Module 1 | Lesson 1 - Japanese Language : An Introduction

Hello everyone!
I hope that at this point you have already read the short article I shared with you
in Module 0.
With fingers crossed, I expect all of you to have positive thoughts about this
course , FLANG1 / Nihongo1, despite the current circumstance we are all in.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. Explain what Nihongo means,
2. Correctly use the suffixes introduced.

Core Content
NIHONGO, the foreign language you will learn this semester, is actually made
up of two parts. These are NIHON and GO.
NIHON is the Japanese for Japan while GO is a suffix added after the name of
a country to mean the “language of” that country.
Thus, NIHONGO is “language of Japan” or “Japanese Language”.
For Japanese language learners who are just at the beginning level, knowing
the right form of address is essential. I am referring
to how one is supposed to address or call the teacher and vice-versa.
Teachers of Japanese are usually called “SENSEI”. Sensei is a Japanese word
which translates in English to, you guess it right, teacher.
And yes, that’s how I would like to be called by my students.
Now, what about you Nihongo students? How should I address you or how
should your classmates address you? Well, you have probably
heard of ~KUN and ~CHAN, especially if you are an anime follower. ~KUN is used
when calling a young boy while ~CHAN is for addressing a
young girl. But, because you are no longer kids, that means it’s inappropriate to use
either ~KUN or ~CHAN when calling one of you.
So, what do I or we use? It’s ~SAN. This is the preferred form of address in our
case.. ~SAN is a suffix that is equivalent in English to Mr. or Ms.
Use or add ~SAN after one’s surname .
Module 1 | Lesson 2 – Introducing Oneself in Japanese
Introducing oneself is important in a lot of situations because it proves a person's
ability to meet new people confidently. Even as college students, you get to be asked
every now and then by your teachers to share , usually basic information, about
yourself. When you do this, it allows you to make good first impressions.
For your FLANG class this semester, I still chose to start the course with this
topic. It is my hope that despite the distance we have from one another, we will still be
able to "break the ice" and to establish rapport by getting to know each other.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Translate the lines introduced,
2. Introduce yourself in Japanese using the lines explained.

Core Content

Similar to how one introduces himself/herself in English or in Filipino, self-

introduction in Japanese may be simple if basic expressions and information are used.
In our case, there are only four (4) basic lines which you need to understand and
be familiar with. These lines are :
(1) HAJIMEMASHITE,
(2) WATASHI WA ___ DESU.,
(3) WATASHI WA ___ KARA KIMASU, and
(4) DOUZO YOROSHIKU ONEGAISHIMASU.
Let's find out what each of these lines means.
HAJIMEMASHITE is used to begin the introduction. It roots from the
verb, HAJIMERU, which means "to begin". When one says HAJIMEMASHITE, it's as if
he/she is saying, "I am meeting you for the first time, nice to meet you". However,
some translate the greeting as "HOW DO YOU DO".
"WATASHI WA ___ DESU" is a sentence that will help you say what your
name is. WATASHI , which begins the sentence, is the Japanese for "I"
while, DESU, which ends the sentence, acts as the copula verb/ linking verb. DESU is
equivalent to the present tense form of the verb to be (am, is and are) and to the future
tense form (will be). The use of “DESU” makes the sentence complete and polite,
hence, formal.
’WA” is a particle; it does not have an English translation but it has a very
important use in sentence construction. Particularly, it is a subject marker
particle. ‘WA’ is always placed after the subject of the sentence.
 Finally, as for the blank, that is where you say / write your name. In saying your
name, it is important to remember to always begin with your surname.
So, when I say (or write) “WATASHI WA DELGADO, MARY GRACE DESU", I
mean to say ,” I am Mary Grace Delgado” in English.
"WATASHI WA ____ KARA KIMASU" is another sentence. You may use it to
say where you come from. Again, WATASHI is "I" and WA is the subject marker
particle. What about the two other words? KIMASU , just like DESU, is also verb. It is
equivalent in English to the verb "COME". KARA , just like WA, is also a particle. But
unlike WA, KARA has an English translation and it is the preposition "FROM". Thus,
"WATASHI WA TAAL KARA KIMASU" in English is "I COME FROM TAAL".

Finally, we end the introduction with "DOUZO YOROSHIKU

ONEGAISHIMASU". This line means "I am pleased to meet you".
By the way, please be reminded of the importance of observing Japanese culture.
Since you are learning Nihongo, you cannot not learn also about Japanese culture since
language is part of culture. And there are two distinct Japanese cultures which I hope
you will also observe. These are the BOWING (ojigi) and the POINTING AT YOUR
NOSE whenever you say "Watashi.

References :
http://agoranos.org/how-to-introduce-yourself-in-japanese/

Module 1 | Lesson 3 – Useful Daily Expressions and Greetings

Greetings are also important to make first good impressions. According

to https://sikanti.com/2019/02/21/4-reasons-why-you-should-greet/ , Greeting is an act
of communication that we can use to deliberately make our presence known to one
other, perhaps to also show attention to or even suggest a cordial relationship between
individuals or groups of people. Greetings are sometimes used just to
start conversation or just to greet and pass.
In studying a foreign language, one of the first lessons is on greetings and useful
daily expressions.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to :

1. translate simple greetings and expressions from English to Japanese or vice-
versa, and
2. use appropriate Japanese greetings/ expressions.

Core Content

The following are just some of the useful daily expressions / greetings in English
and the Japanese translation for each.
Good Morning Ohayou Gozaimasu
* used from sunrise until about 10 in the
morning
Good Afternoon Konnichiwa
* used from 10 in the morning until sundown ;
also means “hello”
Good evening Konbanwa.
Good night Oyasumi Nasai.
Thank you very much Doumo Arigatou Gozaimasu.
You are welcome. Dou itashimashite.
How are you? Ogenki desuka.
I’m fine. Genki desu.
Excuse me. Sumimasen.
Please wait for a while. Chotto matte kudasai.
Sorry, I am late. Osoku natte sumimasen.
Congratulations! Omedetou Gozaimasu.
Happy Birthday Otanjoubi Omedetou Gozaimasu.
Goodbye. Sayounara
 * used when you will not see the other person
for quite a while
See you again. Mata aimashou.
Take care. Ki wo tsukete.
What is your name? Onamae wa nan desuka.
How old are you? Nansai desuka.
What is it? Nan desuka.
Where is it ? Doko desuka.
Who is it? Dare desuka.
When is it ? Itsu desuka.
Why/Why is it? Doushite desuka.
How is it? Dou desuka.
How much is it? Ikura desuka.
Do you understand? Wakarimasu ka.
I don’t understand. Wakarimasen.
I am sorry. Gomen nasai.

A common expression among the Japanese is "sumimasen". In the previous

page, you learned that "sumimasen" basically means "Excuse me.". In some instances,
however, "sumimasen" may mean something else.. Find out other meanings of this
expression in the following article :

SUMIMASEN

If you are familiar with Japanese drama, or Jdorama as it is usually called among
the fans, you will have encountered the word "sumimasen" countless times. This is a
very interesting word and it is something that is more deeply ingrained in Japanese
culture, for it can mean different things, depending on how it is used. It is one of the first
words learned by students of the Japanese language because it is taught early on, and
is a word that is commonly used in various situations. However, it is only when one is
already immersed in Japanese culture and tradition that the subtle meanings
of sumimasen in different contexts become clear.

Politeness and courtesy

For the Japanese, even the smallest of favors contribute to forming mutual
responsibilities and debts among the members of society. Public appearance and debt
are top priority for the Japanese, and they usually adopt a humble position. Their
interactions with other people put them in "debt" in various settings. This is clearly
linguistically reflected in this particular word: sumimasen. Saying sumimasen is a way of
acknowledging one's indebtedness to other people. It is said not because the Japanese
are always apologetic. For them, sumimasen is a more polite way of saying thank you,
as English speakers would normally utter.

Usage of sumimasen

Sumimasen is a formal and sincere way of apologizing. It can be used when

offering an apology to anyone, even to strangers. The Japanese use gomennasai,
which
also means (I'm) sorry, when apologizing to someone they know personally, like family
and close friends.
Sumimasen can also be a thank you as well as an apology. Although difficult to
fully describe in English, the closest thing is a mixed feeling of thankfulness and regret.
Let us say that you are paying for something at a convenience store that costs 210 yen
and you gave the clerk 300 yen. The clerk asks you if you have 10 yen instead and you
look around your bag for the exact change. The clerk appreciates your effort to look for
the 10 yen and pay the exact amount, so she says sumimasen. She is saying that
rather than arigatou, which means thank you, for her gratitude to you is deeper.
The word can be used in making a request. The closest equivalents in English for
this would be "could you please," "do you mind" or "excuse me."
One of the words which is common among Japanese when they want to attract
attention is to say, "Konnichiwa," or "Ano" but these words are usually used among
acquaintances. The Japanese will say sumimasen as a polite way to get the attention of
a stranger. It can also be used as a conversation closer, in a way that shows regret in
leaving the company of someone. Sumimasen can also mean okay or yes, when used
in a situation where someone who is quite busy takes the time to acknowledge that a
person is waiting to be served.
Confusing as it is, sumimasen is one word that you should include in your list of
basic Japanese words to learn.
Now that you have been introduced to useful daily expressions/greetings and the
Japanese translation for each, it is time to learn how to pronounce each one. For the
correct pronunciation, please watch the video I prepared.

References :

https://sikanti.com/2019/02/21/4-reasons-why-you-should-greet
https://www.daytranslations.com/blog/2013/12/sumimasen-excuse-thank-sorry-
japanese-3553https://www.daytranslations.com/blog/2013/12/sumimasen-excuse-
thank-sorry-japanese-3553
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TBROYbXA8GHJNHJIXfMMxBxhdMKC6DvP/view?
usp=sharinghttps://drive.google.com/file/d/
1TBROYbXA8GHJNHJIXfMMxBxhdMKC6DvP/view?usp=sharing
https://www.mlcjapanese.co.jp/survival_10.html