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This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 28th, 2007 at 6:30 pm and is filed under Beginner Season 2 . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
65 Responses to “Beginner Lesson S2 #40 - Guys’ Night Out 1”
Tuesday at 6:30 pm
Mina-san, So what do you think about the speaking style of these 2 guys? Using べ is getting popular in Tokyo recently. It’s similar to the べ that we saw in the Aomori-ben lessons. But be careful with this one, it’s really, REALLY casual. But in the right time and place, you’ll definitely turn some heads if you drop this.
Tuesday at 8:05 pm
Haha, I saw something about maid cafes on a documentary focusing on otaku. You could do things like have a conversation with the girl while resting your head on her lap, or play Playstation with her for half an hour. A little strange…
Tuesday at 8:13 pm
Yes, that’s what I need most!
).
Men casual speaking is so hard to understand, especially in noisy bars (bonus audio suggestion: noisy bar
I can’t wait for the next 4 lessons!
Tuesday at 8:53 pm
Alain-san and Javizy-san, we actually managed to take Naomi and Natsuko and the rest of the team to a nearby maid cafe.
Stay tuned for the details, as it was…interesting.
Tuesday at 9:40 pm
From the lesson, it sounds like visiting a maid cafe is a bit more involved than, say, going to Hooters here. (I realize the waiteresses are dressed a bit different, as well). I look forward to hearing the details of your visit.
Wednesday at 1:50 am
Great lesson! Great stuff in there
Wednesday at 3:19 am
Some friends and I visited a maid cafe in Akihabara back in December. It was kind of weird, but not nearly as strange as they’re made out to be.
When you walk in (and throughout the time you’re there), the girls call you お兄さん, which we all found a little awkward. As mentioned in the podcast, all the girls are dressed as French maids, but they weren’t any more friendly than any other waitress in Japan. You really need to know your Japanese, since the menu is completely in Japanese and asking 英語がわかりますか gets you back only one response とても難しいです. Also as mentioned in the podcast, the food isn’t anything special, but if you order the omorice, they’ll draw a kitty cat with ketchup over it as you watch. For a price (I forget exactly how much, but something like $5 for some amount of minutes), you can have the girl of your choice play a game with you. Usually they’re simple games involving preschool toys. For example, my friend played a game with a toy alligator where you take turns with the maid pushing down the alligator’s teeth. Pick the wrong tooth and the alligator snaps and you lose the game. Sorry, I don’t have any photos of any of it since photography is not allowed.
Wednesday at 4:10 am
he crew made the image pretty clear,とおもいます。
But I found a lot of video maid cafes, like the following, if anyone cares:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjNGX-jQS94
Very silly, at best.
グレッグ
Wednesday at 5:27 am
Oh, and (to steer matters away from the feather-dusters), I really like the addition of Naomi先生!She is very knowledgeable, and yet she keeps her improv 日本語 at a very straightforward level appropriate to beginners. .. Unfortunately, her talents may have been wasted on this particular episode.This level of slang doesn’t seem useful to the beginners.
グレッグ
Wednesday at 5:41 am
Marky-san, thanks for showing me how to say, “let’s be friends” in Japanese.
BTW, do you have photos at any meido baa?
Wednesday at 7:07 am
JP101 crew/listeners!
I agree with you Jockzon-san!
“Great lesson” 
I like this guys style, keep it up! I can’t wait for the next lessons.
Mina-san!
No more Mac comments you know that Windows Vista is 100% better you denied your own truth, don’t fool yourself and other listeners anymore please.
S_R_C
Wednesday at 7:08 am
If Naomi and Natsuko did actually go, I’d like to see a picture of the look on the maids’ face when they walked in
I imagine they’d say something like お客さんは迷っていますか or maybe きれいなお嬢さんですけど、現在に募集していまして申し訳ございせん, at which point Naomi would say 行くべ!
By the way, I liked today’s intro, I thought you might regret posting all those pictures
Wednesday at 7:10 am
Ah
there should be an なくて in there somewhere.
Wednesday at 7:24 am
Javizy-san!
NO!
Do you have a Mac too

S_R_C
I expected more of you my friend, your a great British nice guy.
Wednesday at 7:50 am
ウワッ!すごいイントロ。この話題きょうみがあります。大変でしたね、なおみ先生。「メイドバーに行かない」と言えませんでしたね。
I find Natsuko-san’s reaction to Peter-san’s invitation interesting. “We?” as if they were really going and trying to back out. メイドバーの便りを楽しみます。(^_^)
In the future, I would really like to see a causative form lesson. I’m not clear on what I read in books and I don’t believe there is a JPOD lesson about it.
Wednesday at 8:09 am
very funny , Naomi sensei not being able to finish the sentence , priceless
anyway looking forward for the next lesson
Wednesday at 8:12 am
I agree with digitaljo. That point about causative forms ran by faster than a pomeranian at dinner!
Wednesday at 9:14 am
Sindy, I have a PC but it’s old so I’m running Windows XP
As for the causative, it has been covered repeatedly in lower intermediate and intermediate lessons (you can’t expect to see it in beginner lessons). It’s covered on its own where it means ‘make/have/get (someone) to do’, withください (please let me), and with いただく (a humble way to request permission).
I don’t believe the causative passive has been covered though (I’m only up to intermediate lesson 50 though). This means ‘[agent] made [subject] do (with a negative nuance)’, for example, 母に宿題をさせられた (my mum made me do my homework). If the nuance is positive, you’d stick with a trusty giving verb, such as もらう or くれる.
As you can see, there’s quite a bit to it, so if something as simple as べ is above this level, then I don’t think the causative has a place here
Wednesday at 9:34 am
*singing a 60’s song*You make me so very happy, I’m so glad that you came into my life my friend!
Thank you maybe I can help you upgrade to Windows Vista has a gift, When is your birthday:???:
e-mail me at Sakuraeagle84@hotmail.com or PM with your e-mail for more details ok!
S_R_C
Wednesday at 10:30 am
It seems like everybody is interested in メイドバー.
Bakaneko-san,
If you wanna take pics, you have to pay for it… 残念…
I went to Akihabara a few weeks ago, I felt like that town is not Japan. It seems like they have their own culture.
but pretty exciting.
Wednesday at 10:59 am
Alainさん、
>>Men casual speaking is so hard to understand
yeah, i agree and a lot of other listeners have said the same thing. so we’re focusing on a few things for these 2 episodes (it’s good to slip them in at this beginner season 2 level, i think - text books totally avoid the gender issue).
Chrisさん、
that’s an interesting analogy…
they’re famous for chicken wings, right? (笑)
Rahimさん、
in my neighborhood there is a maid cafe, and the maid are 100% オタク.
they seem more interested in playing nintendo Wii with customers than serving food. also they know all the choreography to their favorite anime characters’ dance routines!
グレッグさん、
i don’t think her talents were wasted on this episode, but we *definitely* pushed her to the limits. her pitch accent on the line いいじゃん!行くべ! is priceless!!!
>>naomi先生 is great!
i think she’ll agree tho, it’s never to early to raise awareness of the difference of male/female differences in japanese. unfortunately they are inescapable.
bakanekoさん、
どういたしまして!
sadly, photography is not allowed in maid cafes because, well, there are some wierd stalker-type people out there.
however, next wednesday peter, natsuko and naomi will talk about their experience at the maid cafe. it’s hilarious!! I promise to put up a link to the website for this place, so you can see the かわいいメード!
Sindyさん、
thanks! 2 more episodes here about guys style, then we’ll take a look at more guy’s style in a different series, then we’ll come back with the maids’ perspective to breakdown female style. loads of good stuff coming up!
Javizyさん、
glad you like the intro!
ushijimaさん and kishimotoさん and i love デスノ!!
//digitaljoさん and グレッグさん、
your wish is our command!
we’ll be doing 3 beginner season 2 and 2 lower intermediate lessons on the causative in the coming months!! i’m also looking forward to them!
whew!
じゃあ、今からメードカフェに行くわー!
marky
Wednesday at 11:16 am
じゃあ、今からメイドカフェに行くわー
this is totally guy’s style!!
but you have to care about pitch accent of 行くわー.
If you go up on わー, that sounds girlish. In guys style, the pitch accent falls on わー.
Wednesday at 12:05 pm
javizyさん
Sindyさん
マーックとワーックもいいです。
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET-unfrUImI&mode=related&search=
TRS-80m102もいいです
Wednesday at 12:31 pm
すごいね。行きたいん。でも、お金を払わないとだめの女と話は変な気持ち。。。
I want to go, but to talk with a woman I had to pay for the pleasure… a bit weird!
Does anyone want to make a movie of this dialogue? Since location isn’t important, we could do it over Skype.
Wednesday at 12:36 pm
クリストファーさん
アップル広告は彼らのファンと彼らのためのシールドです!!
They know only evil and pevert people have a Mac, he said it the true: “People Use me Private”
クリストファー Are you a Mac owner too
S_R_C
Wednesday at 12:44 pm
Marky-san!
Thank you!
Can’t wait for the female version.
Maxiewawa-san!
素敵な中国人の教師。
私は、あなたにキスするのを気にするつもりではありません!
行くわー わー。。
S_R_C
Wednesday at 12:56 pm
It would be fun to learn to talk like a maid!
(”Oh, wonderful sir, how may I serve your royal greatness”)
Wednesday at 1:13 pm
Lizさん, i think that kind of stuff is fun, too!
i also wanna do a story with 武士 japanese. not sure if there’s any interest in it, tho…
maxiewawaさん、
>>Does anyone want to make a movie of this dialogue? <<
that’s a fantastic idea!
i’d love to see some people act this whole series out.
how many people are interested in trying that?
marky
Wednesday at 2:30 pm
Marky, I’m definately interested in 武士 japanese since I’m a sucker for language history
あばよ!
Wednesday at 4:01 pm
マーキー星
はいはい!はい! (Puts hand up)
I guess the amount of responses depend on the dialogue, and the costumes required.
S_R_C, it’s 中国語の教師。それに、キスじゃないでもいい。Oh well!
Wednesday at 6:34 pm
Mina-san,
i just found this hilarious television series about a ex-hostess who gets in trouble and finds a job at a maid cafe. it’s a comedy that spends most of its time making fun of オタク and メード.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9041126514412445243&hl=en-AU
this is the link to episode 1, you can find the subsequent episodes on the right hand side.
oh, there are english subtitles too.
marky
Wednesday at 8:05 pm
I believe I’ve just found my first stop when/if I go to Japan.
Wednesday at 8:22 pm
Marky-san -
Yes, they are known for their wings, but they are even more well known for their waiteresses.
Sindy-san -
I have 3 macs, several PCs, a Model 102, and a couple SGI boxes. I was trying to find a Japanese version of the Novell version of that, but I couldn’t. My laptop runs Windows, and only one of the Macs is running MacOS (8 I think). This doesn’t include the embedded machienes, which almost all run some varient of linux.
Wednesday at 8:29 pm
I was just going over the posts, especially my post above, should I have said “Maakku mo waakku mo” instead?
Wednesday at 8:37 pm
Here’s the English version of the Novell spoof series I was referencing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDc9I3z7ab4
Wednesday at 9:03 pm
I just got an idea for a lesson: With all the comedy in these lessons, how about a lesson on Japanese comedy. I’m familiar with the Rahmens, (anyone who looks at the first link I posted, or has seen the “How to eat Sushi” video should know who they are) and find their work quite funny. Any other acts I should check out via youtube?
Wednesday at 10:32 pm
Chrisさん mentioned wings at the maid bar and it made me wonder, are there Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants in Japan? If I end up staying in Japan for a long time, this will be one of the things from home I will definitely miss, along with Taco Bell and Wendy’s
Then again, there will be MOS Burger and Yoshinoya, not to mention excellent sushi bars
I really gotta stop eating so much fast-food!
スカット
Wednesday at 10:48 pm
Scott -
I never mentioned wings at the maid bar. I was referencing a well known establishment here, and answering Marky’s question.
Sorry if I am confusing people by posting from multiple computers. (I’m at work, and don’t have IME available)
Wednesday at 10:55 pm
Chrisさん、the rahmens are really popular with foreigners. none of my japanese friends know much about them. i think it’s cuz their comedy is more western and at times academic. whereas most japanese comedy on tv tends to be of the low brow/slapstick variety. that said, the rahmens japanese culture bits on youtube are darn near the funniest things i’ve ever seen in my life! (that sushi one should be required viewing for anyone with an interest in japan! eating the salt outside of the sushi shop… omg that’s too funny!!!)
i recommend shimura ken’s バカ殿 character, there are loads of clips on youtube!
スカットさん、
there are buffalo wings here!!
also, if you can get on the military bases, they have taco bell.
Thursday at 12:49 am
So the Stooges would fit in perfectly with Japanese humor, or are we talking more like Gallagher?
I really liked the Origami video they did.
Thursday at 2:18 am
If the series is to be acted out, I think Sakura should play the lead maid *cough*.
Since we’re throwing suggestions for future series out there, I think it’s about time there was some sort of yakuza series. The sound in the lessons has come a long way, but I’ve noticed a distinct lack of gunshot and screeching tyre sound effects. Plus, I’m pretty sure Yoshikai either is or used to be a yakuza
Sindy, I’d rather not risk running Vista on this hunk of junk, but for the record, my birthday is in July
Thursday at 2:28 am
Javizyさん
our yakuza series is right around the corner!!! you must’ve read my mind!!!!
Thursday at 2:29 am
ところでさ、i run vista TOO!
Thursday at 4:14 am
Natsuko and Naomi went to a maid café???
Waw, I just tried to picture that in my mind and that seemed to be really funny.
Thank you Rahim-san for the description of the maid café, I believe we could all have an idea about the way it is.
Great lesson and very interesting cultural insight!!
Sindy-san, you use Windows??? I expected more from you!!!
LOL
Arigatou!!
Thursday at 7:53 am
Maxiewawa-san!
Thank you for correcting me out!
My Japanese is terrible, I wanted to say that I don’t mind being that girl that gets pay just to kiss you but anyway too bad. You a very handsome Chinese so that’s why I said that to you ok!
Chris-san!
Thanks for your honest answers, at least you are a Neutral guy and I appreciated very much.
Javizy-san!
Ok so you need a new PC right? then good luck my friend because your birthday already past so until next July 2008!
PS: feel free to add me on your IM, lets keep in touch ok!
Marky-san!
You are so sweet and smart lets keep it up my friend!
Joao Paulo-san!
Nice try!
I’m surprise that you have a Mac since you seem a nice Brazilian guy. 
S_R_C
Good luck my friend, I will pray for you too until the end because the Virgin already lost hope! The stigmata guy said the true.
Thursday at 10:09 am
Markyさん
How did you find that series? I love it. I’ve watched 1-3, and just about killed the battery on my laptop.
Sindyさん
I figured maybe people would get a laugh out of the old tech. I still use the m102 when I am going somewhere where I don’t need much processing power, and battery life is a significant advantage. I dare you to find a laptop on the market today that can consistently withstand a 6ft drop, and has a battery life of about 16-20 hours per set of batteries/recharge. (I get about 16 hours off a set of NIMH rechargeables, 20 hours from a set of alkalines). Old tech can be quite durable.
Thursday at 11:44 am
Sindy-san! It’s ok. It’s not your Japanese that was wrong, I’m just not a Chinese.
Thursday at 11:51 am
Markyさん
Just curious, does the yakuza series cross with the マイドバー series?
Thursday at 9:37 pm
クリストファーさん、i’m not sure how i found that. i was just kidding around with Yuki here sending him stupid links to オタク stuff and メード stuff and somehow i stumbled across that. what was even better was that it had english subtitles, so even beginners can enjoy it. really funny stuff!
and the yakuza storyline doesn’t cross with the maid storyline, but it does tie into the 萌え theme that we’re bringing up next week.
i can’t wait!!
marky
Friday at 3:46 pm
Ok, I think some people picked up on the ‘maid’ part of ‘acting this out’, that isn’t what I really meant!
I hope this gives you an idea of we could make:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IhAnmykdCU
Let me stress that the idea isn’t for me to play 2 parts.
I think it’ll be quite easy to put together a short TV clip with members of the jPod community playing parts.
(Don’t worry, there won’t be any maids.)
Friday at 7:13 pm
Maxさん
Is your idea to do all 5 parts to this series in the video?
I’ll probably record a video for you over my weekend (Sun-Mon). If not, I’ll get it on my long weekend the following week.
Friday at 7:53 pm
i wanna see girls playing the guys and guys playing the maids! lol.
marky
Saturday at 1:38 am
Markyさん
That’s a perfect idea. I hope we get enough appropriate video responses to make it possible. I think that’s also an idea for a bonus track, once they make it to the マイドバー
Saturday at 1:07 pm
hmm I don’t want to commit to all 5 parts, I’m afraid what those zany jPod writers will cook up… let’s just see the dialogues first, then work out if it’s doable! It’s definitely be nice though!
Tuesday at 2:39 am
Are the maids friendly to female customers as well? I went to a Hooters in Pasadena, and the service was terrible. The waitresses spent all their time chatting with guys at the other tables. I think they didn’t want to waste their time on us because we were less likely to tip them extra for flirting.
Tuesday at 2:46 am
Laura, yes I went with two girls and they were treated just as politely.
Tuesday at 2:55 am
The guys as maids … woo! それをみてみたい! Think you can get Yoshi-san to make a cameo?
Is “あれ” better there? “それ” sounds funny for some reason.
Tuesday at 3:43 am
Laura, at Hooters they’re working for tips. A drunk guy will tip them in a lot. A maid isn’t working for tips. So she will be sooooo polite to you (or so I’m told).
tomorrow’s culture class will investigate that issue! and Rahimさん knows the truth!
i think それ is correct in this situation,
let’s ask a native speaker, but me and me bad japanese would use それは見てみたい “as for that, i’d like to see it!”
tomorrow i’ll start a “grammar nerd” topic in the forum. i think we can all go to town with this kind of question there!!
i have a lot to say on this issue, actually. and so do the rest of our community! let’s go crazy with it!
marky
Tuesday at 4:01 am
I think it would sound even more natural to just drop the それ and say 見てみたい. As in something like:
男のメード?見てみたい!
Tuesday at 4:42 am
I’m glad to hear about the maids. It was hard not to take the Hooters experience personally, even though I could understand where the waitresses were coming from.
A grammar nerd topic is a good idea! My first impulse was to use は but once I started thinking about it I changed my mind. I have a bit of a problem with overthinking, especially when trying to write =/ When you’re talking there isn’t time for it.
Tuesday at 12:24 pm
Jasonさん、well, that definitely solves the problem
about the grammar nerd topic, we have the topic: All About Japanese
http://www.japanesepod101.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
which is kind of like a grammar nerd topic. lol
and not to confuse the issue, but
それは見てみたい
それを見てみたい
それが見てみたい
are all grammatical and these all mean the same thing
Thursday at 5:59 am
npz11×90f24iglj2
べ
Tuesday at 6:47 am
and another “lite lesson notes” please - thanks.
Monday at 12:22 am
Maid bars are more for otaku’s preference… Its not odd for people that aren’t into anime, manga, or cosplay to not understand the full purpose of “maid cafe’s/bar’s”. But it kind of border’s offence for people who aren’t into that particular scene to attempt to discuss the particular location, i think that portion of the lesson could have been omitted seeing how none of these people understand the location that is being discussed.
Discussing the “conversation” is totally fine and very helpful for understanding that particular dilect, but it seems this will cause confusion for new japanese learners to try to use and implement many different dialect’s and understanding due to one main dialect being used for most of the other lessons and then using a dialect that none of the “instructors” use or are used to.
Personally i think this lesson could have been redone because they seem to be doing more giggling and laughing at the idea of a maid cafe and the dialect instead of actually focusing on breaking down the conversation. A lot of time wasted…
Monday at 12:26 am
a good show to watch (not anime) to see more of the idea of “maid cafe’s” would be akihabara@deep. They go to a particular maid cafe quite often, and i wouldn’t use Hooter’s as a good reference to what a maid cafe/bar is
that’s like putting a strip club in the same category as a dance show done on broadway
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