Kaze Uta Budo Kai Forum Archive

Basics #1

Walking around

New Words

Ohayo Gozaimasu - "Good Morning"
Konnichiwa - "Good Afternoon"
Konbanwa - "Good Evening"
Oyasumi Nasai - "Good Night"
Irrashaimase - "Welcome"
Arigato Gozaimasu - "Thank you very much"

So, if you're walkin' down the streets of Tokyo. And it's about 10 in the morning. You look at an older person and say "Ohayo Gozaimasu" They'll probably say back to you "Ohayo" because you're younger.

If you're hiking along a trail in Nara and it's 3pm, and you see a guy lookin' at you. You can say "Konnichiwa" He'll probably reply with a blank stare or with "Konnichiwa" or with a grunt.

If you're headed to a bar in Osaka, when you enter the door. The wait staff will probably scream at the top of their lungs "Irrashaimase" and maybe a "Konbanwa", you can reply with your own "Konbanwa"

And as you're leaving the bar, the staff will probably say "Arigato Gozaimasu" You can say "Oyasumi Nasai" as you are going to sleep in the taxi.

Practice - Say "Ohayo Gozaimasu, Konnichiwa, Konbanwa, or Oyasumi Nasai" to people that you know depending on the time of day.
If someone says it first to you, respond in kind.

If you are greeting male-male you can also say Oosu! (sp?) It's an abbreviation of Ohayo gozaimasu. This can be used anytime during the day...not just in the morning.