasen. Ima nanji desu ka?” “Juuniji han desu.” “Arigatou gozaimasu.” “iie.” <- Using lower case so everyone sees it’s not “L” but “i”. What time is it? /It’s 12:30. /Thank you very much. /It’s nothing. Why 12:30? : Why 12:30? “Juu ni ji” means 10 + 2 hours. “Han” means “half” so, it’s half past 12. Thus, 12:30 (in this case, early afternoon). You’re Not From Around Here, Are You? : You’re Not From Around Here, Are You? “Ano, ryuugakusei desu ka?” “Ee.” Arizona daigaku no gakusei desu.” “Sou desu ka. Senmon wa nan desu ka?” “Nihongo desu. Ima ninensei desu.” Translation : Translation “Um, are you a foreign exchange student?” “Yeah. I’m from Arizona University.” “Ah, I see. What’s your major?” “Japanese. I’m a sophomore now.” Ni nen = 2 years. So, sophomore. “Ano” can be read as “Um” or “hey,” but not in a pushy way. The Little Things : The Little Things Girls will especially use “ee” instead of “hai” when being especially informal, so rather than “yes,” read this more like “yeah”. “Sou desu ka” is lit. “Is that so?” but is usually understood as English speakers would use, “I see.” or “I see…” Basic Vocabulary (Romaji) : Basic Vocabulary (Romaji) ima = now Eigo = English Gakusei = student Nihongo = Japanese (language) Gogo = P.M. Gozen = A.M. Sensei = teacher, professor Basic Vocabulary: Suffixes : Basic Vocabulary: Suffixes -sai = _ years old -san = Mr. / Mrs., when used formally -ji = o’clock -jin = a __ person (e.g. Japanese) Basic Vocabulary, Cont. : Basic Vocabulary, Cont. Senmon = major (lit. area of expertise) Sou desu = “Is that so.” Daigaku = university Denwa = telephone Tomodachi = friend Namae = name Nihon = Japan (can sound like ‘nippon’) More Basic Vocabulary : More Basic Vocabulary -nen sei = __ year student Ryuugakusei = foreign exchange student Hai = yes iie = no Watashi = 1st person pronoun; “I” Countries! : Countries! Amerika = U.S.A. Igirisu = England (United Kingdom) Oosutoraria = Australia Kankoku = Korea Sueeden = Sweden Chuugoku = China Kanada = Canada Majors! : Majors! Kagaku = Science Ajia Kenkyuu = Asian Studies Keizai = Economics Kokusai Kankei = International Relations Konpyuutaa = Computer Science Bijinesu = Business Rekishi = History Occupations! – Shigoto – : Occupations! – Shigoto – Isha = Doctor Kaisha-in = Office Worker Koukousei = High School Student Shufu = Housewife Daigakusei = University Student Daigaku-in-sei = Graduate Student Bengoshi = Lawyer Family! : Family! Okaa-san = Mother Otou-san = Father Onee-san = Big Sister Onii-san = Big Brother Imouto = Little Sister Otouto = Little Brother And That’s A Wrap! : And That’s A Wrap! Japanese for Beginners podcast: http://jbedu.podbean.com Tutor profile page: http://edufire.com/jbedu Now offering Introductory Japanese 1 on 1 sessions over Skype (arranged through eduFire or otherwise) at low introductory rates. Details at above URL.