Page 406 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

404  PHR ASE BOOK

Phrase Book
The Japanese language is related to Okinawan and is increasingly used. There are several romanization
similar to Altaic languages such as Mongolian and systems; the Hepburn system is used in this guide.
Turkish. Written Japanese uses a combination of three To simplify romanization, macrons (long marks over
scripts: Chinese ideograms, known as kanji, and two vowels to indicate longer pronunci ation) have not
syllable-based alphabet sys tems known as hiragana been used. Japanese pronunciation is fairly
and katakana. These two latter are similar, katakana straightforward, and many words are “Japanized”
functioning as italics are used in English. Traditionally, versions of Western words. This Phrase Book gives the
Japanese is written in vertical columns from top right English word or phrase, followed by the Japanese script,
to bottom left, though the Western system is then the romanization, adapted to aid pronunciation.
In an Emergency
Guidelines for Pronunciation Help! Tas’kete!
When reading the romanization, give the same Stop! Tomete!
emphasis to all syllables. The practice in English Call a doctor! Isha o yonde
of giving one syllable greater stress may render kudasai!
a Japanese word incomprehensible. Call an Kyukyusha o
ambulance! yonde kudasai!
Call the police! Keisatsu o
Pronounce vowels as in these English words: yonde kudasai!
a as the “u” in “cup” Fire! Kaji!
e as in “red” Where is the Byoin wa doko
i as in “chief” hospital? ni arimass-ka?
o as in “solid” police box koban
u as the “oo” in “cuckoo”
Communication Essentials
When two vowels are used together, give each letter Yes/no. Hai/ie.
an individual sound: … not … … nai/
ai as in “pine” chigaimass.
ae as if written “ah-eh” I don’t know. Shirimasen.
ei as in “pay” Thank you. Arigato.
Thank you very Arigato
Consonants are pronounced as in English. The letter g is much. gozaimass.
Thank you very
Domo arigato
always hard as in “gate,” and j is always soft as in “joke.” R much indeed. gozaimass.
is pronounced something between r and l. F is Thanks (casual). Domo.
sometimes pronounced as h. “Si” always becomes “shi,” No, thank you. Kekko dess,
but some people pronounce “shi” as “hi.” V in Western arigato.
words (e.g., “video”) becomes b. If followed by a Please Dozo.
consonant, n may be pronounced as either n or m. (offering).
All consonants except n are always either followed Please (asking). Onegai shimass.
by a vowel or doubled; however, sometimes an i or u Please (give me … kudasai.
is barely pronounced. In this Phrase Book, to aid or do for me).
pronunciation, apostrophes are used where an i or u I don’t Wakarimasen.
understand.
is barely pronounced within a word, and double Do you speak Eigo o
consonants where this occurs at the end of a word. English? hanasemass-ka?
I can’t speak Nihongo wa
Dialects Japanese. hanasemasen.
Standard Japanese is used and understood Please speak Mo s’koshi
throughout Japan by people of all backgrounds. But more slowly. yukkuri
on a colloquial level, there are significant differences hanash’te
in both pronunciation and vocabulary, even between Sorry/Excuse me! kudasai.
Sumimasen!
the Tokyo and Osaka-Kyoto areas, and rural accents Could you help. Chotto tets’datte
are very strong. me please? (not itadakemasen-
emergency) ka?
Polite Words and Phrases
There are several different levels of politeness in the Useful Phrases
Japanese language, according to status, age, and My name is …. Watashi no
situation. In everyday conversation, polite ness levels namae wa …
are simply a question of the length of verb endings dess.
(longer is more polite), but in formal conversation How do you do, Hajime-mash’te,
entirely different words (keigo) are used. As a visitor, pleased to meet dozo
you may find that people try to speak to you in you. yorosh’ku.
formal language, but there is no need to use it How are you? Ogenki dess-ka?
yourself; the level given in this Phrase Book is neutral Good morning. Ohayo
yet polite. gozaimass.
Good afternoon/ Konnichiwa.
good day.
Good evening. Konbanwa.
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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Phrase book template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.1)
Date 30th May 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm