What should you do and say when you meet a Japanese person for the first time? More importantly, what should you not say! In this lesson we’ll learn how to talk about yourself in a polite manner. We’ll also learn the must know expression “Where are you from?” A staple of Japanese small talk. We’ll look at sai, the Japanese counter for age. We’ll also look at how to use wa to imply a question, a useful grammatical structure in Japanese.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008 at 6:30 pm and is filed under Beginner Lessons (S4). 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.
19 Responses to “Beginner Lesson #3 - Tell Me More About Yourself”
JapanesePod101.com says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Mina-san, when you meet someone for the first time, what do you usually talk about?
Glenn says:
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
It depends on who I meet but usually - work, and what is around us when we meet for the first time.
プチクレア says:
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Work, because that’s usually a safe subject … And after that hobbies. I’d be surprised if someone asked me my age right away. But then again, it depends on circumstances.
Naomi says:
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:01 pm
こんにちは。皆さん。
Konnichiwa mina-san
皆さん、ご兄弟は？
Mina-san go-kyoudai wa?
Do you have siblings? 
バロン says:
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:23 pm
はい、妹一人います。
If I meet someone in a casual setting, the topic usually covers my hobby. There’s something 懐かしい about seeing one of those big cameras with a bellows. People just can’t help being curious about it. I do have to be careful to not bore people with details, so I let them ask more questions. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bloritsch/1442373827/)
If I meet someone in a more formal setting, the topic usually covers my job. That’s another one you can easily bore people with details if you are not careful.
Angie says:
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:13 pm
はい、姉一人います、けど、ふたごが います、 だから 私たちと いっしょに 住んでいません。
(aaaah too bad, i’m stil wondering why I am trying writing japanese…oh yes, it’s just beacuse I am actually studying it… 
)
Meeting someone for the first time, I usually speak/ask about hobbies or hometown too. But it clearly depends on the context.
Peterさん 
thanks, as always!
Naomi Sensei 
Takeさん 
maxiewawa says:
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:56 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMRfuWGmVTc
I asked my 日本人 these questions.
capt.strugglebunny says:
July 24th, 2008 at 2:25 am
Oh sweet, a new beginner’s series. Now I may be able to actually keep up with episodes and participate in threads that aren’t over 2 years old!
Naomi says:
July 24th, 2008 at 10:59 am
バロンーsan
すごいカメラですね。Sugoi kamera desu ne!
バロンさんはカメラマンですか。Baron-san wa kameraman desu ka?
Angie-san
お姉さんはイタリアに住んでいますか？
Onee-san wa itaria ni sunde imasu ka?
maxiewawa-san
ビデオありがとうございます。Bideo arigatou gozaimasu.
バロン says:
July 24th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
アマチュア写真家です。 (Amachua shushin-ka desu.)
たのしいですよね。 (tanoshii desu yo ne?)
Angie says:
July 25th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Naomi Sensei, すみません、 私のへんじは ちょっと おそい です。。
ところで、はい、姉もイタリアに住んでいます。じつは、姉のうちと私たちの は とても ちかい です。 I absolutely don’t know if I can say something like “AのC to Bの wa “something”, I thought about that about 2 days! 
sorry if it’s wrong!
Naomi says:
July 25th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Angie-さん, バロン-san
Thank you for your reply!!!
Angie-san, your sentences are great!!! I think 姉のうちと 私たちの「うち」は とても ちかいです。 sounds more natural. 
Peter says:
July 26th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Gilin-san, sugoi! Great job posting in Japanese! Looks pretty good!
Watashi no shuushin wa Amerika no NyuuYooku desu.
Gilin-san no shuushin wa doko desu ka?
バロン says:
July 26th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Gilin-san,
Watashi no shusshin wa Amerika no Baajinia desu.
私の出身はアメリカのバージニアです。
radha says:
July 27th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Hello Talking about weather in the very first meeting is a safe bait, me thinkso.
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Category: Beginner Lessons (S4) |
Grammar: sai, wa (topic marking particle) | Function: meeting someone for the first time, talking about yourself | Topic: hometowns | Politeness Level: Polite
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