Please help me to read this English sentence:

[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

sorry I cannot separate the sections as you have done Yuri.

Hi, dogsbody. My composition must be confusing. It was not separated.
I have rewritten it.


“How to say “Hello” in the Japanese language”

I have heard that native English speakers do not like to repeat what they have just said. Is this right? For example, when you say “Hello”, you would say some other greetings instead of repeating it. When you are said “Nice to meet you”, you would use “You, too” or some other expression instead of repeating “Nice to meet you” without any change.

What I hear is that if you don’t show your vocabulary extensive, you would be regarded to be childish in your countries. However, in Japan, you don’t need to change phrases you have just heard. “Hello” is “Konnichiwa”, and when you are said, “Konnichiwa”, you should reply with “Konnichiwa”. If it is after sunset, people will say “Konbanwa”, so you should respond with “Konbanwa.” No Japanese people would think your vocabulary is poor or that you are not greeting from your heart when you repeat a greeting.

To be honest, I do not see why you would need to demonstrate various expressions all the time when you speak in English. Why? If I may add, many native English speakers always seem to try to present their power, strength and ability as well as their vocabulary. I believe that it must be only natural in some countries, but things are opposite in Japan. People try to avoid showing things off.

This is one example for real about one ex-Yokozuna who was in the highest rank in Sumo. Have you seen Sumo? It’s the traditional Japanese-style wrestling. When a sumo-wrestler from a foreign country held up his fists when he became a champion, Japanese people criticized him saying “He showed off his victory.” We prefer coolness. He showed off what he had done too much and people hated it.

Now, there is another example in Tokyo. I was in a train which was in a station with the doors open. When a woman was about to get on, the doors started closing. One American man held the door with his hands and let the woman through. The sensor of the doors may have detected an error, the doors opened again, and we heard an announcement saying that they had troubles with the doors. The American man held up his fists smiling, yelling and looking around, and then looked at people nearby. No one responded him or said anything there. I was just surprised to see how an American man showed off his strength.

Anyway, you do not need to represent your strength or rich vocabulary in Japan.
You may say why showing your strength is connected with your wide vocabulary, but proving your large vocabulary all the time seems to be demonstrating your ability for me. If you do the worst that could happen is Japanese people may dislike you. However, showing your ability and vocabulary must be only too natural for you, and you might not understand what I mean here. Just keep in mind, if you are planning to visit Japan, "THE NAIL THAT STICKS OUT GETS BANGED DOWN." Demonstrating your abilities too much is sometimes regarded as destroying the harmony in my country.

I ask for your kind understanding that I just want to say there are many differences among countries, and don’t mean to offend any foreign cultures. I just hope this will help you if you have a chance to work with Japanese people in the future. Lastly, I just want you know; if Japanese people do not seem to be with a confident, they just prefer to be humility and are not fool.

Thank you.

[JamboP26]

Originally Posted by YuriTokoro

Yes, you are right.
“Ohayoh” is from “Ohayoh Gozaimasu”, and “Oyasumi” is from “Oyasuminasai”.



I’ve never said that. I would say “Genki datta?” meaning like “How have you been?”
I would say “Genki?” only when talking on the phone and can’t see the face you are talking. Only on the phone, mails and Emails. The polite expression is “Ogenki desuka?”
When you see the friend’s face, you know whether she is OK or not, and you don’t need to ask how is the person at the point. However, if your close friend seemed to be really depressed, you can say “Genki?”, but we don’t call it greetings.

I've used 'O-Genki desu ka?' before, but never heard of 'Genki datta', so thank you. Can you use 'Genki?' on the phone or in e-mail when you are required to be formal, like when talking to a boss, or higher authority?

[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by JamboP26

I've used 'O-Genki desu ka?' before, but never heard of 'Genki datta', so thank you.

Please be sure that it’s “Genki datta?” It is a question and the subject is a person you are talking to. That means “How have you been”?
If you write ”Genki datta”, the subject is yourself, and that means “I’ve been fine”. However, few people say so, because that is confusing.
Don’t forget the question mark!
And if you want to write “I’ve been fine” or “I’m fine”, the sentence should be “Watashi wa genki yo” (casual) or, “Watashi wa genki desu”(formal).

Can you use 'Genki?' on the phone or in e-mail when you are required to be formal, like when talking to a boss, or higher authority?

The polite expression is “Ogenki desuka?”
The more polite expression is “Ogenki de irasshaimasuka?”
The most polite one is “Ogenki de irassharu kototo zonjimasu.”
I think “Ogenki desuka?” will do.
You can say “Genki?” only to your friends.

I have put spaces between words here, but usually I use The Japanese letters and we don’t use spaces. So I don’t know how to insert spaces correctly when writing Japanese with alphabets.

[JamboP26]

Originally Posted by YuriTokoro

Please be sure that it’s “Genki datta?” It is a question and the subject is a person you are talking to. That means “How have you been”?
If you write ”Genki datta”, the subject is yourself, and that means “I’ve been fine”. However, few people say so, because that is confusing.
Don’t forget the question mark!
And if you want to write “I’ve been fine” or “I’m fine”, the sentence should be “Watashi wa genki yo” (casual) or, “Watashi wa genki desu”(formal).


The polite expression is “Ogenki desuka?”
The more polite expression is “Ogenki de irasshaimasuka?”
The most polite one is “Ogenki de irassharu kototo zonjimasu.”
I think “Ogenki desuka?” will do.
You can say “Genki?” only to your friends.

I have put spaces between words here, but usually I use The Japanese letters and we don’t use spaces. So I don’t know how to insert spaces correctly when writing Japanese with alphabets.

Thank you so much for this, Yuri. I will learn & remember these.

I understand, & its ok. Just put what you think it is & I'm sure people will understand what you mean

[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by JamboP26

Thank you so much for this, Yuri. I will learn & remember these.

You are welcome.
Ask me anything about Japan, anytime.

I understand, & its ok. Just put what you think it is & I'm sure people will understand what you mean.

Thank you for understanding.

[hitotsz]

Originally Posted by YuriTokoro

You are welcome.
Ask me anything about Japan, anytime.


Thank you for understanding.

Is it okay if I ask something about Japan in this thread?

[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by hitotsz

Is it okay if I ask something about Japan in this thread?

Of course.
Big welcomes, if you allow me to extract from what you ask to include in my compositions.

[dogsbody70]

May I suggest that for those who wish to ask Yuri questions about Japanese, that new thread is started for that purpose rather than use this thread which is for Yuril learning English. Isn't it?

[dogsbody70]

Originally Posted by YuriTokoro

Hi, dogsbody. My composition must be confusing. It was not separated.
I have rewritten it.


“How to say “Hello” in the Japanese language”

I have heard that native English speakers do not like to repeat what they have just said. Is this right? For example, when you say “Hello”, you would say some other greetings instead of repeating it. When you are said “Nice to meet you”, you would use “You, too” or some other expression instead of repeating “Nice to meet you” without any change.

What I hear is that if you don’t show your vocabulary extensive, you would be regarded to be childish in your countries. However, in Japan, you don’t need to change phrases you have just heard. “Hello” is “Konnichiwa”, and when you are said, “Konnichiwa”, you should reply with “Konnichiwa”. If it is after sunset, people will say “Konbanwa”, so you should respond with “Konbanwa.” No Japanese people would think your vocabulary is poor or that you are not greeting from your heart when you repeat a greeting.

To be honest, I do not see why you would need to demonstrate various expressions all the time when you speak in English. Why? If I may add, many native English speakers always seem to try to present their power, strength and ability as well as their vocabulary. I believe that it must be only natural in some countries, but things are opposite in Japan. People try to avoid showing things off.

This is one example for real about one ex-Yokozuna who was in the highest rank in Sumo. Have you seen Sumo? It’s the traditional Japanese-style wrestling. When a sumo-wrestler from a foreign country held up his fists when he became a champion, Japanese people criticized him saying “He showed off his victory.” We prefer coolness. He showed off what he had done too much and people hated it.

Now, there is another example in Tokyo. I was in a train which was in a station with the doors open. When a woman was about to get on, the doors started closing. One American man held the door with his hands and let the woman through. The sensor of the doors may have detected an error, the doors opened again, and we heard an announcement saying that they had troubles with the doors. The American man held up his fists smiling, yelling and looking around, and then looked at people nearby. No one responded him or said anything there. I was just surprised to see how an American man showed off his strength.

Anyway, you do not need to represent your strength or rich vocabulary in Japan.
You may say why showing your strength is connected with your wide vocabulary, but proving your large vocabulary all the time seems to be demonstrating your ability for me. If you do the worst that could happen is Japanese people may dislike you. However, showing your ability and vocabulary must be only too natural for you, and you might not understand what I mean here. Just keep in mind, if you are planning to visit Japan, "THE NAIL THAT STICKS OUT GETS BANGED DOWN." Demonstrating your abilities too much is sometimes regarded as destroying the harmony in my country.

I ask for your kind understanding that I just want to say there are many differences among countries, and don’t mean to offend any foreign cultures. I just hope this will help you if you have a chance to work with Japanese people in the future. Lastly, I just want you know; if Japanese people do not seem to be with a confident, they just prefer to be humility and are not fool.

Thank you.

yuri, I honestly believe that you need to start a specific thread where you can help other members learn more about Japan and the Japanese. If we use this thread, that will be too confusing I believe.

[dogsbody70]

part of Yuri's recent message about behaviour in Japan.

"Anyway, you do not need to represent your strength or rich vocabulary in Japan.
You may say why showing your strength is connected with your wide vocabulary, but proving your large vocabulary all the time seems to be demonstrating your ability for me. If you do the worst that could happen is Japanese people may dislike you. However, showing your ability and vocabulary must be only too natural for you, and you might not understand what I mean here. Just keep in mind, if you are planning to visit Japan, "THE NAIL THAT STICKS OUT GETS BANGED DOWN." Demonstrating your abilities too much is sometimes regarded as destroying the harmony in my country."

It seems that you dislike individuals doing things that may draw unwanted attention to them.


That American who held the train doors open-- I guess thought he was being helpful.

I have never been to america-- so do not know if that would be a common occurrence.

I have seen films where Passengers on crowded trains inJapan are pushed in by special Guards-- that must be awful really-- I know that I would panic if I was forced backwards into the crowded train.


When you mention the nail that is banged down means that nobody is supposed to do anything that will draw attention to them.

Visitors from other countries--will surely try to co-operate if they understand the Rules and regulations of your country.

I asked you about the group where one girl would suggest they go to a certain film-- and the rest would agree rather than cause disharmony. so therefore== aothough some of them may not actually want to go to that film, they will just agree and go with the others.


Personally I find that hard, surely a discussion should take place so that others can give their opinions.


I would not want to be forced to go somewhere that I did not wish to go to-- just because one person in a group makes the suggestion.

Harmony at any cost. Mm. That is not democratic really.

It s a case of always doing as one is told--individuality being strongly discouraged.

No doubt visitors will try to behave well. it should take some real adjustment for those who go to japan-- needing to respect the Japanese way of life.