Page 166 - Easy Japanese - Learn to Speak Japanese Quickly! (TUTTLE)

arimasen. expensive.
Noun: Nihon ja nai Nihon ja It is not
desu. arimasen. Japanese.

Verb: Tabenai desu. Tabemasen. I won’t eat.

Both forms are formal, but the form on the left is a little more casual than the
one on the right. For individual verb forms, check the verb conjugation chart in
Lesson 7.

CULTURAL NOTE After Work Parties

Many Japanese offices have parties for their employees such as year-end parties
(bōnen-kai 忘年会), New Year parties (shinnen-kai 新年会), welcome parties
for new hires (kangei-kai 歓迎会), and farewell parties for retirees and
transferees (sōbetsu-kai 送別会). In addition, it is common in Japan for co-

workers to dine and drink together after work. These drinking parties (nomi-kai
飲み会) can be an important and useful way to get to know your co-workers and
enhance relationships. When bosses (jōshi 上司) and senior team members
(senpai 先輩) invite subordinates (buka 部下) or junior members (kōhai 後輩),
attendance can be an unspoken requirement. If you do not want to attend, it is

important to defuse your negative response (Kyō wa chotto “Today is a little…”
works well in such cases). It used to be uncommon for female employees to be
invited to or be welcomed at these parties, but as the number of working women
increased, now women often have parties of their own, a girls’ night out type of
party (joshi-kai 女子会).

Office drinking parties were more common during the era of high economic
growth in Japan and when lifetime employment (shūshin-koyō 終身雇用) was
the standard. The employment system and corporate culture have now become
more westernized, and career changing is no longer uncommon. As Japanese
now seek a good balance between work and private life (wāku-raifu baransu
ワークライフバランス), the younger generation tend to spend less time with

their co-workers and focus more on self-improvement, hobbies and their family.
Recently, private mixer parties resembling group blind dates (gōkon 合コン) are
becoming popular among young people, from university students to working
singles. These are typically organized by friends or co-workers.
Who pays for these parties? When a boss invites the team, she is expected to

pay for all or at least a substantial portion. Do not forget to thank her by saying