日本語

[Debio]

Originally Posted by Prince Vega

I'm jealous now. I want to speak another language now.

I know the feeling. If you want to speak one now, as in soon, I'd strongly suggest something other than Japanese. Japanese is slow and painful to learn in many ways. But, it is worth it.

If you know a bit don't be shy. I won't make fun of you. Not too much anyway, and only if you actually say something that's funny.

An example from my own study experience.

In my college Japanese class, my professor was a very fine looking single lady. I had entered College at the age of 24, so I was a 27 year old senior at the time, she was just my age.

One term we had an interview test. We had been studying the progressive form Japanese. nani nani wo siteiru. (なになにをしている）

During the interview, she asked us some questions, then we were required to ask her some questions using the expressions. I had the bright idea to ask her if she was married.

Well, I will gladly admit that I fall onto the stupid side of the scale alot of the time anyway, but I topped it.

Instead of "kekkon siteimasuka?" (結婚していますか) I messed up my grammar and asked "kekkon site kudasai" (結婚してください).

In other words, I asked my single and attractive Japanese professor, who happened to be just my age, to marry me. She laughed. It was almost the spray someone with your coffee laugh. I don't blame her, once I figured out what had happened, I was embarrassed. But I got over it and a couple days later I had a funny story to tell. I tell it all the time to my students here, hoping they'll get over the fear of making mistakes.

[kaitie]

That's hilarious! I had a similar situation. I did kungfu in Japan, and often our sensei's wife would join our class. One day she was there and as we were doing our exercises, I noticed she was very strong and wanted to compliment her and tell her that she had very strong arms.

Well, the first word that came to mind was "niku," which means "meat" so I told her basically that she had good niku. Unfortunately, using "niku" this way is the equivalent of telling someone they have chubby arms, so I managed to tell her the opposite of what I was going for and insulting her instead.

It was pretty funny and she was luckily a good sport and just smacked me upside the head. I realized immediately what I'd done wrong and corrected myself, but that was still one of my more embarrassing encounters.

[llamafarmer]

@Debio + Kaitie: なるほど。前述の軽犯罪のいずれかを行ったと思ったんだ XDD。私の日本語の恥ずかしさは数多く恥があるよ 。多くの犯罪、ハハハ!!!

[llamafarmer]

Originally Posted by Prince Vega

I'm jealous now. I want to speak another language now.

I echo Debio's sentiments here. Japanese is generally regarded as maddeningly difficult for Westeners, and I can certainly say that's true in my case. However, if you put in the effort (which admittedly I don't do enough of) it's totally worth it.

[J.S.F.]

You get out of a language what you put into it. Japanese is hard to learn, no doubt about it, but from what I've read, Hungarian is supposed to be the most difficult. Japanese is very regular, the verb is always at the end, no articles and no plurals.

Learning kanji is the ultimate suck, though. Took me a long time to get up to over 1000 and I forget them from time to time. I have to ask my older son (he's twelve) what a particular kanji is when I read the paper or watch TV. A very humbling experience to be sure!

[Debio]

Originally Posted by J.S.F.

You get out of a language what you put into it. Japanese is hard to learn, no doubt about it, but from what I've read, Hungarian is supposed to be the most difficult. Japanese is very regular, the verb is always at the end, no articles and no plurals.

Learning kanji is the ultimate suck, though. Took me a long time to get up to over 1000 and I forget them from time to time. I have to ask my older son (he's twelve) what a particular kanji is when I read the paper or watch TV. A very humbling experience to be sure!

This is true. My Japanese, especially my reading, is not nearly as good as it should be for someone who has been here as long as I have. It is embarrassing when I come across other long termers.

I really need to study more. It is an odd experience to ask a student who has come to you for help in a translation problem what the kanji they are translating is.

Work at it and it will come. In many ways Japanese is difficult, but as you said,there are regularities that make some things very easy.

[Ehab.Ahmed]

まったく、私はだめと見たいですよね

[llamafarmer]

Originally Posted by J.S.F.

from what I've read, Hungarian is supposed to be the most difficult.

そうと聞いた。フィンランド語も非常に怖い。多分日本語は、フィンランド語とハンガリー語と比べると、日本 語のほうが簡単だろう。

Originally Posted by J.S.F.

Learning kanji is the ultimate suck, though. Took me a long time to get up to over 1000 and I forget them from time to time. I have to ask my older son (he's twelve) what a particular kanji is when I read the paper or watch TV. A very humbling experience to be sure!

どうかん。漢字、私の宿敵!!! 6歳の子供は私より漢字をよく知っている。 日本人女性と結婚していると仮定？

[J.S.F.]

Originally Posted by llamafarmer

そうと聞いた。フィンランド語も非常に怖い。多分日本語は、フィンランド語とハンガリー語と比べると、日本 語のほうが簡単だろう。

どうかん。漢字、私の宿敵!!! 6歳の子供は私より漢字をよく知っている。 日本人女性と結婚していると仮定？

---

I don't know about Finnish or Hungarian all that well although I have looked at it online just for my own edification. I do know learning kanji is a necessary evil for living here long-term.

As for marrying a Japanese lady, yes, I did so, and can I recommend it? Sure, if you love the person then go for it. I stayed single for a long time until I met my wife and only at that time did I really start to study kanji. She never taught me but she did give me some help from time to time. The rest, though, I did by myself.

[Tocotin]

Originally Posted by llamafarmer

そうと聞いた。フィンランド語も非常に怖い。多分日本語は、フィンランド語とハンガリー語と比べると、日本 語のほうが簡単だろう。

どうかん。漢字、私の宿敵!!! 6歳の子供は私より漢字をよく知っている。 日本人女性と結婚していると仮定？

文法的にはハンガリー語やフィンランド語は、日本語との共通点が多いそうです。（ハンガリーの血が流れてい るけどハンガリー語を全く話せない。）

が、自分にとって、日本語の最も難しいところは文法ではなく、敬語と同義語だと感じます。または、現代日本 語が簡単だとは言っても、明治以前の物を読みたい人は更に文語や漢文を勉強せざるを得ないのです　:cry :

[Debio]

皆，大丈夫？昨日の暴風は大変だったね。今日，先生たちのみなが学校の周りの飛ばされたものを片付けます。 嫌な仕事けどしょうがない。

おもしろいものをみつけるかもしれない。

[J.S.F.]

今もう、風がつよい。　昨日は，警報が　あうた。すごい雨　たあた。　みなさん　きようつけて ！

[Camilla Delvalle]

Today I read a children's book (hiragana) about porcupines!

[Debio]

Originally Posted by Camilla Delvalle

Today I read a children's book (hiragana) about porcupines!

Cool. What's the title? I'm always looking for good stories to read the little one. I need a couple more in English, too. But he is happy so far with Dr. Seuss, so I have some time.

He loves books about trains and clocks. Trains I get, but he gets so happy with clocks, too.

[Camilla Delvalle]

Originally Posted by Debio

Cool. What's the title? I'm always looking for good stories to read the little one. I need a couple more in English, too. But he is happy so far with Dr. Seuss, so I have some time.

He loves books about trains and clocks. Trains I get, but he gets so happy with clocks, too.

Oh, I don't remember the title. It was just a short and silly story anyway. I think you can easily find something as good or better.

[Camilla Delvalle]

If he likes clocks, there is a book called Clockwork by Philip Pullman.

[nekomouse]

Thought I would stick my head in here and say, "Hi."
I've been living in Fukui Prefecture for almost seven years and my Japanese is good enough to get around and work with, but certainly not fluent. It is getting better every day though!

皆さん、よろしくお願いします！

[shawkins]

Could I get some help with a translation? Briefly, I work with my boss' wife in an animal rescue. He's always griping about how she's bringing home too many dogs. They're off to Japan next week, so I thought it would be fun to provide a phrasebook for use on their trip. Romanji would be preferred, but I'll take what I can get.

What a cute dog!
He looks hungry.
Are you lost, little fella?
Would you like to come and live with us?

and (for him)

Hey kid--pretend this is your dog and I'll give you $20.

[J.S.F.]

Originally Posted by shawkins

Could I get some help with a translation? Briefly, I work with my boss' wife in an animal rescue. He's always griping about how she's bringing home too many dogs. They're off to Japan next week, so I thought it would be fun to provide a phrasebook for use on their trip. Romanji would be preferred, but I'll take what I can get.

What a cute dog!--Kawaii inu, ne?
He looks hungry.--Kareh wa onaka suita so mitai desu.
Are you lost, little fella?--Michi o nakushita?
Would you like to come and live with us?--Issho-ni sumai kimasen ka?

and (for him)

Hey kid--pretend this is your dog and I'll give you $20.--Oi, kono inu wa, jibun no inu furio shinasai. Okaneh ageru.


--Oi.

--

Please see above. My translation still sucks after all these years but this should be serviceable enough.

[Silver-Midnight]

Originally Posted by kaitie

Are you near a university? Something you could consider as well is looking for a language partner, and it might be that you can find a Japanese student who could either do conversation practice with you for a fee or who might be willing to exchange language practice.

There are also tutoring services out there that can arrange services. I'm doing some work with one right now, though I can't say what I think of it quite yet. However hopefully the student I'm working with feels it's worth her while.

Options kind of depend on what your price range is, what your goals are, and how dedicated you are because learning a language, particularly something as different as Japanese, takes an awful lot of self-discipline.

Well, my university doesn't offer Japanese in any capacity whatsoever. The friends that I have that speak it are either native speakers or learned it themselves. Most of them learned it themselves.


If I could, I really want to do self-study.
I've heard of Rosetta Stone myself. I would prefer to use that program, but like already stated, it is highly expensive, which is out of my price range at the moment. I also think the tutoring services are out of my price range but I'm not sure.

If anything, I'm thinking getting Rosetta Stone(along with a workbook) might be my best option.

Originally Posted by Debio

Just try not to look like a psycho flake who is into manga and girls. They'll shut you down quick if you do. I'm not assuming you fall into either of those categories though.

Don't get me wrong, I do like anime/manga. However, usually it just kind of comes up that I took Japanese(along with some other foreign languages) before and how I haven't spoken them in a while. (I took up to Japanese III in high school, but it's been a long time since I've spoken it so, my skill are kind of going. That's why I want to get a program so, I can rebuild them and get even more fluent in it.) And I still feel a little nervous mentioning that honestly.

[Silver-Midnight]

Has anyone used this program before? It seems okay so far. I'm using the Express version, for now at least.

Byki Language Program

[Camilla Delvalle]

Originally Posted by Debio

Cool. What's the title? I'm always looking for good stories to read the little one. I need a couple more in English, too. But he is happy so far with Dr. Seuss, so I have some time.

Now I've read another couple of books with more signs. They were Yorokobi no Ki by Astrid Lindgren, and Midori no Tani no Nezumi Shouboutai. The latter was more entertaining, I guess. Maybe you can use that. I wonder if it is well known.

[ladysarahii]

Hi, everyone! I spent a year living in Japan and am trying to keep up with it. I need to be more disciplined.

[Arisuzawa]

Hello all!

Just wanted to see if there were any fellow writers around here that are staying in Japan (temporarily or otherwise), but writing in English.

I am an American married to my Japanese husband, and suspect that I will be here for quite some time (probably permanently). Of course, I really enjoy living here. However, I would like to find other writers (of English) in Japan! Since English is my first language, this is the language I feel most comfortable writing in, as well as discussing plot, characters, etc.

Anyway, to everyone out there, good luck with your writing!

[rkg]

Hi,
lol, you sound just like me! And, I used to live in Chiba! (Now Saitama) What do you like to read/write? I'm into young adult, most genres except romance. I'm also looking for some moral support here in Japan. Feel free to pm me.
Good luck in your writing!