Club Otaku's guide to learning basic japanese
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alright Otakus, what better way to enjoy an anime then to understand what the characters are saying. so i have came out with some simple phrases that are commonly used in animes. feel free to add on more.
A-N
aa - yeah (informal)
ai - love
aishiteru - I love you
ame - rain
anata - you
aneki - slang for big sister
aniki - slang for big brother
ano - colloquial for "ummm"
arigato - thank you
baka (or 'bakayaro')- stupid/idiot
bi - prefix meaning "beautiful"
bishie - short for bishounen
bishoujo - beautiful girl
bishounen - beautiful boy
bijin - beautiful woman
bidan - beautiful man
bikkuri - surprise/surprising
-chan - title put at the end of a name - most often used for friends or siblings of equal standing
chibi - small/shortstuff
chikuso (or 'kuso' for short) = dammit
chotto - a little
chottomatte - wait!
Daijoubu (desu) ka? - Are you okay?
Daijoubu desu ne - that's alright / it's OK
daisuki - I "like" you/it/them
dame - no/bad/wrong etc. (a negative response)
dare - who
dare desu ka - whose it that
demo - but/however
desu - it is/this is
doko - where
domo - thank you (more casual)
dozo - please (e.g. please sit down)
-dono - title put at the end of a name - used for a person of higher standing, but somewhat more honorable than "-san" (not a common word)
doujinshi - fan comics using characters from established anime or manga
etto - er...
ecchi - perverse (less extreme than 'hentai')
fuku - uniform (often referring to the "sailor suits" of Japanese schoolgirls)
fushigi - mysterious
gaijin - a non-Japanese person (literally, it means 'foreigner')
gakusei - student
Ganbare! - Do your best! / Work hard!
Ganbatte! - Do you best! / Hang in there!
Genki - health/energy
Genki desu ka - How are you?
Genki desu - I am fine
Genki o desu - Cheer up
Gomen (ne) - I'm sorry
Gomen nasai - I'm very sorry
gozaimasu - added to the end of certain words such as 'arigato' or 'ohayou' to make it more polite
hajimemashite - pleased to meet you
hanyou - half youkai (demon)
hayai - quick/fast
hazukashii - embarrassing
hen - strange
henshin - transformation
hentai - perverse (more extreme than 'ecchi'); also, sexually explicit anime/manga
hime - princess
Honto?! - Really?!
hai - yes
hana - flower
hayaku - hurry
hi - fire ('ka' is also fire)
Hidoi yo/ne/na! - How cruel/mean!
hikari - light
hikaru - to shine
himitsu - secret
hisashiburi desu - long time no see
hoshi - star
iie - no
ikiteru - to live
ima - now
imoto - little sister
inu - dog
itai! - ow! (painful)
itoshii - darling
itsu (ka) - when
Itte kimasu - I'm leaving
Ja (ne) - See you later (same as 'Ja mata (ne)' and 'Mata ne')
ja nai - is not
Ja matta (ne) - See you later (same as 'Ja (ne)' and 'Mata ne')
jo'o-sama - queen
ka - fire ('hi' is also fire)
kami - god or divine spirit
kanojyo - she (more personal)
kawaii - very cute )
kare - he (more personal)
kaze - wind
ki - tree
kimi - you (more personal e.g. kimi wa petto - you are my pet)
kirei - beautiful/pretty
kiseki - miracle
kitto - sure/surely
kimochi - feeling (often meaning 'that feels good')
Kinishi na - Don't worry about it / It's OK
kitsune - fox
koe - voice
koi - love
kokoro - heart
konbanwa - good night
konnichiwa - hello
kotchi - over here (for calling someone)
kowai - scary
kudasai - please
-kun - title put at the end of a name - usually used for males, both for people of a lower standing (such as a student or a son) and for friends of equal standing
kuzu - scum
Maa, maa! - Now, now!
Machinasai! - Wait!
mada mada dane - you still have a long way to go!
mahou - magic
Masaka! - It can't be!
Mata ne / Mata Ashita - See you later (same as 'Ja mata (ne)' and 'Ja (ne)')
mazoku - demon/monster (more literally, 'evil people')
megami - goddess
minikui - ugly
mina-san - everyone
mite - look
mochiron - of course/naturally
mou - a sound of frustration such as "geez"
nNani mo nai - It's nothing
nan desuka? - what is it?
nani - what
Nani kore? - What is this?
namida - tears
naruhodo - I see/I understand
naze - why
ne(h) - isn't that right / don't you think
neko - cat
ningen - human or humanity
no - particle meaning "of" (example: ai no senshi = soldier of love)
nomimono - drink -
O-Z
oba-san - grandmother or old woman ('ba-san - slang for grandma)
obaa-san - aunt ('baa-san - slang for aunt)
ohayoo - good morning
oji-san - grandfather or old man ('ji-san - slang for grandad)
ojii-san - uncle ('jii-san - slang for uncle)
oka-san - mother ('ka-san - slang for mom)
okashira - leader/boss
omedetou - congratulations
omoshiroi - amusing/funny/interesting
onée-san - big sister or sister-in-law ('née-san - slang for big sister or sister-in-law)
Onegai! - Please!/I beg of you!
onegaishimasu - please do it
oni - ogre/devil
onii-san - big brother ('nii-san - slang for big brother)
otaku - an enthusiastic and often knowledgeable fan of anime (however, in Japan this word can be insulting as it is sometimes used to describe a person with an extreme and unhealthy obsession)
Otanjoubiomedetou gozaimasu! - Happy birthday!
oto-san - father ('to-san - slang for dad)
ototo - little brother ('toto - slang for little brother)
oyaji - pops/old man (a colloquial term for father)
Oyasumi nasai - Good night
rurouni - wanderer/vagabond
-sama - title put at the end of a name - used for very important people or kamis (divine spirits); the most honorable title
-san - title put at the end of a name - used for a person of higher standing, or a person you are not yet familiar with
seiyuu - voice actor
seme - in a homosexual relationship, the 'dominant' or 'male' role
-sempai - title put at the end of a name - used for a senior student/worker with more experience than you
-sensei - title put at the end of a name - used for a teacher; can also be used as a stand alone word for "teacher"
senshi - soldier
shikashi - however/but/none-the-less
Shi'ne! - Die!
shoujo - girl
shoujo-ai - romance between girls
shounen - boy
shounen-ai - romance between boys
Sore nani? - What is it?
sayonara - goodbye
sora - sky
Sou desu ka (or Sou ka) - "I see" or "Is that so?" You can respond to almost ANYTHING with "Sou desu ka." You can just keep saying it (just change your intonation) and it will make you seem like you know what you're talking about!
Sugoi da na! - That's amazing!
sumimasen - excuse me/pardon me
suteki - wonderful/amazing/great etc.
tabemono - food
tadaima - I'm home or I'm here
taihen - how terrible/oh no
taiyou - sun
tanoshii - fun/amusing
tanuki - raccoon dog
Tasukete! - Help me! / Save me!
toki - time
tomodachi - friend
tonikaku - in any case/anyway
tori - bird
tsubasa - wing
tsuchi - earth
tsuki - moon
uke - in a homosexual relationship, the 'sub' or 'female' role
uma - horse
umi - sea
usagi - rabbit
Urusai! - Shut up! (literally, "noisy")
ureshii - happy or I'm so happy!
usotsuki - liar
uta - song
Uso! - You're lying! / No way!
Wai! - similar to Yay!
wakarimasen - I don't understand
wakarimashita - I understand
warui - bad
watashi / watakushi - I
yamero - stop
Yamete! - Stop it!
yami - darkness
yappari - I knew it / as I expected
yare yare - similar to oh well / my, my / well, well
Yatta! - Yay!, I did it!, or some other exclamation of achievement (shortened form of yokatta)
Yokatta! - Yay!, I did it!, or some other exclamation of achievement
Yoshi! - similar to Here I go! / Alright, something said when you're about to start something
youkai - demon, not necessarily evil
youkoso - welcome
yoru - night
yuki - snow
yume - dream
yuri - the female equivalent of yaoi; also lily
Numbers
0 = rei
1 = ichi
2 = ni
3 = san
4 = yon (sometimes 'shi')
5 = go
6 = roku
7 = nana (sometimes 'shichi')
8 = hachi
9 = kyu (sometimes 'ku')
10 = ju
100 = hyaku
1000 = sen
10000 = man
100,000,000 = oku
100,000,000,000 = cho
12345 = ichi-man ni-sen san-hyaku yon-ju go! (i think) -
so desune = oh i see, it's like this ?
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Mada Mada Dane
You still have a long way to go...
my favourite
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boo in desu ne?
wow, big tits!! -
japanese usually address one another with a title. for example, if it is someone senior than u or someone unfamiliar, u add a 'san' after their name.
[*]example: gordon san, ichigo san
if addressing someone u know like friends, for girls we add a 'chan' after their names. for guys we add a 'kun'. or we simply address them by their names. but some might find that to be rude.
[*]example for girls, mooku chan, sakura chan, momoko chan
[*]example for guys, kurosaki kun, Sado kun, ishida kun -
yamate yamate..
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wait!!??Originally posted by stellazio:yamate yamate.. -
its yamete, not yamate.Originally posted by stellazio:yamate yamate.. -
kimochi!!
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always wanted to pick up japanese
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my favourite phrase Baka/Bakayaro, meaning idiot.
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speaking of jap..
http://si.livejobs.recruitadvantage.com/job/job_details.cfm?id=36051&from=direct
WAH LAU!!! I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MY JAP CLASSES SERIOUSLY!!
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My most used jap word: Kuso & Chikusho can either mean shit or damn it.... Odex changed it to darn it
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actually the meaning of kimochi is only 'feeling'Originally posted by phanta5y:kimochi!!
correct way shld be ii kimochi but *ahem* actresses shortcut dats y say kimochi only...
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obasan = auntie
ojisan = uncle
okaasan = mother
otosan = father
niisan = elder brother
imouto = little sister -
Anime no naka de nani ga ichiban desu ka?
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Then you must like this also.Originally posted by Gordonator:my favourite phrase Baka/Bakayaro, meaning idiot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS4mRlNCV8g -
bakabakabakabakabakabakabakabakabakabakabakabakabakabaka.Originally posted by CoolMyth: -
love you=su-ke.
can? -
sukidayo.Originally posted by seow:love you=su-ke.
can? -
more like understood. understand would be wakarimasuOriginally posted by Gordonator:
alright Otakus, what better way to enjoy an anime then to understand what the characters are saying. so i have came out with some simple phrases that are commonly used in animes. feel free to add on more.
NAN DES KA = what is it
Sou des ka = Is that so?
Dye-joh-bu = are u alright?
SUMIMASEN = excuse me
Ohayou =good morning
Konnichiwa = good afternoon
Konbanwa = good evening
Aishite iru = i love u
Sou ka = i see
Doozo = pleaseWakarimashita = i understand. -
it has nothing much to do with tense.Originally posted by angelfairy:more like understood. understand would be wakarimasu
it is a more courteous way of telling people you understand. wakarimashita is used instead of wakarimasu.
take thank you for example. there is no past tense for thank you right? thank youed??
but the japanese normally say arigatogozaimashita instead of arigatogozaimasu. -
ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku, nana, hachi, kyu, juu 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 , 9, 10
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watakushi i
watakushi is commonly pronunce as watashi.
anata you