Today, we bring you another blog post from Motoko, JapanesePod101.com lesson creator, host and Office Party Planner! Motoko will be sharing more bilingual posts on our blog, so check back often and leave a comment!

Hi everyone! Motoko here!

A few weeks ago, we celebrated the marriage of Marvin. He’s part of our Technical Team and is from Germany. The wedding ceremony was held in May – and what’s more, his bride is Japanese!

In Japan, there are all kinds of wedding ceremonies. There’s the traditional Shintō shinzenshiki, which is held at a shrine, and the Buddhist butsuzenshiki, which is held at a temple; there’s also the kyōkaishiki, or church wedding, which has been gaining popularity in recent years. Another more unusual variant is the jinzenshiki, or civil wedding, in which the couple pledge their eternal love in front of the wedding guests, so their gathered family and friends become the witnesses to the marriage.

Do you know how to congratulate someone on their marriage in Japanese? An easy way to say it is:

Go-kekkon omedetō gozaimasu.
‘Congratulations on your marriage.’

Now, this next one is a bit difficult, so I rarely use it, but if you were to write your congratulations formally on a greeting card, you could use the following expression:

Kashoku no ten o shukushi, o-futari no go-takō to go-hatten o o-inori mōshi agemasu.
‘With humble congratulations on your wedding ceremony, and prayers for your great happiness and advancement.’

This is often also accompanied by phrases that mean ‘Please have a long and happy life together’, such as:

Suenagai o-shiawase o o-inori mōshi agemasu.
‘With humble prayers for your many years of happiness.’

Or:

Suenagaku o-shiawase ni.
‘Wishing you everlasting happiness.’


On this occasion, we as a company presented Marvin with go-shūgi (gift money). On all kinds of occasions in Japan – such as marriages, births, when someone goes on to a higher level of education, funerals, and so on – it is customary to give a monetary gift to represent one’s feelings. When we present someone with go-shūgi, I think it’s not just saying ‘Congratulations on your marriage!’, but also ‘Please put this towards the wedding and your new life together’. 

What kinds of marriage ceremonies are there in your country? Are there any kinds of special customs like go-shūgi?

A lesson about go-shūgi-bukuro (special envelopes for monetary gifts) can be found here:

Learn Kanji – Everyday Kanji 20 Bonus video

結婚祝い

こんにちは、もとこです。
今週、技術スタッフでドイツ出身のマーヴィンさんの結婚祝いをしました。今月、結婚式をあげるそうです。花嫁さんは日本人の方だとか！
　日本では色々なスタイルの結婚式が行なわれます。神社で行なう伝統的な「神前式（しんぜんしき）」やお寺で行なう「仏前式（ぶつぜんしき）」、教会で行なう「教会式（きょうかいしき）」は近年人気を集めています。また、変わったものでは「人前式」というスタイルの結婚式も最近はあります。結婚式に来た人たちの前で永遠の愛を誓い、集まってもらった親族や友人がその誓いの証人になります。
　みなさんは結婚のお祝いを日本語でなんて言うか知っていますか。シンプルな表現では
　「ご結婚おめでとうございます。」
　（ごけっこん　おめでとうございます。）
ちょっと難しいので私はあまり使いませんが、フォーマルにグリーティングカードに書くなら
　「華燭の典を祝し、お二人のご多幸とご発展をお祈り申し上げます。」
(かしょくの　てんを　しゅくし、　おふたりの　ごたこうと　ごはってんを　おいのりもうしあげます)
という言葉もあります。ずっと二人仲良く過ごしてくださいという意味の
　「末永いお幸せをお祈り申し上げます。」　や
　（すえながい　おしあわせを　おいのり　もうしあげます。）
　「末永くお幸せに。」
　（すえながく　おしあわせに。）
という言葉もよく添えられます。
　今回、会社としては「ご祝儀」をマーヴィンさんに渡しました。日本では、結婚や出産、進学、お葬式など、何かがあるごとに気持ちを添えてお金を渡す習慣があります。ご祝儀の場合は、結婚おめでとうございますという気持ちだけでなく、結婚式やこれからの新しい生活に役立ててください、という気持ちも込めて渡されるのだと思います。
　みなさんの国ではどんな結婚式がありますか。ご祝儀のように特別な習慣はありますか。
ご祝儀袋についてのレッスン
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage_vCt7fmm0P2w

This lesson Will teach you some of the most commonly used and most hopeful expressions in Japanese.

sō ieba (そういえば)

• “speaking of which” or “now that you mention it, and you use it when you are reminded of something and want to talk about it.

toriaezu (とりあえず)

• A handy phrase that means, “in the meantime” or “for now.”

• Use it to talk about some kind of action you take or decision you make “in the meantime” because for now, you feel like it’s better than doing nothing.

ryōkai desu (了解です)

• Ryōkai is a word that means “comprehension” or “consent.” It is often used as an exclamation in the following ways: by itself (ryōkai!), with the copula desu (ryōkai desu!), and with the past tense verb shimashita (ryōkai shimashita!).

• These are all used to show that you have understood and will comply with what someone has told you.

tekitō ni (適当に)

•  an adjective that literally means “suitable” or “relevant.” When the particle ni (に) is added, however, it becomes an adverb.

• the original meaning was that the action was done properly, but recently it has started to mean that the action was done “half-heartedly” or “without much care.”

tashika ni (確かに)

• The phrase tashika ni (確かに) is often used as aizuchi, interjections that we say in response to someone who is speaking, When you use tashika ni after something that someone has said, it means that you agree with them on that point, even if you don’t agree with them on other things.

In this lesson, we’ll offer tips to help you overcome some common errors that learners of Japanese make.

Don’t Attach -san to Your Own Name!

• One of the first things English speakers learn in Japanese is name suffixes used when addressing other people. The most common one is -san, which we attach to people’s first or last names to show respect.

• Because we use -san to show respect for others, you should never use it to refer to yourself.

Watch Your Politeness Level!

• One of the unique aspects of Japanese is the varying politeness levels that change according to a number of factors: age and status of the speaker and listener, the speaker’s relationship with the listener, and so on.

• It is important to remember to speak formally to one’s teachers, elders, and anyone else who follows under the category of senpai, those who are of higher status.

Watch Your Gender!

• In the Japanese language, the speaker’s gender plays an important role in determining word choice, tone of voice, and the types of expressions used.

• Non-native male speakers in particular should be careful about the kind of language and intonation they pick up from female teachers as well as female friends or girlfriends.

Learn Your Long Vowels Now!

•  In Japanese, there is a big distinction between long vowels and short vowels. In fact, the distinction is so big that the length of a vowel can change the meaning of a word!

Watch Out for Similar Sounding Words!

• Because there are a relatively small number of possible sounds in Japanese, many words are exactly the same or almost the same but with different meanings.

The focus of this lesson is teaching you some very common Japanese expressions you might not learn from a Japanese teacher.
すごい

• (Sugoi) – An adjective meaning “wow,” “amazing,” or “great.” This word is commonly heard and is often used when one hears or sees something interesting or unusual.

バカ

• (Baka) –  A noun meaning “idiot” or “fool.” When used as baka na (バカな), it becomes an adjective meaning “stupid.” This word can either be insulting or playful depending on how it is used.

• When used in a serious manner, it can come across as a strong insult, so it’s better to exercise caution with this word.

うそ！

•  (Uso!) – literally means “lie,” but when used as an exclamation, it corresponds to “No way!” or “Really!?” in English.

Words used by young people:

•  超(Chō) – a slangy adverb that usually comes before adjectives to emphasize them, making this word the equivalent of “very,” “so,” or “really.”

• や ばい(Yabai) – a very slangy word that has a few different meanings. When used as an exclamation (yabai!), it usually indicates that something is wrong and roughly means “oh no!” or “shoot!”

•  When used to describe something, it can have both a good meaning and a bad meaning depending on the context.

• マ ジ(Maji) – similar to chō in that it often comes before adjectives to emphasize them. When used as “maji de?!”(マジで?!), it becomes an exclamation meaning “Really?!” or “Are you serious?!”

•  す げー(Sugē) – a colloquial version of the above-mentioned sugoi. In young people’s speech (and particularly in young male speech), the “-oi” and “-ai” word endings turn into an “eh” sound.

• あいづち (Aizuchi) – frequent interjections listeners make during a Japanese conversation that show the listener is paying attention to and understanding the speaker. They can include things such as:

•  そうそう／だよね～(Sō sō／Da yo ne~) “Yeah” or “I know~” (expressing agreement)

•  うんうん (un un) “Okay” or “Yeah”. Sometimes used just to show that you are listening.

• へぇー(Hē) “Whoa!” or “Oh!”. This is often used to show that you are impressed or that you didn’t know something.

In this lesson, we’ll teach you the top five useful classroom phrases in Japanese, and then some!

“Please say it.” / “Please repeat.”

• Itte kudasai (言っ てください) means “please say it.” As a variation, you might also hear ripīto shite kudasai (リピートしてください), which means “please repeat (after me),” when teachers want you to repeat exactly what they have said.

“Please look.”

•  Mite kudasai (見てください) means “please look,” and when an object comes before the phrase, it means “please look at (object).

“Please read.”

•  Yonde kudasai (読んでください) means “please read.” You can expect to hear this phrase if a teacher wants you to practice reading some word, phrase, or passage.

“Please write it.”

•  Kaite kudasai (書いてください) means “please write it.” Teachers may use this phrase when they want you to practice writing some hiragana, katakana, or even kanji!

“Do you understand?”

•  The most direct translation is wakarimasu ka? (分かりますか？).

• Other variations Japanese teachers often use include daijōbu desu ka? (大丈夫ですか？) and ii desu ka? (いいですか？) which both literally translate to “Is it/everything okay?”

•  they might also ask shitsumon arimasu ka? (質問ありますか？), which means “Are there any questions?”

We hope that these phrases can help you get a head start in the classroom! please check out our other lesson series at JapanesePod101.com for more great usefull phrases!!

This lesson offers a few tools to help you learn Japanese. Some of these great tools to aid in your Japanese studies include the following:
Rikaichan

• a popup dictionary extension for the Firefox Internet browser that translates Japanese into English, German, French, or Russian. With this extension installed, you can easily look up the meaning of Japanese words that show up on webpages by simply hovering the cursor over the word. A box will instantly pop up with the reading and definition of the word.

https://www.polarcloud.com/rikaichan/

Rikaichan Kanji Dictionary

• Hover the cursor over any kanji, whether it is part of a compound or by itself, and press the Shift or Enter key to toggle between the word, kanji, and name dictionaries.

• The kanji dictionary gives detailed information that include the kanji’s meaning, all possible readings, radicals that make up the kanji, number of strokes, and more.

https://www.polarcloud.com/rikaichan/

Eijiro Dictionary

• an English-Japanese/Japanese-English dictionary with an extensive database of translations and sample sentences.

• You can buy Eijiro online at the ALC Online Shop website in the form of a CD-R or a downloadable dictionary file, and a free online version of Eijiro is available through the SpaceALC Japanese website portal.

https://shop.alc.co.jp/top/ (free version https://www.alc.co.jp/)
Anki

• a flash card program that lets you review vocabulary, kanji, or both!

• This kanji and vacabulary practice is based on a theory called spaced repetition, which means it presents the learner with flash cards at certain calculated intervals.

https://ichi2.net/anki/index.html

Lang-8

• a Social Networking Service (SNS) created for the purpose of language exchange and international communication

• Once you register, which is free, you can write a journal entry in the language you are studying, and other users who are native speakers of that language can correct your entry.

https://www.lang-8.com/

This blog focuses on the top five most important holidays in Japan.

Seijin no Hi

• “Coming-of-Age Day.” On this
  day, people who turn twenty during the current school year, which runs between April until the following March, celebrate their coming of age. In Japan, when people turn twenty, society legally recognizes them as an adult, and they are able to drink alcohol and vote.

Golden Week

• The period in late April and early May that contains many Japanese national holidays grouped closely together.

O-bon

• a Buddhist event where people pray for the repose of their ancestors’ souls and remember the deceased. If you are familiar with Mexico’s Day of the Dead festival, O-bon is quite similar. O-bon takes place from the 13th to the 16th of August (celebrated from July 13-15 in some areas).

Ōmisoka

• New Year’s Eve, This day is very symbolic in Japan as it is the last day of the year and the day before New Year’s Day, the most important day of the year.
• There are many traditions that fall on this day such as Ōsōji, or “big cleaning,” and a dinner of toshikoshi soba, New Year’s Eve Soba, a type of Japanese noodle.

O-shōgatsu or Gantan 

• New Year’s Day, Many people spend time with their families, and people who work or live far from their families often go back to their hometown for New Year’s.

This is a continuation of the previous blog post Top 5 aspects of Family Life

Work Culture and Economy

• Japan’s economy is ranked second in the world after that of the United States
• some of its main industries include motor vehicles, electronics, industrial and transportation equipment, and chemicals.
• Employees in their first years at a company often have to work long hours for little pay.
• It is very common for employees to all go out drinking together after a long day at work; the Japanese see this as a way to strengthen relationships and build work camaraderie.
• Another important part of the Japanese work economy is the custom of lifelong employment.
• This system is becoming less common due to a decrease in the number of full-time employees and an increase in the number of part-time and contractual employees.
• There is term, freeter, the Japanese have coined to refer to young people who work one or more part-time jobs as an alternative to obtaining full-time employment.

Politics

• Unlike the United States or the United Kingdom, Japanese political parties tend to change constantly with one major exception-the Liberal Democratic Party, which has held power for more than fifty years-since the end of World War II.

General Trends

• Generally speaking, the older and younger generations tend to do things differently and hold
  different ideas about things.
• Members of the younger generation also seem to keep more of their own interests in mind as they wait longer and longer to get married and have children.

This blog is a continuation of the previous blog 4 Major Cities. This blog will discuss 5 points of a standard Japanese family, but remember there are always exceptions!!

• Families in Japan are generally traditional, and the family is a focal point of life. 

• Immediate families are a bit smaller compared to those of other countries; it is not uncommon for Japanese parents to have only one or two children. 

• It is also very common for adult children to continue to live with their parents well into their twenties or thirties until they get married.

• Japanese gender roles are still quite traditional, with women expected to stay home and take care of their children and men expected to support the family financially.

• A few problems have recently plagued Japanese family life and society. One of them is the decreasing birthrate, which hit a record low in 2005 when the number of deaths outnumbered the number of births.

For more great lessons like this one, check out our other lessons: Click Here

Sushi
Sushi is probably the most famous Japanese food. Make your way to Tsukiji Fish Market, one of the largest fish markets in the world, for some of the freshest sushi around

Soba and udon
Soba, buckwheat noodles, and udon, thick noodles made from wheat, are two of the most popular types of Japanese noodles.

Tofu
Let’s face it; tofu doesn’t have the best reputation in the West. Even if you aren’t crazy about tofu or just can’t shake its bland, flavorless image, you’re sure to find a tofu recipe that will make you reconsider this Japanese delicacy

Shabushabu
Shabushabu is a dish that uses thin slices of meat dipped in boiling water or broth, which you then dip into a flavored sauce and eat.

Ramen
Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish that has its roots in China. It consists of a meaty broth, noodles, shredded meat, and vegetables.