Can you speak, or understand any Japanese?

[MirielleChan]

What Japanese words do you know? (If you're fluent, list a couple that are important to know and haven't been listed yet)

Aka- Red
Akai- Red *insert object*
Arigato- Thanks/thank you
Baka- idiot (:p)
Gomen- Sorry
Hikari- Light
Kawai- cute
Kire- Slice/slash
Konichiwa- Good afternoon/hello
Ja ne- See you
Nihongo- Japanese
Neko- cat
Sakura- cherry blossom
Sugoi- Amazing
Tsubasa- Wing(s)
Tsuki- Moon

Aaaaaand that's all I know, really. :animeswea

[Stuart]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS][COLOR=DarkGreen]Eh, I'm not exactly sure the reasoning behind your thread's title. "Baka baka baka baka baka...". Does that have something to with Japanese? I have no idea, but I think it should be changed to something more suitable for this topic. I think to help support a discussion in this thread the topic should be more rather something along the lines of "Can you speak, or understand any Japanese?" That's more efficient than listing off words that you understand in Japanese; It's as simple as searching google and copy/pasting the words here.

As for me? I don't know any Japanese; what so ever.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[Ryan]

[size=1]I don't know any, but I am hoping to learn some, if not a lot in the future. I think it would be great to be trilingual (English/Spanish for me at the moment.) I envy those who are able to pick up on Japanese well, it seems like a very tough language.[/size]

[Retribution]

[SIZE=1]My friend has self-taught himself Japanese since freshman year of high school. He's now entering college. He knows a fair amount now -- [url]www.aozoranoeizou.net/bbs[/url] check that out, and just look at the forum titles. Hell, I don't even know what they mean, I just kinda remembered where everything was.[/SIZE]

[Kitty]

[COLOR=#003aaf][SIZE=1]I'm currently being tutored in the Japanese language/culture by a native speaker. I don't know much, seeing as I've only had about twelve lessons (though I know much more than I did before I started, of course). It'll take time before I can speak it fluently, but I actually don't have much trouble understanding the words.

And you spelled a few of those words wrong. =P[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[MirielleChan]

[quote name='Kitty][COLOR=#003aaf][SIZE=1]And you spelled a few of those words wrong. =P[/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote]

I was just waiting for someone to point that out :animeswea I'm a horrible speller when I guess how you write it :p

[Sara]

[color=#6699cc]I'm not learning Japanese by any stretch of the imagination, although I may take classes in it next year, depending on how my other languages are going. It isn't a goal of mine to be fluent in Japanese, but I think it would be cool to have a working knowledge of as many languages as possible.

I do know most of the words you listed there, just by being associated with theOtaku for o many years now. You tend to pick up the wapanese phrasings. ;)

Weirdly enough, I became familiar with several words when I was big into Digimon. I'd look up words in Japanese to use for some of my character's names. That was fun. [/color]

[Zidargh]

I could've sworn it was Nihon-Jin that meant you were Japanese.

I myself have just finished my Japanese Basic Level 1 and am readying myself for Japanese Level 2 in September. I've had over 27 lessons but missed a few because I was either; A.) Too Tired; or B.) Had other things to do.

My class is one of those Adult Education programmes where you're meant to go if you're working or just really busy. And so me being the only student, I progress much faster than the 25 - 60 year olds in my class which is pretty nice.

My sensei's lovely too. Good ole' Etsuko.

I've found that speaking isn't too much of a problem, neither is writing Hiragana or Katakana, it's just remembering that does it for me. There are so many different particles you need to input, for example, 'Ashita de/to/whatever' because I always get it wrong.

I'm finding it very useful because I can understand quite a bit on the 'net, apart from Kanji. I haven't even ventured that far yet.

[b]P.s:[/b] Haha. You're signature is quite amusing, Lore.

[Kitty]

[quote name='Zidargh']I could've sworn it was Nihon-Jin that meant you were Japanese.[/quote] [COLOR=#003aaf][SIZE=1]Well, that's because it does. What MireilleChan had typed, nihon-go, means Japanese [i]language[/i]. Nihon-Jin means Japanese [i]citizen[/i]. Just thought I'd clear that up. :p[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[quote]I've found that speaking isn't too much of a problem, neither is writing Hiragana or Katakana, it's just remembering that does it for me. There are so many different particles you need to input, for example, 'Ashita de/to/whatever' because I always get it wrong. [/quote] [COLOR=#003aaf][SIZE=1]I have to agree with you there, as well. While the alphabets themselves are easy to learn how to write, the particles (de, to, mo, ga, and ni, just to list a few) are increasingly irritating as you progress through the language. There are so many rules regarding particles and which words you place them after, that I have found myself angrily slamming my head against a wall while trying to figure it out. >__>; And words that are spelled exactly the same but have different emphasis on different syllabels are equally annoying.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[quote]I'm finding it very useful because I can understand quite a bit on the 'net, apart from Kanji. I haven't even ventured that far yet.[/QUOTE] [size=1][color=#003aaf]Well, if it takes most Japanese citizens their entire school careers (this is an estimate, not a fact) learning the [b]10,000+[/b] kanji, I don't plan on ever learning them all. But a few in your 'library' is always helpful. ^_~[/color][/size]

[IceRose]

My mom can speak and read and write japanese, I barely can speak it.

[Panda]

Japanese was my first language. My family is pretty old school and pretty much just speaks Japanese at home. If I wanted to understand my family I had to understand Japanese. This really wasn't much of a problem since I grew up with it. But starting school in the US was a challenge. My brother who is older than me had to take special English language classes so my parents made us kids start speaking only in English so we would do well in school.

Unfortunately because of their desire for us to do well in school we slacked off on our Japanese and would always answer their Japanese with English (Hope that makes sense). I totally understand Japanese but my speaking is terrible since I have a really thick "American" accent. :animeswea Oh well.

I do watch anime in the raw with my hubby and translate it for him. He is actually very quick at picking up new languages so he can pretty much hold his own when it comes to my family gatherings. With help from my family and learning Japanese text books he does really well. I guess after 10+ years of having my mom speak to him in Japanese he was bound to pick something up! LOL

[r2vq]

[quote name='Panda']Unfortunately because of their desire for us to do well in school we slacked off on our Japanese and would always answer their Japanese with English (Hope that makes sense). I totally understand Japanese but my speaking is terrible since I have a really thick "American" accent. :animeswea Oh well.[/quote]

You sound like my Chinese friends. ^^ They speak Chinese but are embaressed to do so because of their "accent" which a non-Chinese person like me could never detect.
I also lost my first language, when I learned English to suceed in Canada. Still understand, but can't speak.

As for Japanese, I've been studying it in Saturday school for a high school credit for the last three years. In September I'll be going again. Since people in this forum are counting lesson numbers... I guess that's only 120 lesson 3.5 hours each. I've also used the audio lessons that are intended for American Business-men moving to Japan.

[quote name='Kitty']I have to agree with you there, as well. While the alphabets themselves are easy to learn how to write, the particles (de, to, mo, ga, and ni, just to list a few) are increasingly irritating as you progress through the language. There are so many rules regarding particles and which words you place them after, that I have found myself angrily slamming my head against a wall while trying to figure it out. >__>; And words that are spelled exactly the same but have different emphasis on different syllabels are equally annoying.[/quote]

I was always okay with the Particles. There are a bunch of them, and sometimes it's hard to remember where they are used, but I guess you get the hang of it. Or maybe, I just don't know enough of them to be confused yet. :animeswea

The Kanji, I find very difficult. I find that my Chinese friends have a major advantage to studying Japanese since a bunch of them have studied Chinese characters since they were children. >.> What I find most difficult, other than Kanji, is trying to distinguish double consonants or double vowels. I used a few of MirielleChan's spelling errors as examples. Just from hearing it, I never would've known that こんにちは had an ん in it.

[QUOTE=MirielleChan]Arigato[b]u[/b]- Thanks/thank you
Kawai[b]i[/b]- cute
Ko[b]n[/b]nichiwa- Good afternoon/hello
[/QUOTE]

It'd be nice to be fluent in the language, but I guess that's impossible unless you immerse yourself.

-ArV

[Raiyuu]

[quote name='Kitty][size=1][color=#003aaf]Well, if it takes most Japanese citizens their entire school careers (this is an estimate, not a fact) learning the [b]10,000+[/b] kanji, I don't plan on ever learning them all. But a few in your 'library' is always helpful. ^_~[/color'][/size][/quote] [font=Trebuchet MS]The Jouyou Kanji, of which there are about 1,095, are enough to get you through general life in Japan (so I'm told). This basic set of characters should allow you to read a newspaper, a menu, and road signs.

I'm hoping to know enough Japanese to live out there for a while next Summer; I'm hoping my University (whichever one I end up going to) has language programs I can run alongside my own course, but I'm progressing at a reasonable rate with just online teaching so far. [url="http://www.kanji-step.com"]Kanji-Step[/url] is a useful site for learning Hiragana, Katakana and some basic Kanji, while [url="http://www.learn-japanese.net"]Nihongo o Narau[/url] is good for the basics of grammar.
[/font]

[Sage Kaley]

I'm learning Japanese, I took Japanese 1 in high school and now will be going into college to learn it as well. I love it, it is to me one of the more beautiful languages I have heard. Some people think it's all a jumble and I hear it mocked often but really I love the way the language works from what I've seen.

I can't speak very well but my writing and reading skills are actually pretty good. Well for my level anyway, I just want to keep learning it though. I know a lot of people now are learning it because of anime (well makes sense) but I actually wish I'd found this language a long time ago.

I don't have too much trouble with Kanji really, it's actually Katakana that's harder for me ^^;;

[MommySkullFish]

I'm attempting to learn, and am learning some stuff slowly. Boyfriend used to live in Japan, so had a lot of language books, which helps.

Right now, I'm learning mostly just by watching anime and memorizing songs (want to try Japanese karaoke ;)

[botoman]

I understand a bit of Japanese. I found an interest in it during high school (and anime of course), and then pursued it as a major in college. I also lived in Kobe this past year studying abroad.

I agree with Kitty about the particles. I think one of the most difficult aspects for me are the particle/ verb relationships. When I first learned about a verb, a particle would normally accompany it and so I'd figure that that particle would always just go with that verb. For example, the particle "ni" can be used like this: "Suupaa [I]ni[/I] iku," meaning, "I will go to the supermarket." But "ni" is also used when meeting someone: "Tomodachi [I]ni[/I] au," meaning "I will meet my friend." There are a ton more that I still have trouble with now and then.

[Delta]

[COLOR=FireBrick][SIZE=1]Teacher says I know enough that I can be dropped off anywhere in Tokyo and make it to the nearest airport. I think that's not saying much; they [i]have[/i] police officers competent in English, don't they? And seeing that you guys are better at it than me, methinks it's time that we plan a trip to Japan.

I really want to learn to speak Osaka-ben and talk like them stereotypical gangsters I see in NHK. It sounds so casual, laid-back and (gotta admit it) [i]cool[/i]. Mmm hmm.

[quote name='Sage Kaley']I can't speak very well but my writing and reading skills are actually pretty good. [/quote]Let's switch Broca's areas, shall we?[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[MidoriWaterfall]

[SIZE=1]I'm trying to teach myself Japanese. I think I know a good amount of Japanese, but I don't know how to say Japanese in sentences. Well, only one... but it's not really a sentence: "Que serra, serra." It means: "What's done is done". My new favorite is: "Neko no koi" which means "Cats in love". I'm obssessed with neko (cat[s]) :catgirl:[list=1]
[*]Konnichiwa= Good Afternoon
[*]Gomen nasai= Very sorry (more polite than "gomen")
[*]Domo= Thanks
[*]Ohayo= Morning
[*]Tomodachi= Friend
[*]Watashi no= My (followed by a noun)
[*]Konban wa= Evening (or Good Evening)
[*]Neko= Cat
[*]Koneko= Kitten
[*]Inu= Dog
[*]Kitsune= Fox
[*]Kame= God, turtle
[*]Ko= Child (it's a suffix, some people think it's only for "girl" but it's for "boy" too)
[*]Hikari= Light
[*]Yami= Dark
[*]Baka= Stupid, moron
[*]Aho= Stupid, moron (in Tokyo it is not as offensive as "baka" but I believe in Osaka it's reverse)
[*]Koi= love
[*]Ashitaru= I love you
[*]Bara= Rose
[*]Hi= Fire
[*]Hai= Yes
[*]Iie= No
[*]Ichi= 1
[*]Ne= 2
[*]San= 3 (the suffix "-san" means "Mr.", "Mrs.", or "Miss")
[*]Roku= 5
[*]Ju= 10
[*]Onee-chan= Big sister, big girl (used for close friends 16-)
[*]Onii-chan= Same as Onee-chan, but for boys/young men 16-
[*]Ame= Rain
[*]-kun= a suffix used for boys or classmates in school
[*]Senpai (pronounced= Sempai)= Upperclassmen (used for a long relationship, even out of school)
[*]Kohai= Opposite of Senpai
[*]-chan= A suffix used for friends or relatives
[*]-sama= A suffix meaning "Lord" or "Lady"
[*]-domo= A suffix for a higherlevel than "-sama"
[*]Otome= Maiden
[*]Koorime= Ice Maiden
[*]Ryu= A style of sword-fighting, or "Dragon"
[*]Kameko= Turtle child; long life
[*]Chibi= midget, short
[*]Chisana= Small
[*]Chisaii= Small (more polite than "chibi")
[/list]
(this is all I can think of at the top of my head...)[/SIZE]

[Dagger]

[quote name='MidoriWaterfall][SIZE=1']I'm trying to teach myself Japanese. I think I know a good amount of Japanese, but I don't know how to say Japanese in sentences. Well, only one... but it's not really a sentence: "Que serra, serra." It means: "What's done is done".[/SIZE][/quote]
"Que sera, sera" is French. I think it's actually supposed to be Spanish, once you add in the proper accent marks (which I'm unfortunately not familiar with), but... yeah. What on earth gave you the impression that it's a Japanese phrase? :animeswea

~Dagger~

[botoman]

MidoriWaterfall:

I give you lots of props for trying to learn Japanese on your own. Just a few corrections to help you out:

- You have the "Aho" and "Baka" mixed up a little. In the Kansai area (Osaka) "Aho" is not as harsh as "Baka" but in the Kanto area (Tokyo), it's the opposite.
- "Ai shite iru" is "I love you."
- "Ni" is 2. "Ne" can be used at the end of a sentence to imply a sort of "right?" feeling. For example, "Kimi mo iku ne?" = "You'll go too, right?"
- "Roku" is 6. "Go" is 5.

I think you're doing all right on your own, so [i]ganbatte ne![/i]

[Onix]

[COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]Hmmm...a few tips, Midori-chan.

"Kame" is turtle, but it's "kami" for God. Also, -dono is actually an archaic term of high respect, usually used for Daimyo (Feudal Lords) and the ilk. And, like botoman said, roku is 6, and it's ai shite iru. Other than that, it looks pretty good, and as a fellow self-taught...person...it looks like you're doing good. Much luck to you.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Kane987321]

I learned some japanese from this site [url]http://www.loveofanime.com/index1024.htm[/url] It's great!
Also a great site for anime.

[MidoriWaterfall]

[QUOTE=Dagger]"Que sera, sera" is French. I think it's actually supposed to be Spanish, once you add in the proper accent marks (which I'm unfortunately not familiar with), but... yeah. What on earth gave you the impression that it's a Japanese phrase? :animeswea

~Dagger~[/QUOTE]
:animedepr oh really? I thought it was japanese because... eh a character based on japanese on a manga I read (shigure from fruits basket) mentioned the phrase. I wasn't too sure that was Japanese, but Que means "What?" in spanish. Serra I have no clue about. I'm just as clueless in Spanish as I am Japanese, but I have to learn spanish concidering my family is spanish and my grandpanrents aren't exactly fluent in english. so I messed up there. Hey I never said I was fluent in Japanese, I just said that I knew some... >.< agh! I can't believe I mixed up roku and go. I didn't put a lot of the numbers because I didin't remember all of their meanings. I know them, just not in order. I know shi/nana: 7. Also, shi in kanj characters is "death". I told you guys I'm just learning Japanese by myself so I assume I'll make some mistakes. the only other things I know: taki (water), midori iro (the color green)... so..... don't rant on me saying something's wrong. I've been picking up japanese words from mangas and other people's websites on geocities, tripod, etc. I have my own but it's not finished, and I haven't updated it reccentally... so... yeah don't rant on meh :bawl: :nope:

[mechaconneko]

I like the word Ten:
Ten = sky
Tenshi =Angel
Tenku =Demon
Tengoku = Heaven
Tenbatsu= Divine Punishment

It's the word of the day
It's an easy way to remember sub words :animesigh

[r2vq]

[QUOTE=MidoriWaterfall]I know shi/nana: 7. Also, shi in kanj characters is "death".

the only other things I know: taki (water)[/QUOTE]

Shichi = 7
Shi = 4
Yes, Shi also means Death, but it uses a different Kanji.

Taki = Waterfall
Mizu = Water

Good job trying to learn a language, but if I were you I'd try to pick up some lessons. PM me and I might be able to help you. But don't try to learn the language just from Subtitled Anime, Scanlated Manga, or word lists on the interenet. It wont get you very far.

-ArV