Life is full of ki-do-ai-raku (kee-doh-ah-ee-rah-koo;
delight-anger-sorrow-fun), and some phrases slip out of our mouths
repeatedly in response to different
daily situations. Master these common Japanese expressions and use
them casually to sound like a native.
Yatta
(yaht-tah; I did it!)
Say yatta when you accomplish something big, receive a great
opportunity, or feel victorious. Passing a difficult test, getting the
job you wanted, or winning
the lottery — these all qualify as yatta material.
Hontô
(hohn-tohh; Really?)
Say hontô to confirm what you've just heard. Suppose your colleague
tells you that she's getting married to your boss. Respond to the news
by saying hontô.
What if your friend says that he'll give his car to you for free? Say
hontô before saying thank you. You can say hontô in a lot of
situations in your daily
life because so many unbelievable things happen every day.
Â, sô desu ka
(ahh, sohh deh-soo kah; Oh, I see.)
Say Â, sô desu ka every time your conversational partner provides a
new piece of information. You need to acknowledge each new bit of info
by saying, Oh,
I see. Be sure to nod as you say this expression. If you talk casually
with a Japanese person, you may use this phrase 200 times in one hour.
Mochiron
(moh-chee-rohn; Of course!)
This is the favorite adverb of confident people. Use it when you're
100 percent confident in your opinion. If you were a married man, how
would you answer
this question, posed to you by your wife: Would you marry me if you
had a chance to do it all over again? A word of advice: Don't think
about it; just
say mochiron to her because you only live once, and you'll never
actually be faced with the decision.
Â, yokatta
(ahh, yoh-kaht-tah; Oh, good.)
Say Â, yokatta every time you feel like saying What a relief or Oh,
good. If you're Mr. or Ms. Worrier, you may say Â, yokatta ten times a
day:
Did I turn off the stove?
Yes, you did.
Â, yokatta.
My daughter was kidnapped!
No, she's right there behind you.
Â, yokatta.
Zenzen
(zehn-zehn; Not at all.)
Zenzen is the phrase of denial. Suppose that someone asks you, "Am I
disturbing you?" when they're not bothering you at all. Say zenzen and
shake your head.
Suppose that your spouse or friend asks whether you understand why he
or she is so mad. If you don't have any idea, say zenzen, if you have
the courage.
Nani
(nah-nee; What?)
Nani is a question word. It's handy when you talk with a Japanese
person. Say nani when you don't hear or understand what the other
person said.
You can also say nani when you can't believe or don't like what you
hear. For example, your fiancée suddenly announces, "I'm getting
married to Tom." If
your name is Frank, you can surely say nani. That's assuming you have
the ability to form words at that point.
Dôshiyô
(dohh-shee-yohh; What shall I do?)
Say dôshiyô when you're in a panic and have no idea what to do. You
can repeat it over and over while you try to think of what to do:
Dôshiyô, dôshiyô,
dôshiyô. Now, you sound like you're in big trouble. What happened? Oh,
you've locked your car door with your keys and your coat inside?!
Â, bikkurishita
(ahh, beek-koo-ree-shee-tah; What a surprise!)
Say Â, bikkurishita when you're very surprised. Is your family known
for throwing surprise parties? If so, say Â, bikkurishita after they
shout out Surprise
on your birthday.
Yappari
(yahp-pah-ree; I knew it would happen.)
Sometimes you have a vague suspicion that something will happen, and
then it actually happens. At times like that, say yappari. Suppose
that you haven't
received a newspaper for the last month, but the newspaper delivery
person says that he has dropped it off in front of your door every
day. One day, you
wake up earlier than usual, and you see your neighbor picking up your
newspaper. If you had a suspicion that your neighbor was up to
something, say yappari.
