It is no coincidence that the Japanese language is one of the most difficult in the world. It does not bear the slightest resemblance to either Russian or the familiar European languages. He acts according to his own laws and not all clear logic. In this regard, its study entails many difficulties.
The origin of the Japanese language
In the modern world, 140 million people use the Japanese language when communicating, and for 125 million they are native. Based on these data, Japanese becomes 9th in the ranking of the most commonly used languages in the world. The true origin of the means of communication of the peoples of Japan is shrouded in a veil of secrecy. Experts distinguish two layers of the language that are associated with Austronesian and Altai vocabulary. Today, the opinion of scientists boils down to the fact that the basis of the Japanese language is still Altai vocabulary. It was she who became his ancestress.
Japanese has its own written language. She combines syllabic writing with ideography. Speaking about their language, the Japanese use two terms: "kokugo" and "nihongo."
Key Features
In Japanese, there are 6 of the most important distinguishing features.
- Writing is divided into three types.
- The arrangement of words in a sentence occurs in a well-defined sequence. A sentence always ends with a predicate. The identified word must be put after the definition.
- Japanese phrases can only be heard in two tenses: present-future and past.
- None of the words of the Japanese language has the property to vary by person, number and gender.
- Very much attention is paid to politeness when native speakers form Japanese phrases. In Russian, politeness does not vary in degree, in contrast to Japanese vocabulary.
- The subject is often omitted in the preparation of the proposal.
Greetings
In order to start communication with the Japanese, you need to know where the dialogue begins. To do this, you should definitely study the phrases in Japanese with a translation on the topic of "greeting".
If you need to say hello in the afternoon, you should use the word Konnichiwa (good afternoon). To say good morning, say Ohayo with the addition of the verb gozaimasu, which forms polite phrases. Hieroglyphs in Japanese for the evening greeting are written as "今 晩 は" and pronounced konbanwa. To wish good night, it is recommended to use the phrase oyasumi, the literal translation of which sounds like "rest" with a touch of polite prefix "o".
Japanese: phrases that conquer
Speaking of love, I always want to bring a touch of romanticism and mystery. In order to conquer a loved one, you can arrange a romantic recognition in the Japanese style and reveal your feelings using beautiful phrases in Japanese. It is important to understand that not all expressions that a man speaks are suitable for women and vice versa.
The most common confession is "I love you." For such a recognition, a woman should use the expression "watashi wa anata no mono yes", for a man it will be relevant to say: "Boku wa kimi no mono yes." If feelings just overwhelm the lovers, you can bestow your soulmate with the recognition "I'm crazy about you." This appeal is universal, so both a man and a woman can say: “Aisiteru” or “Daisuki yes.”
Beautiful phrases in Japanese can be used even for the most crucial moment - the marriage proposal. From the lips of a man the phrase "will you marry me?" sounds like "subwoofer naru yo." But there are times when the representative of the stronger sex is in no hurry to tie the knot with a lover. Then the woman has to take the first step on her own, and for this you can use phrases in Japanese “sabisiku naru wa” or “anata ga koishiku naru va”.
Phrases that a tourist cannot do without
Getting into a foreign city, it is important to know a number of relevant appeals. Japanese is no exception. The phrases spoken as a request, thanks or apologies are the basis for any tourist.
- “Please do something for me” - “Onegai shimasu”.
- “Could you do something for me?” “Kudasaimasen ka?”
- “Thanks for the help” - “Domo”.
- “Thank you very much for your help” - “Domo Arigato”.
- “I will owe you” - “Oseva nor narimashita.”
- "Please forgive me" - "Gomen nasai."
- “Don't worry,” “Tetto.”
- “Thank you, everything was very tasty” - “Gotisosama desita.”
- “Beautiful” - “Suteki!”
- “Help” - “Tasukete!”
Aizuti, or the Art of Communication
A characteristic feature of the conversation with the Japanese is the constant nodding and assent on their part. But it’s important to understand that this absolutely does not mean that your opponent agrees. Such behavior in the process of communication is nothing more than a sign of politeness. Often, after the conversation, during which the Japanese constantly expressed his consent, a refusal follows.
This style of communication is called "Aizuti." If a foreigner applies this technique in a conversation, it will be completely natural for a Japanese. If the person conducting the dialogue with the Japanese forgot to use “Aizuti”, he will show himself as an ignoramus who does not know how to listen to people.
When pronouncing Japanese phrases, you must first think about how they will affect the feelings of the interlocutor. For the Japanese, the expression of interest and attention during the conversation is of great importance. To establish successful communication, it is simply necessary to use “Aizuti”.
Japanese Myths
Many people starting to learn Japanese do not imagine it in the right light. In order to distinguish truthful information from explicit myths, it is necessary to consider the most common statements.
- Japanese, Korean and Chinese are almost identical. This is a false statement, as scientists still cannot accurately determine the attachment of the Japanese language to communication systems. It is considered completely isolated. Of course, there is information about the parallel temporary development of Japanese and Korean. But the language of the Land of the Rising Sun also has Austronesian and Turkish roots.
- Japanese is the most difficult language to learn. Of course, the language is not simple, but not more complicated than Chinese.
- The Japanese themselves came up with hieroglyphs. No, they borrowed them from the peoples of China.
- The Japanese keyboard is several times more familiar to us. In fact, their computer keyboard is identical to the European one. It includes forty-seven characters of the khirgan alphabet.
- Japanese phrases are spoken using some words for loved ones and others for strangers. No matter how surprising it may sound, the husband and wife are talking to each other "anata" when communicating. This appeal means you or you, they also use it in dialogue with a complete stranger.
- The language is unique and does not tolerate borrowing. Japanese often speak using borrowed words. They call them gairaigo. The main borrowing came from English.
- The Japanese clearly pronounce all the sounds. If you ask the Japanese to pronounce the letter "l", then in response you will hear only "p". Yes, the Japanese absolutely do not know how to pronounce the letter "l".
Learning Japanese
In order to learn a language, you should first learn its basics. First, to memorize alphabets, in the case of the Japanese language it is hiragana, katakana, kanji and the Latin alphabet.
Next, you need to work hard on pronunciation. It is important to pay attention to the pronunciation of individual sounds. The peculiarity of the Japanese language consists in changing the designation of the word used, depending on the pronounced intonation. Then there is the study of variations of sound combinations and
Japanese grammar. Having basic knowledge, you can seek help from a mentor. To do this, it is recommended to enroll in a language school. Learn Japanese phrases and words here. Usually cards, audio recordings and other attributes are used for this.
Immersion in the language environment
There are two ways to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Japan. The first is, of course, to go to the Land of the Rising Sun and communicate directly with real Japanese. If this is not possible, then you can enroll in a circle where everyone speaks only Japanese, and usually it includes people who were born and live in this country.
It is important to understand that going on vacation for a week to Japan is, of course, a great idea, but this approach is not very effective in learning the language. For deep immersion, it is recommended to become a student at a local university or to go to this state through an experience exchange program within the framework of your profession. It is best to learn a language from a peer model of your gender. After all, the supply of an adult differs from the explanation of the young, just like female communication from male.