Translation Yoshihiro Watanabe Excuse me, are you Miss Yamaguchi? Chigusa Yamaguchi Yes, I am. Yoshihiro Watanabe Nice to meet you. I am Watanabe. Chigusa Yamaguchi Nice to meet you, too. I am Yamaguchi. Yoshihiro Watanabe Please be kind to me. Chigusa Yamaguchi Please be kind to me.
December 11th 2006 / 2006ᐕ1211ᣣ
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Vocabulary - න⺆ Kanji ߔߺ߹ߖࠎޕ ߘ߁ߢߔޕ ೋ߹ߒߡޕ ߢߔ ߤ߁ߙࠃࠈߒߊޕ
English Excuse me. That’s right. How do you do. Polite form of the copula Please be kind to me.
Grammar Points
3
The phrase “Sumimasen.” roughly corresponds to the English phrase “I’m sorry,” or “Excuse me.” You can use this in cases where you make a mistake or accidentally do something, like bump someone on the street or step on someone’s foot in a train. Especially the last one. If you’ve ever ridden a Tokyo train during rush KRXU\RXGH¿QLWHO\FDQUHODWH7KLVSKUDVHFDQDOVREHXVHGWRJHWVRPHRQH¶VDWWHQWLRQVXFKDVDZDLWHU waitress, or the chef at the kaiten sushi place. (Kaiten means revolving, so the literal translation of kaiten sushi is revolving sushi. A better translation is conveyer belt sushi.) Finally, it can be used to express thanks or appreciation. For example, if a waiter/waitress brings you some food, you can say this to show your appreciation. The expression “Hajimemashite.” is derived from the verb hajimeru which means “to begin.” Literally WUDQVODWHGWKHH[SUHVVLRQPHDQV³IRUWKH¿UVWWLPH´+RZHYHUDVWKHSKUDVHLVXVHGZKHQ\RXPHHWVRPHRQHIRUWKH¿UVWWLPHDPRUHDFFXUDWH(QJOLVKWUDQVODWLRQLV³+RZGR\RXGR"´RU³1LFHWRPHHW\RX*RRG WRPHHW\RX´7KLVSKUDVHLVRIWHQWKH¿UVWWKLQJVDLGZKHQLQWURGXFLQJRQHVHOIDQGLVDSSURSULDWHIRUDOO politeness levels. This is followed by the speaker’s last name and the polite form of the copula, desu. Desu is roughly equivalent to the English verb “to be.” You will gain a better understanding of the copula and how it’s used in time. 'ǀ]R means please.
