Japanese Phrases For Dummies

Japanese Phrases For Dummies

Japanese Phrases For Dummies

Japanese Phrases For Dummies

Paperback(Bilingual)

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Overview

A quick easy reference to pick up and reinforce key Japanese phrases

Japanese is the fifth most studied language in the U.S., with over 40,000 college students enrolled in Japanese courses every year, and Japan ranks as the eighth most popular international destination for American travelers. Focusing on real-world language skills that people can put to use right away-from asking directions to talking numbers-this phrasebook is a must for travelers and students.
Eriko Sato, PhD, is a native Japanese speaker and Professor of Japanese at SUNY Stony Brook.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780764572050
Publisher: Wiley
Publication date: 08/06/2004
Series: For Dummies Books
Edition description: Bilingual
Pages: 224
Sales rank: 681,212
Product dimensions: 4.18(w) x 7.34(h) x 0.45(d)

About the Author

Eriko Sato is a lecturer of Japanese language at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where she received her PhD degree in linguistics. She also is the Founding Director of the Pre-College Japanese Language Program as well as the Executive Director of the Japan Center at the same university. When she started her graduate work in 1988, she decided to devote her career to Japanese-language education and research. She studied Japanese and English linguistics and foreign languages, including Chinese, French, and Korean, to prepare herself to be a teacher and researcher who understands students’ linguistic backgrounds and difficulties. She has written many articles for linguistic and education journals, and she has written three books on Japanese language: a textbook for young children, a textbook for college students, and a manual for Japanese/English translators.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Conventions Used in This Book 2

Foolish Assumptions 3

Icons Used in This Book 4

Where to Go from Here 4

Chapter 1: I Say It How? Speaking Japanese 5

Basic Japanese Sounds 5

Vowel sounds 6

Consonant sounds 8

Sounding Fluent 10

Don’t stress 10

Get in rhythm 10

Pitch perfectly 11

You Already Know a Little Japanese 12

Japanese words in English 12

English words used in Japanese 12

Picking Up Some Basic Phrases 13

Chapter 2: Grammar on a Diet: Just the Basics. 15

Using Appropriate Speech Styles 15

Forming Sentences 16

Introducing particles 17

Telling the topic 20

Dropping Understood Words 21

Using Pronouns 22

Demonstrative pronouns 22

Personal pronouns 23

Working with Verbs 25

Understanding basic verb forms 25

Doing the conjugation thing 26

Deciding on tense: Past or not past, that is the question 29

Speaking politely 30

Enhancing verbs with suffixes 31

Using the Verb Desu (To Be) 33

Describing Adjectives 34

Chapter 3: Numerical Gumbo: Counting of All Kinds 39

Knowing Your Numbers 39

Numbers from 1 to 10 39

Numbers from 11 to 99 40

Numbers from 100 to 9,999 41

Numbers from 10,000 to 100,000 42

Counting with Counters 44

Counting the months 45

Counting the days 48

Reeling off the years 50

Specifying dates and times 51

Changing with the Seasons 53

Talking about the Days of the Week 54

Telling Time 55

Telling Time Relative to Now 58

Money, Money, Money 59

Exchanging money 59

Opening a bank account 60

Making deposits and withdrawals 61

Chapter 4: Making New Friends and Enjoying Small Talk 63

Meeting and Greeting 63

Saying hello 63

Asking people their names 64

Addressing friends and strangers 65

Greeting all day long 68

Paying attention and saying so 69

Saying good-bye 69

Expressing Gratitude and Regret 70

Making Small Talk 71

Breaking the ice and asking questions 71

Talking about the weather 72

Asking people where they’re from 73

Talking about where you’re going 74

Talking about your family 74

Existing and possessing: The verbs iru and aru 76

Talking about your regular activities 78

Giving out your contact information 79

Chapter 5: Enjoying a Drink and a Snack (or Meal) 81

Making the Most of Breakfast and Lunch 81

Eating breakfast in two cultures 83

Munching your lunch 84

Dining Out 85

Ordering fast food 85

Making dinner reservations 86

Ordering in a restaurant 89

Setting your table 91

Chatting with the waiter or waitress 92

Paying for your meal 93

Expressing Your Likes and Dislikes 94

Using Proper Table Manners 95

Chapter 6: Shop ’til You Drop 97

Asking for a Particular Item 97

Comparing Items 98

Saying cheaper, more expensive, better, or worse 99

Comparing two items 100

Pointing out the best one 101

Comparing three or more items 101

Shopping for Clothes 104

Asking about color 104

Using chotto for a variety of reasons 105

Finding the right size 106

Going to a Department Store 108

Negotiating Prices 109

Paying for Your Purchases 110

Going Grocery Shopping 111

Going to a butcher 111

Buying vegetables and fruit 111

Buying fresh fish 112

Chapter 7: Making Leisure a Top Priority. 113

Using the Verb Suru (To Do) 113

Exploring Fun Places 115

Visiting museums and galleries 115

Going to the theater 116

Going to bars and clubs 117

Singing like a star at a karaoke bar 119

Talking about Your Hobbies 119

Exploring Nature 119

Living the Sporting Life 121

Saying “I Can” 121

Using Your Artistic Talent 123

Giving and Receiving Invitations 125

Making a suggestion using “why don’t we?” 125

Saying “let’s go” and “shall we go?” 126

Inviting friends to your house 127

Chapter 8: When You Gotta Work 129

Talking about Your Job 129

Managing Your Office Equipment 130

Searching for a Job 132

Talking on the Phone 134

Calling a friend 135

Calling hotels and stores 136

Asking for what you want 137

Calling a client 139

Leaving a message 140

Chapter 9: I Get Around: Transportation 143

Getting Around at the Airport 143

Getting on board 143

Going through immigration 146

Going through customs 146

Getting Around Town 147

Asking about the best 148

Getting on a bus 149

Hopping on a train 150

Hailing a taxi 153

Renting a car 153

Dealing with Directions 156

Asking “where” questions 156

Answering “where” questions 158

Giving precise directions 160

Using ordinal numbers 160

Specifying how far 162

Asking “how do I get to” questions 163

Referring to locations on the street 164

Providing actions with directions 165

Chapter 10: Finding a Place to Lay Your Weary Head. 169

Getting the Accommodations of Your Choice 169

Reserving a Room 171

Checking out room size 171

Counting the number of guests 172

Indicating the length of your stay 173

Talking with insiders and outsiders 174

Comparing costs 175

Keeping track of what’s yours with possessive pronouns 175

Checking In to a Hotel 177

Checking Out of a Hotel 179

Chapter 11: Dealing with Emergencies 181

Shouting out for Help 181

Calling the Police 184

Reporting an accident to the police 184

Finding the lost and found 187

Getting Legal Help 189

Getting Medical Help 190

Looking for a doctor 190

Pointing at your body parts 191

Complaining about your discomfort 192

Getting a diagnosis 193

Getting treatment 194

Chapter 12: Ten Favorite Japanese Expressions 195

Chapter 13: Ten Phrases That Make You Sound Like a Local 197

Index 199

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